Swearing in Brazilian Portuguese

Brazilian Portuguese is a rich and expressive language, full of colorful idioms, slang, and yes—swearing. Just like in any language, profanity in Brazilian Portuguese can be used for humor, frustration, or even camaraderie. If you’re looking to understand the raw, unfiltered side of Brazilian speech, this guide is for you.

Warning: Some of these words are quite offensive, so use them with caution!

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The Role of Swearing in Brazilian Culture

Before diving into the list, it’s important to understand that swearing is common in Brazil, and it doesn’t always carry the same level of offensiveness as it might in English-speaking countries. Brazilians often use curse words playfully among friends, but context matters!

Types of Brazilian Swear Words

1. Mild Swear Words

These are commonly used in informal speech and are not too offensive.

Droga! – Damn!

1. Droga! Esqueci minha carteira em casa.
   Damn! I forgot my wallet at home.

2. Essa droga de celular parou de funcionar de novo!
   This damn phone stopped working again!

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Caramba! – Darn! / Wow!

1. Caramba! Que lugar lindo!
   Wow! What a beautiful place!

2. Caramba, quase perdi a hora da prova!
   Darn, I almost missed the test time!

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Poxa! – Oh, man! / Geez!

1. Poxa, eu queria tanto ir à festa, mas fiquei doente.
   Oh, man, I really wanted to go to the party, but I got sick.

2. Poxa vida, ninguém me avisou da reunião.
   Geez, no one told me about the meeting.

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Chato(a)! – Annoying!

1. Esse barulho está muito chato!
   This noise is really annoying!

2. Ele é tão chato quando insiste em tudo.
   He’s so annoying when he insists on everything.

2. Moderate Swear Words

A bit stronger but still widely used in everyday conversations.

Porra! – Damn! / Sht!*

1. Porra, você só reclama!
   Damn, you just keep complaining!

2. Que porra é essa no meu prato?
   What the hell is this on my plate?

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Merda! – Sht!*

1. Merda! Esqueci de mandar o e-mail.
   Sht! I forgot to send the email.*

2. Essa merda de trânsito me atrasou de novo.
   This damn traffic made me late again.

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Bosta! – Crap! / Sht!*

1. Que bosta de filme, perdi meu tempo.
   What a crappy movie, I wasted my time.

2. Essa bosta de impressora nunca funciona!
   This piece-of-crap printer never works!

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Cacete! – Damn it! / F**k!

1. Cacete! Deixei a chave dentro do carro.
   Damn it! I left the key inside the car.

2. Cacete, que frio do cacete hoje!
   Fk, it’s fking cold today!

3. Strong Swear Words

These are considered more vulgar but are frequently used among close friends or when truly angry.

Filho da puta! – Son of a b**ch!

1. Aquele filho da puta roubou meu celular!
   That son of a b**ch stole my phone!

2. Você viu o que ele fez? Que filho da puta!
   Did you see what he did? What a son of a b**ch!

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Vai tomar no cú! – Go f**k yourself!

1. Ah, vai tomar no cú, cara!
   Ah, go f**k yourself, man!

2. Se não gostou, vai tomar no cú!
   If you didn’t like it, go f**k yourself!

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Puta que pariu! – Motherfker! / Fk!

1. Puta que pariu! O carro não liga de novo!
   F**k! The car won’t start again!

2. Puta que pariu, que susto!
   Holy f**k, that scared me!

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Caralho! – F**k! / Holy sht!*

1. Caralho! Você viu o tamanho daquele bicho?
   Holy sht! Did you see the size of that thing?*

2. Que jogo do caralho, mano!
   That was a f**king awesome game, man!

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Desgraçado(a)! – Bastard! / Wretch!

1. Aquele desgraçado me enganou direitinho.
   That bastard totally fooled me.

2. Desgraçada! Você mentiu pra mim o tempo todo!
   You wretched woman! You lied to me the whole time!

4. Insult-Based Swear Words

These are more direct insults directed at people.

Babaca! – Jerk! / Asshole!

1. Você foi um babaca com ela ontem.
   You were a jerk to her yesterday.

2. Só um babaca fala desse jeito com os outros.
   Only an asshole talks to others like that.

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Otário! – Sucker / Idiot!

1. Ele caiu no golpe como um otário.
   He fell for the scam like a sucker.

2. Para de ser otário e presta atenção!
   Stop being an idiot and pay attention!

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Bocó! – Dumbass! (playful)

1. Que bocó, esqueceu o próprio nome!
   What a dumbass, he forgot his own name!

2. Não seja bocó, claro que isso é mentira.
   Don’t be a dummy, of course that’s a lie.

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Corno! – Cuckold!

1. Dizem que ele é corno e nem sabe.
   They say he’s a cuckold and doesn’t even know it.

2. O cara ficou louco quando chamaram ele de corno.
   The guy went crazy when they called him a cuckold.

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Idiota! – Idiot!

