Se embebedando em português – Parte I

Olá, leitores! Hello, readers!

Today is Ash Wednesday, meaning that Brazil over the past week was bursting with Carnaval joy. Millions of people crowded the streets to celebrate, dance, listen to music and, of course, get our booze on. So no day better than this one to introduce you to some drinking-related expressions in Portuguese.

Many people consider Brazilians to be party people and while that might not be true for everybody, there is no denying that we are, to certain measures, a festive culture.The city where I’m from (Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais) is even known as the city of bars! So let’s go over some words, slang and idioms that can get you in high spirits and help you practice at the bar! The list is endless, of course, since our country is so big and the language so rich, but there is enough to get you started on the fun. Bora? (Let’s go?)

copo – glass

• Você aceita um copo d’água? | Would you like a glass of water?

taça – glass

• Uma taça de vinho por noite faz bem para o coração | A glass of wine every night is good for the heart

garrafa – bottle

• Ele levou uma garrafa de gin para a festa | He brought a bottle of gin to the party

lata – can

• Quantas latas de cerveja vocês beberam ontem à noite? | How many cans of beer did you have last night?

dose – shot

• Vou pedir uma dose de vodca pra gente | I’ll order us a shot of vodca
• Quantas doses de cachaça eu preciso pra fazer uma caipirinha? | How many shots of cachaça do I need to make a caipirinha?

bar – bar

• Estava passando em frente ao bar, encontrei uns amigos e resolvi ficar um pouquinho | I was walking past the bar, ran into some friends and decided to hang for a while
• Que horas esse bar fecha? | What time does this bar close?

boteco – a more modest, rustic bar, a joint

• Meu tio vive naquele boteco da esquina | My uncle is always hanging at that joint in the corner
• Aquele boteco perto da faculdade vende cerveja barata | That joint near the university sells cheap beer

garçom – waiter

• Garçom, me vê mais uma cerveja | Waiter, can I have another beer?
• Chama o garçom e pede mais uma rodada | Call the waiter and ask for another round

tomar uma – literally, to “drink one”, to grab a beer

• Vamos tomar uma depois do trabalho? | Let’s grab a beer after work?

beber todas – literally, to “drink all”, to get drunk

• Hoje não estou bem, preciso beber todas | I’m not well today, I need to get drunk

beber até cair – literally, “to drink until you fall”, to get really drunk

• Ontem nós fomos pro bar e bebemos até cair | We went to the bar yesterday and got really smashed

encher a cara – literally, “to fill the face”, to get really drunk

• Eu quero encher a cara na minha festa de formatura semana que vem | I want get really bombed at my graduation party next week

There’s more to come! Tchau! Bye!