42 Portuguese Idioms You Need To Learn Now (+Free PDF)

Portuguese is a rich language spoken by many people all over the world. 

One great example of just how rich and beautiful Portuguese is found in the various idioms that Portuguese speakers use on a regular basis.

Idioms are phrases where the meaning of the words doesn’t necessarily sum up what the entire phrase is really saying. They can be very confusing for beginner language learners, but for native speakers, they are phrases they use daily.

In order to really become fluent in Portuguese, you need to know and understand some basic phrases and basic idioms. Start with the idioms here.

Bonus: Get a free PDF list of 42 Portuguese Idioms

1. Pão pão queijo queijo

Translation: Bread bread cheese cheese

Meaning: It is what it is

This Portuguese idiom is used to signify acceptance of a situation.

2. Quem vê cara, não vê coração

Translation: Those who see faces don’t see hearts

Meaning: Don’t judge by appearances

This is a wise Portuguese idiom that is equivalent to the English idiom of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” So, don’t be quick to judge someone, especially based on appearances.

3. Pagar or pata

Translation: To pay for the duck

Meaning: To take the blame

When you do this, you are taking the blame for something someone else did.

4. Uma andorinha não faz verão

Translation: One swallow does not make a summer

Meaning: Strength in numbers

This is a common Portuguese saying which is meant to imply that working as a group is better than working alone.

5. Partir o côco a rir

Translation: To break the coconut laughing

Meaning: Laugh hard

If someone is doing this, they are laughing hard.

6. Estás a meter água

Translation: Letting water in

Meaning: Foolish

When you hear someone say this, they are saying that they are acting the fool.

7. Coração de pedra

Translation: Heart of stone

Meaning: No empathy

This is a Portuguese idiom that basically means the same thing as the English idiom “heart of ice.” They do not care or have no empathy for other people.

8. Fia-te na Virgem e não corras

Translation: Trust the Virgin and don’t run

Meaning: Do something

The implication of this Portuguese idiom is that you need to do something to get yourself out of trouble, not just wait around for a miracle or for someone else to solve your problems.

9. É muita areia para o meu caminhão

Translation: This is too much sand for my truck

Meaning: I’m overwhelmed

This is equivalent to the English idiom “I’m in over my head”. When you hear this, the speaker is saying that they are extremely busy, maybe too busy. 

10. Está para nascer um burro

Translation: A donkey is about to be born

Meaning: Do something unexpected

This idiom is used when someone does something shocking or unexpected. When they did something unbelievable.

11. Amigos, amigos, negócios à parte

Translation: Friends, friends, business aside

Meaning: Don’t go into business with your friends

This wise Portuguese expression is a caution about mixing friendship with business matters.

12. Tirar o cavalinho da chuva

Translation: Take the horse away from the rain

Meaning: Don’t count on it.

This idiom is long and actually has nothing to do with a “pony” or the weather; it is rather an exclamation similar to the English expression “don’t count on it”. So, if someone proposes that you do something that you don’t want to, you can say this.

13. Barata tonta

Translation: Dizzy cockroach

Meaning: Clumsy

This funny Portuguese idiom is used to describe someone who is clumsy and maybe disoriented.

14. Cão que ladra não morde

Translation: A dog that barks does not bite

Meaning: Not a real threat

The implication of this Portuguese idiom is that someone is “noisy” and threatening, but is really harmless. 

15. A carapuça serviu

Translation: The hat fits

Meaning: Guilty

This idiom is used when someone has caught someone in a lie. If someone has accidently revealed themselves as guilty of something they denied, “the hat fits”.

16. Armar-se em carapau de corrida

Translation: To be racing like a mackerel

Meaning: A cocky nobody

When a Portuguese speaker talks about someone like this, they are saying that they are self-important. They think they are important or a “big shot” even if they are not.

17. Maria vai com as outras

Translation: Maria goes with the others

Meaning: A follower

You can use this idiom to refer to someone – not necessarily named Maria – who simply goes along with the group.

18. Ir com os porcos

Translation: He went with the pigs

Meaning: He died

This irreverent Portuguese idiom is used to say that somebody passed away. Be careful when and where you use it as it’s very informal.

19. Burro velho não aprende línguas

Translation: An old donkey doesn’t learn languages

Meaning: People don’t change

This is the equivalent to the English idiom “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” The implication is that people tend to be resistant to change. 

20. Atirar-se de cabeça

Translation: Plunge head first

Meaning: Join in 

When you do this, you decide to fully commit to a situation or join up with a group without any hesitation. There is a slight implication that you might have been a bit impulsive, but there’s usually no judgments from the speaker.

21. Alimentar um burro a pão de ló

Translation: To feed the donkey sponge cake

Meaning: To treat someone better then they deserve

It seems like a waste to feed a donkey sponge cake, yes? Well, that’s the implication with this idiom. The meaning behind these words is that you are treating someone better than they deserve. That you are “wasting” your efforts or your kindness towards them.  

22. Muitos anos a virar frangos

Translation: Many years of turning chickens

Meaning: An expert

The explanation behind this idiom is, in Portugal, it is common to cook chicken by grilling it by turning it on a spit for a long time. So, if someone has been turning chickens for a “long time” they have been doing something for a long time, so that made them an expert. This is meant to imply someone is experienced.

