One of the funniest cultural aspects in any country are the expressions and proverbs. Many times filled with wisdom and sometimes just funny, the people in the culture don't even realize they are using it until there is a foreigner in the conversation.
For the foreigner, there might be an attempt to translate it, which is hilarious because it seldom truly capture the essence of the saying.
Below I list some of the most popular expressions in Brazil and their meanings. Quite useful if you're learning Portuguese, for the foreigners living in Brazil and also for those curious minds on cultural topics. Enjoy!
Religious themes
Santo de casa não faz milagre: the house saint performs no miracle – analogue to ‘a prophet has value but in his hometown’
Cair no conto do vigário = Fall for the vicar's tale: to be defrauded, fooled by a trickster
Esse lugar é onde Judas perdeu as botas. ‘This place is where Judas lost his boots’ = somewhere VERY far
Devagar com o andor que o santo é de barro. Slow with the (saint) platform for the saint is made of clay: Speak slower, let's step back a little, slow down
Para baixo todo santo ajuda = ‘downwards all saints help’. Used whenever one is going downstairs or downhill because density will surely make whatever is going down to continue its trajectory
Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga = God helps the early riser
Quando a esmola é muita o santo desconfia: When the tithe is too much, the saint gets suspicious = analogue to ‘It’s too good to be true’ ‘or, too much generosity makes one suspicious
Também sou filha/filho de Deus: I’m also a child of God: used when you want to treat yourself. Like ‘I deserve it’.
Ele/ela é um santo do pau oco = he/she is a saint with a cavity in the wood: it was not completely unusual to see saints with a cavity in the wood they're made of to hide money or treasures in the home (idolatry much?) This is used to say someone is not the good person they look on the outside but that they hide something inside.
Used at the office
O que é combinado não sai caro = what’s agreed will not be expensive: do your part in the agreement because you already had the chance to calculate whether you could do it or not.
A pressa é a inimiga da perfeição = Haste is the enemy of perfection: normally used as a crutch when someone wants to buy some more time :D
O bom é o inimigo do ótimo: The good is the enemy of the great = if it’s good enough, move on, don’t waste time making it great
Ser ponta firme: to be a firm tip: someone you can rely on
Você acha que eu sou pizzaria? Do you think I am a pizza place? Normally used when a colleague makes a request without a reasonable deadline. Not something you would say to your boss 😉
Animal themes
Eu dou um boi pra não entrar numa briga, mas dou uma boiada pra não sair de uma: I give a cow not to get into a fight, but a whole cattle so I don’t get out of one: Means one will do his/her best not to fight, but once a certain threshold is passed, there is no turning back.
Mais vale um passarinho na mão do que dois voando = better a bird in your hand than two flying. Basically, don’t neglect what you already have to chase what is not guaranteed.
‘Pode tirar seu cavalinho da chuva’: you can take your little horse out of the rain = a funny way to say ‘no hecking way you’re getting what you want from me’
À noite todos os gatos são pardos. At night all cats are dark = at night people look better and looks might get deceiving, so watch out !
Cada macaco no seu galho: each monkey on its branch = a lighter way to say ‘stay in your lane’
Macaco velho não poe a mão em cumbuca/não pula em galho seco: ‘an old monkey will not stick his hand in the jar / jump on a dry branch’. Experienced people know when not to be too daring
É melhor não cutucar a onça com vara curta = Better not poke a leopard with a short stick
Uma andorinha sozinha não faz verão = One swallow (small migratory bird very common in Brazil) will not bring summer. This one is used when you want to say that one person alone cannot make a great difference but a team will.
Gato escaldado tem medo de água fria. A cat who has had hot water thrown at him will be afraid of cold water. Basically what trauma is all about :D
Filho de peixe, peixinho é. A son of a fish is a little fish = analogue to ‘the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree’.
Pagar o pato: to pay for the duck: to take the blame, be the scapegoat
Em boca fechada não entra mosca. In a closed mouth a fly will not enter: the wisdom of knowing when to keep our mouths shut
Em rio que tem piranha, jacaré nada de costas = the alligator swims on his back in a river full of piranhas = the wisdom of adapting to situations because you’re an old monkey :D
ser um amigo da onça: to be a leopard’s friend = used to call out a person who pretends to be your friend but is more the friend of your enemies or wants to see the leopard getting a meal!
Onde passa um boi, passa uma boiada = Where a bull passes, a cattle will go through: basically don’t let one small undesirable incident happen because that opens precedence until it’s out of control.
Isso é conversa pra boi dormir: this is bull lullaby = bullsh**!
Quando um burro fala, o outro abaixa a orelha = When a donkey speaks, the other donkey lowers its ears: don’t interrupt (a stupid one because you’re also stupid).
