Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| engasgar | /ẽ.ɡazˈɡa(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /ĩ.ɡazˈɡa(ʁ)/ (Brazil) |
| sufocar | /su.foˈka(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /su.foˈka(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
| afogar | /a.foˈɡa(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /a.foˈɡa(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
engasgar is used when someone is choking because food, drink or a small object is stuck in their throat.
Which one should you use?
sufocar refers to a lack of oxygen, being smothered or feeling stifled by a situation. afogar means to drown, and it is also used for choking an engine to help it start. asfixiar is a formal word for choke. A choke hold in wrestling is called a mata-leão, and the choke of a carburetor is the afogador.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle engasgado works as an adjective for a person who is choking or has something stuck in their throat.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /ẽ.ɡazˈɡa(ʁ)/, with three syllables and the stress on the last one.
What mistakes should you avoid?
In an emergency involving food, engasgado is the precise word for a person with a blocked airway, so do not use afogar, which means to drown.
Did you know?
- In wrestling, a 'choke hold' is called a mata-leão, which means 'kill the lion'.
- The verb afogar is a doublet of ofegar, meaning they share the same linguistic root despite having different meanings today.
- The Portuguese word for a car's choke is afogador, which literally translates to 'drowner'.
Examples in context
- Se o carro não ligar, afogue o motor.If the car doesn’t turn on, choke the motor.afogue is a command form of the verb for drowning, used here for choking a car engine.
- Eu engasguei com essa comida.I choked on this food.
- Você não sabe comer, sempre engasga.You don't know how to eat, you always choke.
- Ele engasgou-se com um bocado de pão.He choked on a piece of bread.
- Cuidado para não engasgar com a comida.Be careful not to choke on your food.
- Ele começou a engasgar com o pedaço de carne.He started to choke on the piece of meat.
Example conversation
At a dining table during lunch.
- MarianaLucas, você está bem? Parece que vai engasgar.Lucas, are you okay? It looks like you are going to choke.
- LucasSim, eu quase engasguei com o pão.Yes, I almost choked on the bread.
- MarianaBeba um pouco de água devagar.Drink some water slowly.
- LucasObrigado, Mariana. Já estou melhor.Thanks, Mariana. I am better now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “choke” translations and entries engasgar, sufocar, afogar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries afogar, sufocar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
