In my experience Portuguese language is charming and full of words that hold a tremendous amount of feeling and symbolism. Indeed, Brazilian culture is deeply intertwined with music, rhythm, traditions, and feelings. Some feelings and gestures do not have a translation.
Here are my personal list with the 7 most meaningful words in Brazilian Portuguese that simply cannot be translated completely into English.
1)Saudade
Probably the most untranslatable Portuguese word. It is a nostalgic and profound state of melancholic longing for a person, place, a situation or anything that exists. It often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never return. In English can be expressed with melancholy, longing, or nostalgia.
Ex. Que saudade daquela época onde a gente ainda era criança e se divertia com nada (I feel nostalgia for that time when we were children and we used to have fun with anything)
Ex. Tenho muita saudade da minha família. (I miss my family a lot)
Interesting is also the expression: “Matar a saudade”, literally “To kill the saudade”. It is when you want to cease with this feeling and you go to visit that person or that place it makes you feel like that.
Ex. Foi a matar saudade: voltei pra minha terra. (I’ve killed saudade: I went back to my hometown.)
2)Jeito
Brazilian people used it a lot to describe the way people are or act. It can be translated also as temper, manner or skill that someone possess.
Ex. Adoro o jeito que ela tem. (I like the way she is).
Ex. Desde cedo se notava seu jeito para a música. (Since he was a child you could notice that he was skilled for music).
Interesting is also the expression: “dar jeito” (be useful, be convenient, make sense) different from “dar um jeito” (to solve, help, repair or arrange).
Ex.: Não me dá jeito passar lá hoje. (It is not convenient/it doesn't make sense for me to go there today.)
Ex.: Em meia hora, deu um jeito à casa. (In half an hour he tied up/cleaned up the house).
3)Cafuné
It is the act of running one's fingers through your lover's hair.
Ex.Vem, amor, vem que te faço um cafuné. (Come her my love, I want to make you a “cafuné”).
4)Ginga
It is a particular kind of movement or swing that take has its origin from Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music.
In Capoeira ginga is the fundamental footwork of capoeira. It is a constant triangular mouvement which consist in rocking back and forth.
Ginga is also the typical way Brazilian soccer players play. They swing their body from one side to the other to deceive. Ginga in football is fun and creativity, it is to be fluid and coordinated; the opposite of mechanical soccer.
5)Xodó
This word has two meanings: it is either the way you call your loved one (or most loved one) or it can be a crush, passion or relationship.
Such a word has its origin from the North-East of Brazil, and become widespread to the whole country thanks also to the Brazilian North-Eastern culture and music.
In a classic Forró music from Pernambuco called "Eu só quero um xodó", Dominguinhos sing:
"Que falta eu sinto de um bem
Que falta me faz um xodó
Mas como eu não tenho ninguém
Eu levo a vida assim tão só."
(I really miss something good
I really miss a “xodó”
I hope that this list will help you out to have a better idea about the complexity of the Brazilian culture and language. The different expressions and words for feelings and gestures are representative of Brazilian cultural richness.
If you have doubts or comment, please write below.
I would love to give you more info and help you out.
Ex. Que saudade daquela época onde a gente ainda era criança e se divertia com nada (I feel nostalgia for that time when we were children and we used to have fun with anything)
Ex. Tenho muita saudade da minha família. (I miss my family a lot)
Interesting is also the expression: “Matar a saudade”, literally “To kill the saudade”. It is when you want to cease with this feeling and you go to visit that person or that place it makes you feel like that.
Ex. Foi a matar saudade: voltei pra minha terra. (I’ve killed saudade: I went back to my hometown.)
 |
| Saudade |
2)Jeito
Brazilian people used it a lot to describe the way people are or act. It can be translated also as temper, manner or skill that someone possess.
Ex. Adoro o jeito que ela tem. (I like the way she is).
Ex. Desde cedo se notava seu jeito para a música. (Since he was a child you could notice that he was skilled for music).
Interesting is also the expression: “dar jeito” (be useful, be convenient, make sense) different from “dar um jeito” (to solve, help, repair or arrange).
Ex.: Não me dá jeito passar lá hoje. (It is not convenient/it doesn't make sense for me to go there today.)
Ex.: Em meia hora, deu um jeito à casa. (In half an hour he tied up/cleaned up the house).
Ex. Precisamos de dar um jeito de ele para passar umas férias no Brasil. (We have to help him to find a way/ arrange for him a way to spend some days in Brazil).
 |
| "Jeito" pela musica (talent for music) |
It is the act of running one's fingers through your lover's hair.
Ex.Vem, amor, vem que te faço um cafuné. (Come her my love, I want to make you a “cafuné”).
 |
| Cafuné |
It is a particular kind of movement or swing that take has its origin from Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music.
In Capoeira ginga is the fundamental footwork of capoeira. It is a constant triangular mouvement which consist in rocking back and forth.
 |
| Ginga in Capoeira |
5)Xodó
This word has two meanings: it is either the way you call your loved one (or most loved one) or it can be a crush, passion or relationship.
Such a word has its origin from the North-East of Brazil, and become widespread to the whole country thanks also to the Brazilian North-Eastern culture and music.
In a classic Forró music from Pernambuco called "Eu só quero um xodó", Dominguinhos sing:
"Que falta eu sinto de um bem
Que falta me faz um xodó
Mas como eu não tenho ninguém
Eu levo a vida assim tão só."
(I really miss something good
I really miss a “xodó”
[In this case a crush, a passion, someone to love]
However, since I don’t have anyone
I live my life all alone)
6)Chamego
This is another word that come from the Brazilian North-Eastern culture with a double meaning. It is either cuddles, caresses that implies a seductive and sexual intention, or crush, an intense passion for someone or something.
In Brazilian music you can find different references to the word “chamego.”
In a Martinho de Vila song called “Disritmia” he sings:
Me faz um dengo me faz um chamego / Me tira o sossego me faz cafuné"
(You cuddle me, you make me intense caresses/ you make me excited, you caress my hair.)
7)Dengo
As anticipated with the last song lyric, “dengo” is another world meaning cuddles, caress, but in this expression there is no sexual nuance. It implies more a need of affection, rather than a sexual need.
However, since I don’t have anyone
I live my life all alone)
 |
| Dominguinhos singing Forro |
This is another word that come from the Brazilian North-Eastern culture with a double meaning. It is either cuddles, caresses that implies a seductive and sexual intention, or crush, an intense passion for someone or something.
In Brazilian music you can find different references to the word “chamego.”
In a Martinho de Vila song called “Disritmia” he sings:
Me faz um dengo me faz um chamego / Me tira o sossego me faz cafuné"
(You cuddle me, you make me intense caresses/ you make me excited, you caress my hair.)
 |
| Marinho de Vila singing |
As anticipated with the last song lyric, “dengo” is another world meaning cuddles, caress, but in this expression there is no sexual nuance. It implies more a need of affection, rather than a sexual need.
 |
| Dengo |
I hope that this list will help you out to have a better idea about the complexity of the Brazilian culture and language. The different expressions and words for feelings and gestures are representative of Brazilian cultural richness.
If you have doubts or comment, please write below.
I would love to give you more info and help you out.
I will leave you with the songs I cited prevoiusly:
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