10 Brazilian words that sound funny!
Hello, dear students!
Learning Portuguese is already a challenge, and then a Brazilian comes along and says a weird word like “mixuruca”! What is that?
Today, you’re going to learn some of the funniest and most peculiar words in Brazilian Portuguese.
I’ve picked 10 words for this list. These words are funny and kind of strange mainly because of their pronunciation and unexpected meaning.
Using these words will make your Portuguese more authentic and fun.
This lesson includes a free PDF with exercises. Click here to download your worksheet.
1. Mequetrefe
This word is used to describe someone who is nosy, meddlesome, or has bad character.
It can also refer to something unimportant or worthless.
For example:
Quando você vai jogar fora essa mochila mequetrefe? (When are you going to throw away that piece of junk backpack?)
Esse político mequetrefe só promete e nunca faz nada. (That phony politician just makes promises and never does anything.)
2. Piripaque
This word is used to describe a nervous breakdown or a sudden health issue.
For example:
João teve um piripaque por causa do calor e foi parar no hospital! (João had a heat-related episode and ended up in the hospital!)
Maria quase teve um piripaque quando viu a conta do cartão de crédito! (Maria almost had a meltdown when she saw her credit card bill!)
3. Serelepe
This word is used to describe someone who is restless, lively, and quick-witted. It can refer to energetic children, playful adults, or even pets.
For example:
Maria está toda serelepe hoje! Aconteceu alguma coisa? (Maria is all peppy today! Did something happen?)
O cachorro do meu vizinho é muito serelepe e adora brincar. (My neighbor’s dog is very playful and loves to play.)
4. Bugiganga
This word is used to describe objects of little value and utility. It’s synonymous with knick-knack.
For example:
Minha avó adorava colecionar bugigangas antigas. (My grandmother loved collecting old stuff.)
Aquela loja vende todo tipo de bugiganga. (That store sells all kinds of odds and ends.)
5. Borogodó
This word is usually used to describe people or things that have a special charm, an irresistible attraction.
For example:
Luiza tem muito borogodó! Todo mundo gosta dela! (Luiza has a special something! Everyone likes her!)
A comida dela tem um borogodó que faz a gente querer repetir. (Her food has a special something that makes us want to go back for more.)
6. Beleléu
This word is used to talk about things that we lost, that disappeared, or that were destroyed. We also use this word to talk about something that was not successful.
For example:
Meu celular caiu em uma poça d’água e foi pro beleléu. (My phone fell into a puddle and is gone for good.)
Se não conseguirmos um financiador, nosso projeto vai para o beleléu! (If we don’t get a backer, our project will go down the drain!)
7. Mixuruca
This word is used to describe something of low quality, insignificant, or mediocre.
For example:
A festa estava meio mixuruca, quase ninguém apareceu. (The party was kind of lame, almost nobody showed up.)
Aquele restaurante é caríssimo, mas a comida é mixuruca. (That restaurant is super expensive, but the food is underwhelming.)
8. Xexelento
This word is used to describe something old, worn-out, shabby, or poorly made.
For example:
Quando você vai jogar esse sapato xexelento fora? (When are you going to throw away those shabby shoes?)
Reservamos um hotel barato, mas era tão xexelento que saímos no mesmo dia. (We booked a cheap hotel, but it was so crummy that we left the same day.)
9. Quiproquó
This word comes from the Latin “quid pro quo,” but it has a very different meaning in Portuguese. In Brazil, we use this word to refer to a big mess, or a chaotic and disorganized situation.
For example:
Estava o maior quiproquó no aeroporto por causa dos voos cancelados. (There was total chaos at the airport because of the canceled flights.)
Se vocês tivessem conversado, esse quiproquó não teria acontecido! (If you had talked to each other, this whole mess wouldn’t have happened!)
10. Ziquizira
This word can refer to bad luck or a strange and unknown illness.
For example:
Não bebe dessa água porque pode dar uma ziquizira! (Don’t drink that water because it might give you a stomach bug!)
Deu uma ziquizira no meu computador, e ele não liga mais! (Some glitch happened with my computer, and it won’t turn on anymore!)
Free PDF!
This lesson includes a free PDF with exercises. Click HERE to get your free PDF!
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