Quem não tem cão, caça com gato = those who don’t have a dog, will hunt with a cat: adapt!
Generic themes
Não mexe com quem está quieto: don’t mess with someone who’s minding their own business. OH, I love this one, leave people alone.
De médico e de louco todo mundo tem um pouco = We all have a little of a doctor and a lunatic
Diz-me com quem andas e eu te direi quem és = Tell me with whom you hang out and I will tell you who you are
Quem é você na fila do pão? = Who are you in the bread queue? Used as ‘who do you think you are? Or ‘who are you in the great scheme of things’.
Antes só do que mal acompanhado = better alone than in bad company
Em briga de marido e mulher, ninguém mete a colher = in a feud between a man and his wife, no one puts the spoon (interfere).
Estar com a faca e o queijo nas mãos = to have the knife and the cheese at hand! Or having all the necessary parts for a good opportunity
Puxar a brasa (para a minha sardinha) = pull the coal to my sardine: be biased over something that benefits you directly
(Estar) Mais perdido que cego em tiroteio = (to be) More lost than a blind man in a shooting: clueless
Pimenta nos olhos dos outros é refresco: pepper in someone else’s eyes is refreshment = this is a warning that we should not wish bad things to happen to others, because if it happens to us, it will hurt. Or ‘don’t wish to others what you would not wish to happen to yourself’.
Saco vazio não para em pé = an empty bag will not stand = what you say to people who refuse to eat
Um dia é da caça, outro do caçador: one is belongs to the game, the next to the hunter
Quem não chora não mama = Those who don’t cry don’t get milk: those who don’t ask, don’t get it
Tapar o sol com a peneira = Cover the sun with the sieve: to pretend something is solved, or ignoring a problem
Se conselho fosse bom ninguém dava, vendia = if advice was good, no one would give it for free: good advice should be charged, I personally agree with that!
Tudo tem solução, menos a morte = for everything there is a solution but death: don’t give up easy!
Um homem prevenido vale por dois = a prepared man is worth two men: Wisdom in being precautious
O que não tem remédio, remediado está = what does not have a remedy, medicated is: or, if there is no solution, embrace the outcome in peace
Quem desdenha quer comprar = Those who disdain want to buy: When someone belittles something you have sometimes due it because they covet it for themselves
A fila anda! = The queue moves: What worldly people will say to each other after a breakup, meaning ‘next please!’
Muito ajuda quem não atrapalha = Those who don’t get in the way help a lot: when something or someone means to interfere with the pretence to be helpful but all you want is to be left alone
O que não mata engorda: what doesn’t kill you, makes you fat
Quem canta seus males espanta = Those who sing sends their troubles away
A ocasião faz o ladrão: the occasion makes the thief = the thief will only steal if the opportunity arises
Águas passadas não movem moinho: The waters passed will not move the mill = let the past go!
Quem fala o que quer, ouve o que não quer: those who say what They want, will hear what they don’t want = Watch your tongue!
De pequenino é que se torce o pepino: you twist the cucumber When it’s small = teach them young
Quem mistura-se com porcos, farelo come = those who mingle with pigs, will eat bran: Don’t be in bad company or whatever happens to them, will happen to you.
Quem ri por último ri melhor = who laughs last, laughs better: similar to ‘vengeance is a dish best served cold’
O seguro morreu de velho = Insurance died of old age: Analogue to ‘better safe than sorry’
Para bom entendedor, meia palavra basta = To the wise, half a word is enough: the smart ones will get the hints.
Ladrão que rouba ladrão tem cem anos de perdão = a thief who steals from another thief gets 100 years of forgiveness: something like ‘he deserved it because he was a bad person anyway’
Mentira tem perna curta = lies have short legs: lies do not go far
Casa de ferreiro, espeto de pau = Blacksmith's house, wooden skewer: used when you have a specific knowledge but you don’t use it in your own life, or your family doesn’t make use of it.
De grão em grão, a galinha enche o papo = Grain by grain the hen fills her belly: little by little we get there
Quando você estava vindo com o x eu estava voltando com o Y: When you were coming with (e.g. the eggs, the wheat), I was coming back with (e.g. the omelette, the bread): when you want to call out to someone trying to fool you by letting them know that you are far ahead in their game.
Soccer references:
Estar com o pé na bola: with the foot in the ball: prepared, knowing the subject being discussed and able to give informed advice
Baixar a bola: lower your ball = don’t be so full of yourself
Pendurar as chuteiras: to hang the soccer shoes: to retire
Virar a casaca: to turn the team jersey inside out (switching to the other team) = betrayal
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