23. Torcer o nariz

Translation: To tweak one’s nose

Meaning: To disagree

If you hear this from a Portuguese speaker, they are saying that they are disagreeing with someone or have a different opinion.

24. De noite todos os gatos são pardos

Translation: All night, all cats are gray

Meaning: Everyone makes mistakes

This is a philosophical Portuguese idiom that basically means that it is easy to make mistakes.

25.  Pôr o rabo entre as pernas

Translation: To put one’s tail between the legs

Meaning: Leave feeling ashamed

This is similar to an English idiom that means “leaving scared”, but in Portuguese, it means leaving because you are ashamed or were shamed. 

26. Estás aqui, estás a comer

Translation: You are here; you are (going) to eat

Meaning: I am about to hurt you

This Portuguese idiom is what can be thought of as “fighting words”. It’s basically a threat.

27. Bicho de sete cabeças

Translation: Seven-headed beast

Meaning: Huge complication

This Portuguese idiom means that something has just become a huge complication or problem.

28. Ficar a ver navios

Translation: To stay watching the ships

Meaning: To wait in vain

This idiom is used to say that someone is waiting “in vain”. So they are just waiting and hoping for something to happen that never does.

29. Sem eira nem beira

Translation: Without land nor roof

Meaning: Poor

This is used to describe someone who has “nothing”. The implication is that they are poor or destitute.

30. Estar com a pulga atrás da orelha

Translation: To have a flea behind your ear

Meaning: To be suspicious

If you feel this, then you have a “bad feeling” about a person or a situation. So you think that things are suspicious.

31. Ir para o olho da rua

Translation: To go to the eye of the street

Meaning: Fired

The English translation of this Portuguese idiom has practically no relation to what a Portuguese speaker means when they say it. Basically, it means that a person has gotten fired from their job.

32. Estar feito ao bife

Translation: To be done to the beef

Meaning: Doesn’t know what to do

When you hear this, a Portuguese speaker is admitting that they have a problem that they don’t know how to solve.

33. Ter macaquinhos na cabeça

Translation: To have little monkeys inside your head

Meaning: To have strange ideas

When a Portuguese speaker says this, they find your ideas strange or even illogical.

34. Não é a minha praia

Translation: It’s not my beach

Meaning: Not my thing

This short idiom is used similarly to the English expression, not my thing.

35. Tempestade em copo d’agua

Translation: A hurricane in a cup of water

Meaning: Make a big deal of

This is equivalent to the idea of “making a mountain out of a molehill”. In other words, you are making a bid deal out of a small issue.

 36. Não há bela sem senão

Translation: There’s no beauty without an if

Meaning: Nothing is perfect

This is a philosophical idiom that a Portuguese speaker uses to say that nothing is perfect.

 37. Pelo sim, pelo não

Translation: By the yes, by the no

Meaning: Just in case

This Portuguese idiom is used the same way that English speakers use the phrase “just in case”.

Five interesting Portuguese Idioms From Brazil

The most number of Portuguese speakers in the world are actually found in Brazil.

Most of the rules of grammar and the vocabulary of what is thought of as Brazilian Portuguese is similar to Standard or European Portuguese, so it is understood by other Portuguese speakers.

However, there are some interesting idioms that originated or are more commonly used in Brazil. Here are five examples.

1. Cara de pau

Translation: Wooden face

Meaning: No shame

This Portuguese idiom from Brazil is used to describe someone who is acting shamelessly, who doesn’t care about what people think.

2. Cair a ficha

Translation: To drop the token

Meaning: To understand

This is a Brazilian exclamation used when someone “gets it”. When someone says this they are saying that they now understand something that they were having difficulty grasping or were confused about.

3. Comprar gato por lebre

Translation: To buy a cat thinking it was a rabbit

Meaning: Fooled

This Brazilian Portuguese idiom means that you were fooled. It’s usually used when talking about politics.

4. Falar pelos cotovelos

Translation: To speak by the elbows

Meaning: Talk too much

In Brazil, if someone is talking and you want to get their attention, you touch their elbow. So, this idiom implies that someone is talking so much that you can’t get a word in.

5. Para inglês ver

Translation: So the English can see it

Meaning: Only for appearances

This idiom is a reference to Brazil’s history of slavery. When Brazil was recognized as an independent country by Great Britain, it was supposed to do away with slavery. There were even laws passed which stated that slaves in Brazil were to be freed. 

While there were laws against slavery, they often were not implemented immediately, so the laws were for “show” or just to make the English happy. This saying has since evolved to mean that you are doing something for a “show” or to show off.

Conclusion

The main goal of learning Portuguese is to be able to communicate with native speakers. In order to do so, you need to learn to speak the way they do in their daily lives.

Native Portuguese speakers will use slang and idioms and other forms of expression that might not be taught in your language learning textbooks. It is, however, important to learn idioms as you will be using and hearing them in everyday conversation.

Download this free PDF and start memorizing this list of idioms and practice using them with an online native Portuguese speaking tutor. You should also ask your tutor if they have other fun and interesting idioms that they think you should learn.