🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese
Talk like a paulistano — Brazilian Portuguese, as São Paulo speaks it
ônibus, celular, geladeira. The in-app «Talk like a paulistano» guide, in full: 19 words, phrases and habits of speech the São Paulo characters use in conversation, so you recognise them when they come at you at speed. Each entry says what it means and what the rest of the Portuguese-speaking world says instead.
Brazilian vs. European Portuguese
| They say | It means | You'll hear |
|---|---|---|
| ônibus | bus (elsewhere: autocarro) | Vou pegar o ônibus na Paulista. Brazil says "ônibus"; Portugal says "autocarro". |
| celular | cell phone (elsewhere: telemóvel) | Meu celular tá sem bateria. Brazil "celular", Portugal "telemóvel". |
| geladeira | fridge (elsewhere: frigorífico) | Põe o refrigerante na geladeira. Brazil "geladeira", Portugal "frigorífico". |
| banheiro | bathroom / toilet (elsewhere: casa de banho) | Onde fica o banheiro? Brazil "banheiro"; in Portugal that word leans toward a lifeguard — they say "casa de banho". |
| suco | juice (elsewhere: sumo) | Um suco de laranja, por favor. Brazil "suco", Portugal "sumo". |
| sorvete | ice cream (elsewhere: gelado) | Bateu vontade de um sorvete. Brazil "sorvete", Portugal "gelado". |
| trem | train (elsewhere: comboio) | Peguei o trem pra Luz. Brazil "trem", Portugal "comboio". (In Minas, "trem" also means "thing"!) |
Everyday phrases
- Beleza? — all good? / cool?
—E aí, beleza? —Beleza!
Casual greeting AND agreement — "beleza" back means "all good". - Valeu! — thanks! / cheers!
Valeu pela ajuda, mano.
Casual "thanks", also a friendly goodbye. - Tá ligado? — you know? / you feel me?
É longe, tá ligado?
Tag question checking you're following — very paulistano. - Firmeza — cool / solid / all good
—Te vejo amanhã. —Firmeza.
Agreement / "we're good". - Suave / Tranquilo — chill / no worries
—Desculpa o atraso. —Suave.
"It's all chill / no problem."
Slang & flavor
- mano — bro / dude
Fala, mano! Tudo certo?
The paulistano "bro" — used constantly, to friends of any gender loosely. - massa — cool / awesome
Que massa esse lugar!
"Que massa" = how cool. Everyday in SP. - da hora / daora — awesome / cool
O rolê tava da hora.
Strongly São Paulo. Something great. - mó — really / super
Foi mó legal a festa.
Short for "maior"; an intensifier — "mó legal" = super cool. - rolê — an outing / a hang
Bora dar um rolê?
"Dar um rolê" = to go out / hang around. - treta — drama / trouble / beef
Deu treta na fila do busão.
Any argument, mess, or complication. - zoeira — joking around / banter
Relaxa, é só zoeira.
Playful teasing; "zoar" = to mess with someone.
Practise it with someone from São Paulo
Brazilian Portuguese is warm, open-vowelled and everywhere — and the padaria is its natural habitat. Bia's counter in Vila Madalena teaches you the daily liturgy: «e aí, beleza?», the cafezinho offered before you ask, «valeu» on the way out.
Meet Bia in São Paulo →