The Following is a vocab list of some popular Brazilian Portuguese expressions that you will hear all the time in Brazil:
“na verdade” – actually, in truth
Example: “Na verdade, eu não gosto de massa.” – Actually, I don’t like pasta.”
“daqui a pouco” – in a little while, in a bit
Example: “Nós vamos sair daqui a pouco.” – “We’re going out in a little while.”
“por mim” – as far as I’m concerned
Example: “Por mim, está tudo bem.” – “As far as I’m concerned everything is fine.”
“nem um pouco” – not even a little bit, at all
Example: “Eu não gostei nem um pouco.” – “I didn’t like it at all.”
“pelo menos” – at least
Example: “Eu não gostei da peça, mas pelo menos o ingresso foi barato.” – “I didn’t like the play but at least the ticket was cheap.”
“por acaso” – randomly, by chance
Example: “Nada é por acaso.” – “Nothing is random.”
* “por algum acaso” means “by any chance.” For example: “Você viu meus óculos por algum acaso?” – “Have you seen my glasses by any chance?”
“será que” – could it be that…?, do you think…? (always a question)
Example: “Será que vai chover?” – “Do you think it’s going to rain?”
“chega!” – enough! stop! (although many Portuguese students learn to say “basta!” for “that’s enough!” this is said much more frequently, in my opinion.)
Example: “Chega! Eu não quero mais ouvir as suas reclamações.” – “Enough! I don’t want to hear your complaints anymore.”
*This may be confusing for some, because the word “chega,” (from the verb “chegar”) actually means to arrive, but if you think of it as if you are exasperated, saying “alright already!” “get there already” “stop already” it kind of still makes sense in a way. The word “chega” can take on different meanings in other expressions too. For example,
“chega pra lá” means “scoot over” or “move over.” So “chega” is used as a command, even though if you have read my post on
forming the imperative, the correct form should be “
chegue.” Sometimes in Portuguese, verbs that should be imperative are just conjugated normally in the present, but are still imperative, don’t ask me why.
“tomara que” – hopefully, i hope that…
Example: “Tomara que faça sol no domingo.” – “Hopefully it will be sunny on Sunday.”
*”tomara que” is followed by a verb in the subjunctive tense, like most phrases with “que”
“já volto” – “I’ll be right back”
Example: “Só vou ao banheiro e já volto.” – I’m just going to toilet and I’ll be right back.”
“dar um branco” – to draw a blank, blank out, when your mind goes blank and you temporarily can’t remember something
Example: “Eu ia fazer alguma coisa agora mas deu um branco.” – “I was just about to do something but my mind just went blank.”
And here are some other terms that i’ve had on a list for a long time and didn’t know where else to put:
“caprichar” – sort of means “to embellish”, “to elaborate on”, “to put extra effort in,” “to be detailed in doing something”
*this can be made into a noun (caprichada – for example, “dar aquela caprichada” – “to make that extra effort”) or an adjective, for example: “foi tão caprichada!” – “it was so well done!”
“cadê?” – that wonderful word which doesn’t need to be conjugated which means – Where is/are..?
“chulé” – bad foot odor, or smelly feet! (I love how speciffic this word is)
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