Ficar is a high-frequency and versatile Portuguese verb that every learner should master early on.
Depending on the context, ficar can mean ‘stay’, ‘be’, ‘get’, or ‘become’. It’s also commonly used to indicate location, among other things.
Let’s take a closer look.
Conjugation
Here’s how we conjugate ficar in the Present and Past tenses:
🔍 Learn more about the differences between Perfeito and Imperfeito past tenses.
1. Expressing States and Changes
Stay
Vais ficar em casa esta noite?
Are you staying home tonight?
Fica onde estás, não te mexas!
Stay where you are, don’t move!
Fica bem e até à próxima.
Stay well and see you next time.
Be
Ela ficou destroçada com as notícias.
She was crushed by the news.
Fiquei triste quando soube que não vinhas.
I was sad when I realized you weren’t coming.
Get
Ficou frio de repente.
It got cold all of a sudden.
Ela fica facililmente amuada!
She gets easily sulky.
2. Describing Appearance
Ficar is often used pronominally to say something suits someone:
Estas calças ficam-lhe bem.
These trousers look good on him.
Achas que este casaco me fica bem?
Do you think this jacket suits me?
🔍 Learn more about Portuguese pronominal conjugation:
3. Talking About Location
Braga fica no norte de Portugal.
Braga is in the north of Portugal.
Onde fica a casa de banho?
Where’s the restroom?
💡Note. Ficar and ser can be used interchangeably in this context.
Onde é a casa de banho?
Where’s the restroom?
But use estar for people or movable things:
O teu telemóvel está na mesa.
Your phone is on the table.
🔍Learn more about estar vs ser.
4. Ownership and Cost
Obtain (ficar com)
Use ficar com to say someone ends up with something:
Ela ficou-lhe com o dinheiro todo.
She got all his money.
Eu posso ficar com as laranjas e tu com os limões.
I can take the oranges, and you the lemons.
Cost
Por quanto fica?
How much is it?
As férias ficaram caras.
The holidays were expensive.
5. Postponing (ficar para)
O concerto ficou adiado para abril.
The concert was postponed to April.
Fica para a próxima.
Let’s do it next time.
6. Expressing Restraint or Reaction (ficar-se)
Ele ficou-se e não respondeu à provocação.
He held back and didn’t respond.
Ele não se ficou e respondeu à provocação.
He couldn’t hold back and replied.
Não te fiques!
Don’t put up with it!
Idiomatic Expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
| Ficar de boca aberta | Get blown away | Ela ficou de boca aberta com as novidades. She was blown away by the news. |
| Ficar de pé atrás | Get suspicious | Fiquei de pé atrás com essa oferta. I was wary about that offer. |
| Ficar nas lonas | Become broke | Ficou nas lonas depois de perder o emprego. She went broke after losing her job. |
| Ficar às escuras | Be in the dark | Fiquei às escuras sem saber o que fazer. I was left in the dark. |
| Ficar às aranhas | Become perplexed | Ele ficou às aranhas com a pergunta. He was stumped by the question. |
| Ficar sem fala | Become speechless | Fiquei sem fala com a surpresa. I was speechless from the surprise. |
| Ficar a ver navios | Miss out on something | Ficou a ver navios por não se candidatar. She missed out because she didn’t apply. |
| Ficar de mãos a abanar | Be left empty-handed | Ficou de mãos a abanar. He ended up empty-handed. |
| Ficar-se nas tintas | Not give a damn | Fiquei-me nas tintas. I couldn’t care less. |
