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(A) Sete Chaves

Lit. with seven keys.

• Under lock and key, locked up safely

O Departamento da Casa Imperial é responsável por guardar a sete chaves as tombas dos antecessores do imperador.


The Department of the Imperial House is responsible for keeping the tombs of the emperor’s predecessors under lock and key

TIPS & NOTES

Chaveiro is the key maker or locksmith

If you like to fix things, you might need a chave de fenda (a screwdriver), or even a chave inglesa (a screw wrench, monkey wrench adjustable spanner).

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ACABAR EM PIZZA

Lit. to end in pizza

• Nothing comes of it.

Todo o trabalho duro da CPI acabou em pizza..
All the hard work of the congressional enquiry commitee came to nothing.

TIPS & NOTES

The idea that something ‘ends in pizza’ at first glance might appear to be positive. However, this expression is loaded with negative connotations. The figurative pizza party is always to celebrate total exemption from any kind of punishment, usually for corrupt practices. This expression is oftem used to refer to the impunity of politicians and the freedom they seem to have from any risk of ever being punished for wrongdoings, especially involving corruption.

 

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PULAR CARNAVAL

Lit. to jump carnival

• To celebrate carnival.

Onde você vai pular carnaval este ano?
Where are you going to celebrate carnival this year.

TIPS & NOTES

The world’s biggest carnival celebrations are held in Brazil. In Rio and São Paulo the escolas de samba (samba schools) offer the famous parade (desfiles) in the Sambódromo, with thousands of members and carros alegóricos – spectacularly decorated floats demonstrating specific themes.

During carnival groups of dancers and street bands called blocos parade the streets with many of the revellers (foliões) wearing fancy dress (UK) or costumes (fantasia).

Another very popular feature of carnival, especially in Salvador, is the trio elétrico – a huge truck, adapted with giant speakers and a stage on top where musicians and singers perform to the delight of thousands of fans who follow the truck as it winds its way slowly through the streets.

Throughout the country many clubs also arrange special carnival balls (bailes).

The state of Pernambuco is famous for its carnival celebrations and the very special styles of music and dancing (Frevo and Maracatu). According to The Guiness Book of Records Recife hosts the largest carnival parade in the wolrd, known as the Galo da Madrugada – Lit. the cock or rooster (US) at daybreak, which takes place in the centre of Recife on the Saturday of carnival.

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Naipe

• Quality, class, kind, group of people.

Pessoas desse naipe são indispensáveis para o país que queremos ser.
People of this kind are essential for the country we want to be..

TIPS & NOTES

Naipe is also the word used for the four suits of playing cards that together make a pack or deck of cards. In Portuguese these are:

Copas – hearts

Paus – clubs

Ouros – diamonds

Espadas – spades

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LEI DE GÉRSON

Lit. Gérson’s Law.

• The law by which you take advantage of everything and everybody for self benefit, without thinking about how this will affect other people. Opportunism.

A Lei de Gérson está em alta. Todos só querem levar vantagem.
Gérson’s Law is on the increase. they all just want to take advantage.

TIPS & NOTES

The concept of being smart, using connections and pulling strings to get what you want is a deeply rooted value in Brazilian culture. This may involve means that are not entirely ethical, or getting what you want at the expense of others. In other words instead of a win-win situation, you have a win-lose one.

The expression Lei de Gérson comes from the name of a football player Gérson, who featured in a famous and disastrous advertisement for Vila Rica cigarettes in the 1970S. The advert tried to show that this particular brand had an advantage over others because it was the best and cheapest, and at the end Gérson said:

Você também gosta de levar vantagem em tudo, certo? you also like to take advantage in everything, right?

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TER SANGUE DE BARATA

Lit. to have cockroach blood.

• To be meek and mild, not reacting to provocations, scared of a fight.

Eu não tenho sangue de barata. Resolvi agredir alguém e reclamar.
I’m not meek and mild. I decided to provoke somebody and complain.

TIPS & NOTES

The explanation for this strange expression is that cockroaches come out mainly at night and will run away scared when exposed to light or at the first sign of danger.

 

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FARINHA DO MESMO SACO

Lit. flour from the same sack.

• With the same nature, character or qualities, like two peas in a pod (for two people).

Você acha que é muito diferente do que seu irmão, mas vocês são farinha do mesmo saco.
You think you’re very different from your brother, but you’re like two peas in a pod.

TIPS & NOTES

This phrase often has a negative connotation, indicating bad qualities. In this case the translation would be “tarred with the same brush”. For example:

Pouca coisa vai mudar – os três candidatos e seus partidos são farinha do mesmo saco.

Few things will change – the three candidates and their parties are all tarred with the same brush.

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BAMBAMBÃ

• Bigshot, bigwig, expert, important person.

Anderson Silva é o BAMBAMBÃ do MMA, com 10 defesas de título consecutivas.
Anderson Silva is considered the best MMA fighter with 10 consecutive titles.

TIPS & NOTES

This strange word comes from the Kimbundu word mbamba meaning ‘master’, ‘distinguished’. Kimbundu is an African tribal language and one of the most widely spoken in Angola.

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Jeitinho/Jeitinho Brasileiro

• A special way of working or sorting something out.

Não se preocupe. Sempre aparece um amigo que dá um jeitinho.
Don’t worry. A friend always turns up to sort things out in a special way.

TIPS & NOTES

Jeitinho and jeitinho brasileiro both have the idea of getting what you want quickly. This can have positive connotations, implying the use of creative, clever, inventive and conciliatory skills. However, both terms oftem suggest taking unfair advantage of others or using corruption to obtain personal benefits.

All of the above words and phrases are some of the most useful and also most culturally loaded words im Brazilian Portuguese.

 

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Quebrar a Cara

to break the face

• To fail, to be disappointed, to not get what you want.

No amor, não se pode ter medo de quebrar a cara. Você tem de terminar e começar quantas vezes for preciso.
In love, you can’t be afraid to fail. You have to start and finish as many times as necessary.

TIPS & NOTES

When something has a disappointing outcome or turns out worse than expected. In English it means FAIL.

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Farofeiro

• A tourist who takes his or her lunch to eat on the beach.

Depois que os farofeiros começaram a frequentar aquela praia, as outras pessoas pararam de ir lá.
After the ‘farofeiros’ started going regulary to that beach, other people stopped going there.

TIPS & NOTES

Farofeiro is a pejorative term for tourists with little money who take their food to the beach and often leave a lot of rubbish behind. The word comes from farofa a popular Brazilian dish made of toasted manioc flour. Farofeiro is an insulting word for people who you think are from a lower social class than you are.