Since we opened in 2009, we continuously evaluate and develop our curriculum and services and have become the leading Portuguese school in Brazil. We offer Portuguese group courses on 9 levels throughout the year. We are the largest and most exciting Portuguese school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Study Portuguese with Caminhos Language Centre. Have you enjoyed this list? Can you translate any of these words into your native language by any chance? Let us know! “Saudades da minha namorada, meu xodó.” (I miss my girlfriend, my love.) “Este quadro é meu xodó.” (I really like/care about this painting.) It can be your love, pet, children, an object of adoration… Anything. It is a cute way to call your significant other or something you really love. “Será que vamos conseguir vencer o campeonato? Xodó SeráĪ rhetorical device that carries the idea of doubt and expresses a hypothetical situation. However, others say the concept is not exactly the same, with each language having a different way to describe the feeling of nostalgia. Writers claim that the word Sehnsucht in German, Hanîn in Arabic, and Natsukashii in Japanese all have the same meaning as Saudade. Some might say the idea of Saudade being a word that only exists in Portuguese is a myth. Saudade is the name of the feeling you have when you miss someone, something, someplace… The dictionary defines Saudade as “a deep emotional state of melancholic longing for a person or thing that is absent.” This is a popular word among students, as it is one of the most famous Portuguese words that can’t be translated. Brazilians usually buy Quentinhas to eat at work or at home, when they don’t feel like cooking. In Rio de Janeiro, for example, Quentinhas cost between R$10 to R$20. Quentinhas are a cheap way to eat homemade takeout. A typical Quentinha in Brazil consists of rice, beans, spaghetti, some kind of meat, and a side dish, usually French fries or vegetables. Quentinha is a take-away food prepared by inexpensive restaurants and usually served in styrofoam or aluminum foil containers. It means to spend time relaxing, going places, such as a park, a shopping mall, the beach, or even a friend’s house. Passear means to take a walk and enjoy the day outside of the house. Malandro is also a smart person who thinks outside the box. On the other hand, Malandro can also refer to a bohemian guy that loves nightlife, especially samba parties, and really enjoy the company of pretty women - a true lady-killer. Negatively, someone is considered Malandro if they do not like to work much, if they are always expecting friends to pay for their expenses, or if they do small non-ethical things to get what they want. We usually say most Cariocas are Malandros by nature, especially the guys. MalandroĪs we have mentioned before on our blog post 15 Brazilian Portuguese Adjectives Every Beginner Must Know, Malandro is a word that might have a negative or positive meaning depending on the context. However, it is common for Brazilians to just leave things like that as long as it is working. Gambiarras are usually temporary solutions for broken things. Gambiarra is an improvised method or solution to solve a problem, using any available material. For example, fixing a broken lamp with some wires and tapes just so it can work again. People might also say “ No capricho!“, which means they did their work the best they could to please you. That means we are asking them to give them special attention and outdo themselves in their work. When going to a restaurant, for example, we may ask the chef to Caprichar while cooking our food. Capricho is the act of trying really hard to make something look good. CapricharĬaprichar is a verb that means do something well, the best way possible. In Portuguese, Calor means heat and Frio means cold. So, Friorento is a person who is sensitive to the cold. When people feel cold all the time, we call them Friorentos. The same thing works the other way around. Some people just feel the heat more than others. We use the adjective Calorento to describe someone who is always feeling hot or complaining about the heat. It is a way of showing affection to someone you love. The act of running your fingers through someone else’s hair. So, learn the Portuguese words that can’t be translated and start using them to express your feelings! Cafuné While there are ways of translating them, it either takes away the original meaning or requires a more roundabout way to translate the concept. These are often touchingly beautiful and expressive words. Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes used to say that Portuguese is “sweet and pleasant, the most sonorous language in the world.” And just like any other language on the planet, there are some Portuguese words that just can’t be translated. Portuguese is a unique language, with nuances and fluidity.
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