1. Não faz isso, idiota! Vai quebrar!
   Don’t do that, idiot! You’ll break it!

2. Só um idiota esqueceria a senha do próprio e-mail.
   Only an idiot would forget their own email password.

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Imbecil! – Imbecile!

1. Você tá agindo como um imbecil!
   You’re acting like an imbecile!

2. Esse imbecil estacionou na minha vaga.
   That imbecile parked in my spot.

5. Swearing in a Funny or Playful Way

Brazilians often use swearing humorously.

Que porra é essa? – What the f**k is this?

1. Que porra é essa no meu prato?
   What the f**k is this on my plate?

2. Abri o e-mail e pensei: que porra é essa?
   I opened the email and thought: what the f**k is this?

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Foda-se! – F**k it!

1. Foda-se, eu vou sair mesmo assim.
   F**k it, I’m going out anyway.

2. Quer saber? Foda-se esse trabalho.
   You know what? F**k this job.

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Tá de sacanagem! – Are you kidding me?

1. Tá de sacanagem? Você comprou outro tênis?
   Are you kidding me? You bought another pair of sneakers?

2. Me fez esperar duas horas? Tá de sacanagem!
   You made me wait two hours? Are you kidding me!

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Vai se fuder! – Go f**k yourself!

(O mesmo que “Vai tomar no cú”, mas também pode ser usado brincando.)

1. Vai se fuder, cara, você sempre ganha!
   Go f**k yourself, man, you always win!

2. Ah, vai se fuder, você nem tentou!
   Ah, f**k off, you didn’t even try!

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Que merda, hein? – What a mess, huh? / What a sht situation.*

1. Que merda, hein? Perdeu tudo no jogo.
   What a mess, huh? Lost everything in the game.

2. Eles terminaram de novo. Que merda, hein?
   They broke up again. What a sht situation, huh?*

6. Swearing in Regional Dialects

Some curse words have regional variations in Brazil.

Arrombado! – A**hole! / Scumbag!

(Muito comum no Rio de Janeiro, altamente ofensivo em alguns contextos.)

1. Esse arrombado me passou pra trás no negócio!
   That scumbag screwed me over in the deal!

2. Vai se ferrar, arrombado!
   Screw you, a**hole!

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Peste! – Damn it! / Brat!

(Usado principalmente no Nordeste, pode ser ofensivo ou até carinhoso dependendo do tom.)

1. Essa peste vive fazendo bagunça!
   That little brat is always making a mess!

2. Ô peste, me dá isso aqui!
   Damn it, give me that!

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Cabra safado! – You bastard! / Dirty scoundrel!

(Típico do interior do Nordeste, tem tom bem regional e pode ser usado de forma brincalhona ou agressiva.)

1. Cabra safado, ficou com o dinheiro todo pra ele!
   That dirty bastard kept all the money for himself!

2. Deixa de ser cabra safado e vai trabalhar!
   Stop being a lazy bastard and go work!

How to Use Swearing in Brazilian Portuguese Correctly

1. Know Your Audience

Swearing is acceptable among friends but not in professional settings or around elders.

Exemplo:
– Você fala “Porra, que legal!” com um amigo.
– Mas diria “Poxa, que legal!” com o chefe.

2. Tone and Context Matter

Brazilians often use curse words affectionately. Saying “Filho da puta” to a close friend may be fine, but to a stranger, it’s highly offensive.

Exemplo 1 (irritado):
– Vai se fuder, seu idiota!
→ Aggressive: Go f**k yourself, you idiot!

Exemplo 2 (rindo):
– Vai se fuder, tu ganhou de novo!
→ Laughing: F**k you, you won again! (in a playful way)

3. Use Playful Swearing to Blend In

If you’re learning Portuguese and want to sound more natural, using milder swear words can help you fit in without being offensive.

Exemplo:
– Droga, perdi o ônibus!
→ Damn, I missed the bus!
(Muito mais natural do que dizer “I missed the bus” em português formal.)

Conclusion

Swearing in Brazilian Portuguese is deeply embedded in the culture, used in both frustration and camaraderie. However, it’s essential to use these words wisely, understanding the context and audience. If you want to sound more like a native speaker, sprinkle in some of the milder ones—but always be mindful of who you’re talking to!

FAQs

1. Is swearing common in Brazil?

Yes, swearing is widely used in informal settings, often in a humorous or exaggerated manner.

2. Can I swear in Portuguese if I’m a foreigner?

Yes, but be careful! Using the wrong swear word with the wrong person might get you into trouble.

3. Are there polite alternatives to swearing in Brazilian Portuguese?

Yes! Words like “poxa” and “caramba” are less offensive alternatives.

4. What’s the strongest Portuguese swear word?

“Vai tomar no c*!” is one of the most offensive phrases.

5. Do Brazilians get offended easily by swearing?

It depends on the context. Among friends, it’s often fine, but in formal or religious settings, it’s best to avoid it.

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