Brazilian Portuguese slang: 20 words you'll actually hear
Textbooks teach muito obrigado. Brazilians say valeu. Here are the 20 informal words you'll hear in almost every chat.
Palaveo team · Updated October 14, 2026
Brazilian Portuguese is relaxed and full of slang (gíria). You don't need to use all of it, but understanding these words makes conversations with Brazilians much easier.
The 20 most common
1. legal
not "legal" as in the law
= cool, nice
Que legal!How cool!
2. beleza
literally "beauty"
= OK, all good; also a greeting
Beleza? / Beleza!All good? / All good!
3. valeu
literally "it was worth it"
= thanks
Valeu pela ajuda!Thanks for the help!
4. cara
literally "face"
= dude, guy
Cara, você não vai acreditar!Dude, you won't believe it!
5. mano
short for "irmão" (brother)
= bro (very common in São Paulo)
E aí, mano?What's up, bro?
6. tipo
literally "type"
= like (filler word)
Foi tipo, muito engraçado.It was, like, really funny.
7. bora
from "vamos embora"
= let's go
Bora comer?Let's go eat?
8. de boa
literally "of good"
= chill, no problem
Tô de boa.I'm chilling. / I'm fine.
9. sei lá
literally "I know there"
= I don't know, whatever
Sei lá, talvez amanhã.I don't know, maybe tomorrow.
10. nossa
literally "our"
= wow! (surprise)
Nossa, que lindo!Wow, how beautiful!
11. caramba
mild exclamation
= wow, gosh
Caramba, já são dez horas!Gosh, it's already ten o'clock!
12. massa
literally "dough" or "pasta"
= cool, awesome (common in the Northeast)
A festa foi massa!The party was awesome!
13. top
from English
= great, the best
Esse lugar é top.This place is great.
14. show
from English
= great (also "show de bola")
Show! Te vejo lá.Great! See you there.
15. rolê
literally "a stroll"
= an outing, hanging out
Vamos dar um rolê?Want to go out / hang out?
16. zoar
literally "to buzz"
= to joke around, to tease
Tô só te zoando!I'm just messing with you!
17. partiu
literally "(it) left"
= let's go (we're doing it!)
Praia? Partiu!Beach? Let's go!
18. né
short for "não é"
= right? isn't it?
Tá calor, né?It's hot, right?
19. tô
short for "estou"
= I am (temporary state)
Tô cansado.I'm tired.
20. falou
literally "(he) said"
= bye, see you; also "OK, deal"
Falou, até amanhã!Bye, see you tomorrow!
Regional favorites
Word
Where
Meaning
uai
Minas Gerais
surprise or emphasis, like "well!" or "huh?"
bah
Rio Grande do Sul
wow, gosh ("Bah, que frio!")
oxe / oxente
Northeast
huh? what? (surprise)
mermão
Rio de Janeiro
bro (from "meu irmão")
When to use slang: with friends and in casual chats, yes. In a job interview or a formal email, stick to standard Portuguese.
Quick quiz
1. A friend helps you and you want to say thanks casually. You say…
2. "Beleza?" is most often…
3. "Tô de boa" means…
FAQ
What does "legal" mean in Brazilian Portuguese?
Legal means cool or nice. "Que legal!" = "How cool!". It has nothing to do with the law in everyday speech.
How do Brazilians say thank you informally?
Valeu is the most common informal thanks. Obrigado (if you're male) or obrigada (if you're female) is the standard form.
What does "né" mean?
Né is short for "não é" and works like "right?" or "isn't it?" at the end of a sentence.
Practice with real Brazilians
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