Portuguese slang 101
Speak like a local!
Mastering a new language means more than just knowing the rules—it’s about truly connecting with how people speak every day. In Portuguese, slang, or "gíria", plays a big role in adding personality and authenticity to conversations. It’s the kind of language you won’t always find in textbooks, but it’s what you’ll hear on the streets, in cafés, and among friends. In this post, we’ll introduce you to some popular Portuguese slang expressions, their meanings, and tips for using them naturally in your conversations.
1. Fixe – Cool / Great
Meaning: An all-purpose word to describe something that’s awesome or fun.
Example: "Este filme é mesmo fixe!"
[ˈɛʃ.tɨ ˈfiɫ.mɨ ɛ ˈmeʒ.mu ˈfiʃɨ]
("This movie is really cool!")
2. Bué – A lot / Very
Meaning: Widely used among younger generations, this slang term means "a lot" or "very."
Example: "Estou bué cansado hoje."
[ʃˈto ˈbwɛ kɐ̃ˈsa.du ˈo.ʒɨ]
("I’m super tired today.")
3. Tás a ver? – You know what I mean?
Meaning: A conversational filler used to confirm understanding, similar to "you know?" or "right?" The word "tás" is a contraction of "estás" (you are), making it an informal and common way to start phrases in everyday speech.
Example 1: "Ontem foi incrível, tás a ver?"
[ˈõ.tẽj ˈfoj ĩˈkɾi.vɛɫ ˈtaʒ ɐ ˈveɾ]
("Yesterday was amazing, you know?")Example 2: "Tás com fome? Vamos comer qualquer coisa."
[ˈtaʃ kõ ˈfɔ.mɨ ˈvɐ.muʃ kuˈmeɾ ˈkwaɫ.kɐj ˈkɔj.zɐ]
("Are you hungry? Let’s eat something.")
4. Bora – Let’s go
Meaning: A casual, shortened form of "embora," used informally to mean "let’s go" or "come on." While "embora" can mean "to leave" or "go away" in more formal contexts, "bora" is all about suggesting action in a laid-back way.
Example 1: "Bora ao café?"
[ˈbɔ.ɾɐ aw kɐˈfɛ]
("Let’s go to the café?")Example 2: "Bora lá antes que chova."
[ˈbɔ.ɾɐ ˈla ˈɐ̃.tɨʃ kɨ ˈʃɔ.vɐ]
("Let’s go before it rains.")
5. Na boa – No problem / It’s okay
Meaning: A laid-back way to say everything is fine or to reassure someone. The phrase can also take the form "é na boa" to emphasise a chill attitude, meaning "it’s totally fine" or "don’t worry about it."
Example 1: "Não tens dinheiro? Na boa, eu pago."
[ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈtẽʃ dɨˈɲɐj.ɾu ˈnɐ ˈbo.ɐ ew ˈpa.ɡu]
("You don’t have money? No problem, I’ll pay.")Example 2: "Pode ficar com o troco, é na boa."
[ˈpɔ.dɨ fiˈkaɾ kõ u ˈtɾo.ku ɛ ˈnɐ ˈbo.ɐ]
("You can keep the change, it’s totally fine.")
6. Bacano – Cool / Nice
Meaning: A slang word used to describe someone or something as cool, nice, or awesome. It’s commonly used among friends.
Example 1: "O teu carro novo é mesmo bacano!"
[u ˈtew ˈka.ʁu ˈno.vu ɛ ˈmeʒ.mu bɐˈka.nu]
("Your new car is really cool!")Example 2: "Ele é um bacano, ajuda sempre toda a gente."
[ˈɛ.lɨ ɛ ˈũ bɐˈka.nu ɐˈʒu.dɐ ˈsẽ.pɾɨ ˈto.dɐ ɐ ˈʒẽ.tɨ]
("He’s such a nice guy, he always helps everyone.")
7. Cena – Thing / Stuff / Situation
Meaning: A versatile word that can mean "thing," "stuff," or refer to a situation. It’s widely used in informal conversations to describe anything from an object to a weird or unusual situation. The phrase "que cena marada" (what a strange thing) is a great example of how "cena" is used to describe an odd or unexpected scenario.
Example 1: "Qual é a cena do teu amigo?"
[ˈkwaɫ ɛ ɐ ˈse.nɐ du ˈtew ɐˈmi.ɡu]
("What’s up with your friend?")Example 2: "Que cena marada!"
[ˈkɨ ˈse.nɐ mɐˈɾa.dɐ]
("What a strange thing!")
8. Puto – Kid / Youngster (informal)
Meaning: A casual term often used to refer to boys or youngsters in general. It’s also common between friends in a playful way, similar to "dude" or "mate" in English. The phrase "Tá tudo" is versatile—it can mean "All good?" in a general sense or even imply someone is available (e.g., ready or free to do something).
Example 1: "O puto está a jogar futebol no parque."
[u ˈpu.tu ˈʃtɐ ɐ ʒuˈɡaɾ fu.tɨˈbɔɫ nu ˈpaɾ.kɨ]
("The kid is playing soccer in the park.")Example 2: "Então, puto? Tá tudo?"
[ẽˈtɐ̃w̃ ˈpu.tu ˈta ˈtu.du]
("What’s up, dude? All good?")
9. Tá-se bem – It’s all good / Chill
Meaning: A laid-back phrase meaning "it’s all good" or "everything’s fine."
Example: "Não te preocupes, tá-se bem."
[ˈnɐ̃w̃ tɨ pɾɨ.oˈku.pɨʃ ˈta.sɨ ˈbẽ]
("Don’t worry, it’s all good.")
10. Curte – Enjoy / Like
Meaning: A slangy way to say you like or enjoy something.
Example 1: "Curtiste o concerto ontem?"
[kuɾˈtiʃ.tɨ u kõˈseɾ.tu ˈõ.tẽj]
("Did you enjoy the concert yesterday?")Example 2: "Ele curte muito música eletrónica."
[ˈɛ.lɨ ˈkuɾ.tɨ ˈmũj.tu ˈmu.zi.kɐ e.lɛˈtɾɔ.ni.kɐ]
("He really enjoys electronic music.")
Conclusion
Slang is the heartbeat of any language—it’s how locals truly express themselves. By learning these common Portuguese slang terms, you’re not just expanding your vocabulary but also getting a glimpse into the everyday lives and culture of Portuguese speakers.
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