Portuguese for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Essential BJJ Terms, Coaching Cues & Mat Vocabulary
Brazilian Portuguese on the mats
You Do Not Need Portuguese to Train BJJ. But If Brazilians Are Part of Your Jiu-Jitsu World, the Language Gives You More Access.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is now global, and many academies train almost entirely in English, Spanish or another local language. Portuguese is not a prerequisite for learning the sport. But Brazilian coaches, training partners, seminars, competition trips and academies in Brazil can put you in situations where a few seconds of real Portuguese are more useful than a long list of translated technique names.
This guide focuses on the language you are most likely to need: positions, actions, coaching cues, body vocabulary, belts, submissions, gym conversation and safety phrases.
15 BJJ words worth recognizing first
a guarda — guard
a passagem — pass / passing
a raspagem — sweep
a queda — takedown
a montada — mount
as costas — the back / back position
o joelho na barriga — knee-on-belly
a imobilização lateral — side-control-type pin
os cem quilos — “100 kilos,” a common Brazilian name for a heavy side-control position
a pegada — grip
a finalização — submission / finish
o treino — training / practice
o tatame — mat
a faixa — belt
rolar — to roll / spar, informally
BJJ vocabulary in Brazil is hybrid. You will hear Portuguese beside words such as armlock, kimura, omoplata, no-gi and other international terms. The goal is not to “translate everything into Portuguese.” It is to understand how Brazilian practitioners actually speak.
A practical reason, not a performance promise
Why Learn Portuguese for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
The strongest reason is communication. If your coach is Brazilian, you may hear short cues in Portuguese even when the main instruction is in English. If you train in Brazil, much more of the class may happen in Portuguese. If you travel for seminars or build friendships with Brazilian teammates, the conversation quickly moves beyond technique.
Portuguese does not automatically make your guard better, give you faster reactions or improve your competition results. What it can do is remove a language barrier between you and people who have something to teach or share.
Brazilian BJJ sources themselves show how much technical vocabulary exists in Portuguese. The official IBJJF rules course in Portuguese uses position names such as joelho na barriga and montada, while Brazilian Gracie Barra material uses terms such as guarda fechada, raspagem, imobilização lateral, cem quilos, mata-leão and chave de braço.[1][2]
Position vocabulary
Guarda, Montada, Costas: Common BJJ Positions in Portuguese
| Portuguese | Natural BJJ English | Language note |
|---|---|---|
| a guarda | guard | Guarda is a normal Portuguese noun meaning guard/protection as well as the BJJ position. |
| a guarda fechada | closed guard | fechada = closed. |
| a guarda aberta | open guard | aberta = open. |
| a meia-guarda | half guard | meia = half. |
| a montada | mount | Official IBJJF Portuguese terminology uses montada.[1] |
| o joelho na barriga | knee-on-belly | Literally “knee on the belly.” Also used by IBJJF in Portuguese.[1] |
| as costas | back / back control | costas is normally plural in Portuguese: minhas costas = my back. |
| a imobilização lateral | side control / lateral pin | Common Brazilian instructional terminology. |
| os cem quilos | 100 kilos / heavy side-control position | Literally “the one hundred kilos.” Brazilian instructors use the name for a pressure-heavy lateral control; terminology and details vary by academy.[3] |
| quatro apoios | four-point / turtle-type position | Literally “four supports/contact points.” Some curricula use it beside back-control material. |
What coaches actually say
Portuguese Coaching Cues You May Hear During Training
Technical explanations can be long, but coaching often becomes extremely short. Brazilian Portuguese is full of compact imperatives and clipped phrases that make sense from the physical context.
Control and position
Move
Guard work
General cues
Do not memorize these as a universal coaching script.
Brazil is linguistically diverse, and gyms develop their own shorthand. A coach might choose another verb, drop words, use an English term or mix both languages in one sentence. The goal is recognition, not pretending every Brazilian academy sounds identical.
BJJ gives you a useful context. Conversational Portuguese gives you the rest of the language.
Knowing guarda, raspagem and passa helps on the mat. If you also want to talk to Brazilian teammates, understand longer explanations, travel independently and handle everyday life in Brazil, Conversational in 20 Weeks gives you a structured live path beyond BJJ vocabulary.
A hybrid vocabulary
Finalização, Mata-Leão, Armlock: How Brazilians Name Submissions
Finalização is one of the most useful general terms. The verb is finalizar: to finish or submit someone in the BJJ context.
