Portuguese Expressions for Everyday Use

Learning Portuguese common expressions and idioms is essential for several reasons:

Communication Effectiveness. Native speakers use idiomatic expressions all the time. Incorporating those expressions into your repertoire will make your communication more natural and effective. 

Improved rapport with locals. Knowing when and how to use idiomatic expressions is crucial for blending in and creating meaningful connections with the locals. 

Avoid misunderstandings. Because they often don’t have a direct translation, knowing Portuguese idioms and using them correctly implies a higher level of language proficiency and helps you avoid potential misunderstandings.

Enhanced ability to express yourself. Learning these Portuguese idiomatic expressions adds depth to your language skills and allows you to express yourself more creatively and precisely.

Breaking the Ice. Using common Portuguese expressions and idioms in conversation helps you connect with native speakers on a more personal level. It also shows that you’ve invested time in understanding the nuances of the language and that you are engaged with the culture.

Literary appreciation. If you’re interested in Portuguese literature or cinema, grasping idiomatic expressions becomes quite relevant as these art forms heavily rely on cultural references and idioms.

Cultural understanding: Idiomatic expressions often carry cultural nuances and insights. By learning them, you gain a deeper understanding of Portuguese culture and the way people think.

Now that you know why you should learn as many Portuguese idiomatic expressions as possible, let’s get right into it and start learning them.

Isso mesmo

That’s right

– Disseste que vais de férias no dia 6?
– Isso mesmo.
– Did you say you’re going on vacation on the 6th?
– That’s right.

Fazer de conta

Pretend

Ela passou por mim e fez de conta que não me viu.
She walked past me and pretended not to see me.

Já agora

By the way

Já agora, sabes o que me disseram?
By the way, do you know what they told me?

Pôr a conversa em dia

To catch up

Temos que nos encontrar para pôr a conversa em dia.
We have to meet up to catch up.

Deixa lá

Never mind

Deixa lá, vai ficar tudo bem.
Never mind, everything will be fine.

Faz sentido

It makes sense

Isso faz todo o sentido.
That makes perfect sense.

Por água abaixo

Down the drain

Foi tudo por água abaixo.
It all went down the drain.

De cor e salteado

By heart

Sei tudo de cor e salteado.
I know it all by heart.

Dar à graxa

To suck up to

Para de me dar à graxa.
Stop sucking up to me.

Estar farto

To be sick and tired

Estou farto de estar cá a morar.
I’m sick of living here.

Por um triz

So close

Passei o teste por um triz.
I barely passed the test.

Que sorte!

How lucky!

Que sorte tiveste!
How lucky you were!

Dar em maluco

To go crazy

Dou em maluco contigo.
I go crazy with you.

Dá cá mais cinco

Give me five

Dá cá mais cinco!
Give me five!

Dá-lhe!

Do it!

Força, dá-lhe!
Go ahead, give it a go!

Tanto faz

Either is fine

Por mim tanto faz.
I don’t care.

Fazer um chinfrim

To make a fuss

Não faças chinfrim.
Don’t make a fuss.

Fazer figas

To cross one’s fingers

Faço figas para que tudo corra bem.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

Fazer-se a alguém

To flirt with someone

Ela está-se a fazer a mim.
She’s hitting on me.

Feito ao bife

To be toast

Estás feito ao bife!
You’re toast!

Assim assim

So so

– Gostos de polvo?
– Assim assim.
– Do you like octopus?
– So so.

É pegar ou largar

Take it or leave it

É pegar ou largar.
It’s take it or leave it.

Aproveitar-se

To take advantage

Ele aproveitou-se de ti.
He took advantage of you.

Por falar nisso

By the way

Por falar nisso, já compraste o casaco? 
By the way, have you bought the jacket yet? 

Estou-me nas tintas

I couldn’t care less

– As pessoas andam a falar mal de ti.
– Estou-me nas tintas.
– People are bad-mouthing you.
– I couldn’t care less,

Nem pensar

No way

– Que tal visitar o Japão no Verão? 
– O Japão é caríssimo. Nem pensar.
–  What about going to Japan this summer?
– Japan is very expensive. No way.

Espetacular

Amazing

– Então como foram as férias?
– Foram espetaculares!
– So how was your vacation?
– It was amazing.

Combinado

Agreed

– Café amanhã depois do almoço?
– Combinado.
– Coffee tomorrow after lunch?
– Agreed.

À pinha

Packed (with people)

O restaurante estava à pinha.
The restaurant was packed.

Às moscas

Empty (no people)

O restaurante estava às moscas.
The restaurant was empty.

Que chatice!

What a bummer

Epá, que chatice!
Boy, what a bummer!

Que seca

What a bore

– Temos de esperar duas horas pelo próximo comboio.
– Que seca!
– We have to wait two hours for the next train.
– What a drag!

É contigo

It’s up to you.

– Achas que devo  contar a verdade ao Rodolfo?
– Isso é contigo.
– Do you think I should tell Rodolfo the truth?
– That’s up to you.

De um vez por todas

For once and for all

Decide-te de uma vez por todas.
Make up your mind once and for all.

Safar-se

Get away with it

– O Afonso foi apanhado?
– Esse sacana safou-se.
– Was Afonso caught?
– That bastard got away with it.

Pelo sim pelo não

Just in case

Pelo sim pelo não leva dinheiro contigo.
Just in case, take some money with you.

Nem por isso

Not really 

 – Gostaste do concerto?
– Nem por isso.
– Did you enjoy the concert?
– Not really.

Na boa

No problem

– Tens a certeza que posso levar o carro emprestado?
– Na boa
– Are you sure I can borrow the car?
– No problem

Boa onda

Good vibe

A Isabel é boa onda.
Isabel is cool.

De um lado para o outro

Back and forth

Andas sempre de um lado para o outro.
You’re always moving around.

Pelos vistos

Apparently

Pelos vistos amanhã vai chover.
Apparently, it will be raining tomorrow.

Não faço a mínima

No idea

– Sabes quem se casou?
– Não faço a mínima.
– Do you know who got married?
– I have no idea.

Quem me dera

I wish 

Quem me dera poder estar contigo agora.
I wish I could be with you now.

Dar-se bem

To get along well

Eles dão-se bem.
They get on well.

Ai sim!?

Really!?

– Ele foi-se embora sem avisar.
– Ai sim!?
– He left without notice.
– Is that so!?