One thing you’ll figure out pretty quickly when learning a new language is that you can’t always translate word-for-word from English. And automatic translations will steer you wrong sometimes 😅
Take English “phrasal verbs” for example — expressions like “look up,” “give in,” or “run into.” These combine a verb with a preposition or adverb to create a meaning that’s different from the original verb. And when you try to translate these word-for-word into Portuguese, it’s… Well, it’s wrong… 🙃
Here are some examples!
Lost in Translation: 5 Examples
“I ran into Maria at the store”
❌ Literal translation: “Eu corri para dentro da Maria na loja” (Sounds like you physically ran into her!)
✅ Correct Portuguese: Cruzei-me com a Maria na lojaI crossed paths with Maria at the store
“Can you look into this problem?”
❌ Literal translation: “Podes olhar para dentro deste problema?” (meaning “Can you look inside this problem?”)
✅ Correct Portuguese: Podes investigar este problema?Can you investigate this problem?
“I’m looking forward to the weekend”
❌ Literal translation: “Estou a olhar para a frente para o fim de semana” (I’m literally looking ahead at the weekend)
✅ Correct Portuguese: Estou ansioso pelo fim de semanaI'm eager for the weekend
“I can’t keep up with this busy schedule”
❌ Literal translation: “Não consigo manter-me para cima com esta agenda atarefada” (I can’t keep myself up with this busy schedule)
✅ Correct Portuguese: Não consigo dar conta da minha agenda atarefadaI can't keep up with this busy schedule
“We have to catch up!”
❌ Literal Translation: “Temos de apanhar em cima” (We have to physically catch something on top)
✅ Correct Portuguese: Temos de pôr a conversa em diaWe have to catch up
Those are just a few of the Portuguese expressions you might want to learn. If you want to dive deeper, we’ve got a long list for you to explore over here!
The best way to get comfortable with the idiomatic patterns of Portuguese is to hear and use expressions like these in real conversations. The Vocabulary section of our Shorties is also a great place to explore these not-so-literal turns of phrase.
With enough practice and exposure, you’ll be surprised at how quickly they stick!