But Brazilian BJJ vocabulary is not “Portuguese only.” Brazilian instructional material freely mixes Portuguese with international loanwords. Gracie Barra, for example, uses both chave de braço and armlock in Portuguese-language course titles, alongside names such as mata-leão.[2]
| Term you may hear | Approximate English | Language note |
|---|---|---|
| a finalização | submission / finish | General category. |
| finalizar | to submit / finish | Ele finalizou. = He got the submission / finished. |
| a chave de braço | arm lock / armbar | chave literally means key, but in grappling it is also used for joint locks. |
| o armlock | arm lock | English loanword commonly used in Brazilian BJJ. |
| o triângulo | triangle choke | Literally “triangle.” Brazilian material may say estrangulamento triângulo. |
| o mata-leão | rear naked choke | Literally “lion killer.” A highly recognizable Brazilian term. |
| a guilhotina | guillotine | Same metaphor as English. |
| a americana | Americana shoulder lock | Technical naming conventions vary internationally. |
| a kimura | Kimura | Not Portuguese in origin, but fully integrated into BJJ speech. |
| a chave de pé | foot lock | Competition legality depends on rule set, age and belt level. |
Understand corrections faster
Body Vocabulary for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
| Portuguese | English | Example you may hear |
|---|---|---|
| a cabeça | head | Controla a cabeça. |
| o pescoço | neck | Protege o pescoço. |
| o ombro | shoulder | Pressiona o ombro. |
| a axila | armpit | Common in grip and control explanations. |
| o braço | arm | Tira o braço. |
| o cotovelo | elbow | Fecha o cotovelo. |
| o punho | wrist / fist | Context determines the meaning. |
| o quadril | hips / hip area | Quadril para fora. |
| as costas | back | Normally plural in Portuguese. |
| a perna | leg | Prende a perna. |
| o joelho | knee | Joelho na barriga. |
| o tornozelo | ankle | Useful in leg-lock and injury conversations. |
| o pé | foot | chave de pé = foot lock. |
Faixa means belt
BJJ Belt Colors and Training Vocabulary in Portuguese
For adult competition, the familiar progression includes faixa branca, faixa azul, faixa roxa, faixa marrom and faixa preta. The official IBJJF/CBJJ graduation system uses these Portuguese belt categories and extends beyond black belt at higher degrees.[4]
Belts
faixa branca — white belt
faixa azul — blue belt
faixa roxa — purple belt
faixa marrom — brown belt
faixa preta — black belt
Training
o treino — training
a aula — class
o tatame — mat
a academia — academy/gym
o professor / a professora — instructor/teacher
o campeonato — championship
Official CBJJ material itself uses sem Kimono for no-gi competition, which is a good reminder that Brazilian BJJ vocabulary often mixes international sports language with ordinary Portuguese.[5]
Communication matters most here
Portuguese for Safety, Injuries and Training Intensity
You do not need sophisticated Portuguese to establish a limit. Short, clear language is better.
What sounds natural around the gym
Bora, Fechou, Oss: BJJ Slang and Informal Portuguese
| Expression | Natural meaning | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Bora! | Let’s go! | Extremely common informal Brazilian Portuguese. Brazilian Gracie Barra content regularly uses Bora treinar! — “Let’s train!”[7] |
| Fechou. | Deal / sounds good / we’re set | Everyday Brazilian slang, not specific to BJJ. |
| Casca-grossa | very tough / formidable person | Informal Brazilian expression also heard in combat-sports communities. Tone is usually admiring in that context. |
| Rolar | to roll / spar | BJJ-specific use of a very common Portuguese verb. |
| Oss / Osss | community greeting/acknowledgment in some martial-arts spaces | Not a Portuguese word and not universal. Do not treat it as “Brazilian Portuguese.” |
One word can belong to the gym without belonging to Portuguese.
BJJ is international. A Brazilian academy can use Japanese-derived terms, English loanwords, Portuguese slang and team-specific expressions in the same class. That mixture is normal.
Grammar you can hear every round
The Brazilian Portuguese Imperative Through BJJ Coaching
Listen to a Brazilian coach and you may hear:
Positive commands
Passa!
Vira!
Segura!
Respira!
Controla!
Negative commands
Não solta!
Não deixa espaço!
Não para!
Não cruza os pés!
