Idioms are wonderful because they make a language richer and so much more unique. However for non-natives, idioms can really be confusing because when they are literally translated they make absolutely no sense!
In European Portuguese there are hundreds of idioms that we use on a daily basis- some involving animals, food and body parts. Many of them sound pretty hilarious!
If you are learning EU Portuguese and want to learn some popular idioms so that you sound more fluent and authentic, you have reached the right place.
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How To Learn Portuguese Idioms
It can be quite hard to learn new idioms from textbooks and even in classroom settings. They mainly focus on grammar and tenses.
Another great way to pick up new idioms is to watch films and series in the target language. Thatâs where Lingopie comes in. On the Lingopie website you can find a variety of Portuguese movies, series, documentaries and more. By watching these, you can learn new popular idioms in the language (as they are mainly used when speaking!). Itâs great, especially if you canât be immersed in the language in-person.
But today we have put together a list of 16 commonly used idioms in Portuguese for you.
European Portuguese Idioms You Should Know
So, now letâs take a look at 16 popular European Portuguese idioms (some of these are also used in Brazilian Portuguese too). I have included some examples so that you can see how they are used exactly.
Tira o cavalinho da chuva
Literal translation: âTake the horse out of the rainâ
What it means: In Portugal, this expression is used to express that something is not likely to happen, so there is no point in getting oneâs hopes up! In English, we would say âDonât hold your breathâ.
Example: âEla jĂĄ tem namorado. Podes tirar o cavalinho da chuvaâ/ âShe already has a boyfriend. Donât hold your breath.â
SĂŁo muitos anos a virar frangos
Literal translation: âIt is many years flipping chickensâ
What it means: This idiom is used when someone is an expert at something because they have been doing it for a very long time. When someone does a good job, itâs because they have many years experience âflipping chickensâ- brilliant!
Example: âRui, tu cozinhas muito bem!â âPois Ă©, sĂŁo muitos anos a virar frangos.â / â Rui, youâre a very good cook!â âI know right, I have many years experienceâ.
Vai pentear macacos
Literal translation: âgo and comb monkeysâ
What it means: Telling someone to âvai pentear macacosâ is simply telling someone to get lost! Perfect for when someone is being annoying or bothering you. It can be used in a friendly way with your loved ones. This expression is also used in some parts of Brazil.
Example: âPĂĄra de me chatear. Vai pentear macacos./ âStop bothering me. Get lost!â
Ter muita lata (Tu tens muita lata)
Literal translation: âto have a lot of cansâ
What it means: âTer muita lataâ means to âhave a lot of nerveâ. Itâs a great phrase to use to describe someone who is completely shameless in their actions.
Example: âEla usou o meu dinheiro todo. Ă preciso ter muita lata!â/ âShe used all my money. Youâve got to have a lot of nerve!â
Bater as botas
Literal translation: âbeating the bootsâ
What it means: Â Very simply, âbater as botasâ means to die! In English we have the expression âto kick the bucketâ which I think is very similar.
Example: âO nosso vizinho bateu as botas enquanto dormiaâ/ Our neighbour kicked the bucket (died) whilst he was sleeping.â
Dar o braço a torcer
Literal translation: âto give oneâs arm to be twistedâ
What it means: This expression means to be very firm in oneâs decision and to not change oneâs mind very easily. Perfect to describe someone who is extremely stubborn.
Example: âEle Ă© uma pessoa muito difĂcil, nunca vai dar o braço a torcer!â â He is a very difficult person, heâll never give in!â
Meter a pata na poça
Literal translation: to put the paw in the puddle
What it means: In English we have the expression âIâve put my foot in itâ which is a perfect equivalent to this. It means to make a mess of something or to make a huge mistake.
Example: âInsultei o meu patrĂŁo. Desta vez meti mesmo a pata na poçaâ / âI insulted my boss. This time I really put my foot in it.â
EstĂĄ para nascer um burro
Literal translation: âa donkey is about to be bornâ
What it means: I love this idiom, it is so funny. It is used to refer to a situation that is so unusual that it is almost impossible to believe.