For English-speaking learners, the interesting part is that everyday Brazilian speech often uses command forms such as passa, vira, segura, respira with a person addressed as você. A traditional grammar table alone may not prepare you for how naturally these forms appear in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Pronunciation that improves recognition
How to Hear BJJ Portuguese More Easily
GU in guarda
The U is pronounced: roughly GWAR-dah. Do not read it like English “guard” with an English ending.
RR in marrom
The strong R varies across Brazil. Depending on the speaker it may sound breathy, velar or otherwise quite different from an English R.
NH in joelhinho or similar forms
When you encounter NH, it is approximately the “ny” sound in English canyon.
Final -o often sounds like -u
In many Brazilian accents, unstressed final O is raised. braço may sound closer to BRAH-su than an English-style “brah-so.”
Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation varies significantly by region. Your goal is not to imitate one supposedly universal Brazilian accent; it is to recognize the word when different Brazilian coaches say it.
Help us decide what to build next
Would You Take a Portuguese Course Created Specifically for BJJ Practitioners?
A future Portuguese for BJJ program could focus on Brazilian coaching language, longer technical explanations, academy conversation, competition travel, body vocabulary, safety communication and real interaction with Brazilian instructors and teammates.
If that would be useful to you, send us a message and tell us what situations are hardest to understand in Portuguese. We use that feedback to decide which culture-specific programs are worth creating.
FAQ
Portuguese for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Portuguese to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
No. BJJ is global and can be learned in many languages. Portuguese becomes especially useful with Brazilian coaches, Brazilian training partners, seminars, travel and training in Brazil.
Are BJJ technique names in Brazil always in Portuguese?
No. Brazilian gyms use a mix of Portuguese and international terms. You may hear chave de braço and armlock, or Portuguese position names beside terms such as kimura and omoplata.
What are the most useful Portuguese BJJ terms to learn?
Start with guarda, passagem, raspagem, queda, montada, costas, pegada, finalização, treino, tatame and high-frequency commands such as passa, segura, vira, respira and controla.
What does “cem quilos” mean in BJJ?
Literally, “one hundred kilos.” In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu it is commonly used for a pressure-heavy lateral control position. Exact technical usage can vary by academy.[3]
What does “rolar” mean in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Informally, rolar can mean to roll or spar. It has many other meanings in everyday Portuguese, so context matters.[6]
What does “bora” mean?
Bora! is a very common informal way to say “let’s go.” Bora treinar! means “Let’s train!”[7]
Is “oss” a Portuguese word?
No. You may hear it in BJJ and other martial-arts communities, including in Brazil, but it should not be taught as Brazilian Portuguese vocabulary.
How do I say “I’m a blue belt” in Portuguese?
Sou faixa azul. Adult IBJJF/CBJJ belt vocabulary includes branca, azul, roxa, marrom and preta.[4]
Does The Brazilian Ways have a Portuguese for BJJ course?
Not currently. Our main live path is Conversational in 20 Weeks. We are also collecting interest in a possible future Portuguese for BJJ program through our contact page.
Sources and language evidence
Where We Checked Brazilian BJJ Terminology
- International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation — Curso de Regras. Official Portuguese rules course, including terminology such as Joelho na Barriga and Montada.
- Gracie Barra Online Brasil — GB2 curriculum. Brazilian instructional usage including chave de braço, armlock, mata-leão and other hybrid BJJ terminology.
- Gracie Barra Brasil — Vencendo em Tamanhos Menores. Brazilian usage of controle de cem quilos.
- CBJJ / IBJJF — Sistema de graduação. Official belt terminology and graduation system.
- CBJJ — Guia de Atualização das Regras. Example of official Brazilian competition usage of sem Kimono.
- Gracie Barra Brasil — Aulas particulares. Brazilian BJJ use of the informal verb rolar for sparring.
- Gracie Barra Brasil — Bora treinar. Real Brazilian academy use of the informal expression bora treinar.
BJJ can give you the vocabulary. Portuguese lets you join the whole conversation.
Learn the Language Beyond the Mat.
Understanding passa a guarda is useful. Being able to talk to your coach after class, make Brazilian friends, travel independently and understand a full explanation is a different level of access. Conversational in 20 Weeks is our structured live program for building that broader Brazilian Portuguese.
The class is only part of the experience
Real Portuguese to Talk to Brazilian Training Partners
Meet someone
Train together
Rolar is especially useful. In ordinary Portuguese, the verb has several meanings; in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu it is commonly used informally for sparring. Gracie Barra’s Brazilian site itself uses expressions such as rolar com o seu instrutor when discussing private training.[6]