Example: âO JoĂŁo estĂĄ a fazer a cama. Deve estar para nascer um burro!â/ John is making the bed. A donkey is about to be born. (John never usually makes the bed)
Estar feito ao bife
Literal translation: âto be done to the steakâ
What it means: If a Portuguese person tells you that you are âfeito ao bifeâ it definitely means that you are in some sort of trouble or in a tricky situation. In English we might say âIâm screwedâ.
Example: âAtropelei o gato do vizinho. Acho que estou feito ao bife.â âI ran over the neighbor 's cat. I think Iâm screwed.â
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Cair em si
Literal translation: âto fall into oneselfâ
What it means: This is a great Portuguese expression to express coming to oneâs senses. Itâs used when someone realizes they have made a mistake or becomes conscious about something that has happened.
Example: âEla caiu em si e deixou o marido abusivo.â/ âShe came to her senses and left her abusive husband.â
Vira o disco e toca o mesmo
Literal translation: âturn the record and play the same songâ
What it means: This Portuguese idiom is used to describe someone who repeats everything they say or is always saying or doing the same thing. In English we say something along the lines of âitâs the same old story.â
Quem tem boca vai a Roma
Literal translation: âwho has mouth goes to Romeâ
What it means: This idiom means something along the lines of âif you ask for directions or help, you will always find the wayâ. Or âif you search (ask for it), you will find itâ. Essentially, it is saying that you should use your voice to ask for what you want (as this is how you get to places in life)!
Sometimes in English we say âif you donât ask, you donât getâ which is very similar.
Passar das marcas
Literal translation: âto cross the linesâ
What it means: âPassar das marcasâ means to take something too far, to not behave appropriately, or to break the rules. In English we sometimes say âto get out of lineâ.
Example: âDesta vez ela passou mesmo das marcas.â/ âThis time she really crossed the line.â
PĂŽr o rabo entre as pernas
Literal translation: âto put oneâs tail between oneâs legsâ
What it means: This expression is used to describe someone who is a coward, who feels ashamed of something or even who feels scared (dogs put their tails between their legs when afraid which is probably where this expression comes from).
Example: âDisse-lhe o que tinha para dizer e ele saiu com o rabo entre as pernasâ/ âI told him what I had to say and he left with his tail between his legs (he felt ashamed/ he chickened out)â
Sem papas na lĂngua
Literal translation: âWithout mushy food on the tongueâ
What it means: âSem papas na lĂnguaâ is an idiom used to describe someone who is extremely outspoken, and unafraid to speak what is on their mind. In English we can say that the person âdoesnât beat around the bushâ.
Example: âO meu filho nĂŁo tem papas na lĂngua. Ele diz as coisas como sĂŁo.â/ âMy son doesnât beat around the bush. He says things exactly as they are.â
NĂŁo bater certo (Isso nĂŁo bate certo)
Literal translation: âto not hit rightâ
What it means: This expression is used when something doesnât add up, or something doesnât quite sound right.
Example: âEla contou-me uma histĂłria e ele contou-me uma histĂłria completamente diferente. Qualquer coisa aĂ nĂŁo bate certoâŠâ/ âShe told me one story and he told me a completely different story. Something there doesnât quite add upâŠâ
To Summarize
So there we have 16 commonly used European Portuguese idiomatic expressions. Were you familiar with any of these? Of course there are plenty more but we would be here all day listing them all.
Using idiomatic expressions is one of the best ways to begin sounding authentic Portuguese. If you go to a Portuguese speaking country you will see how frequently natives use them on a daily basis!
If you want to become familiar with more Portuguese idioms, watching movies and series in the target language is an optimal way to do this. Remember that with Lingopie, there is a large selection on offer. To make things easier, every show comes with subtitles in both English and Portuguese, so that you donât get lost along the way!
Happy binge-watching!