Ways to say it
| Portuguese |
|---|
| rs |
| kkk |
While rs is an abbreviation, kkk and hahaha are also common ways to mimic the sound of laughter in informal settings.
What does it mean word for word?
The form rs is an abbreviation of risos, which means "laughs" or "laughter".
Which one should you use?
The two forms differ in intensity. rs is generally perceived as more subtle or polite, whereas kkk represents the sound of laughter and is used to indicate a more vigorous or genuine laugh. In digital messaging, the intensity of laughter with kkk can be indicated by the number of characters used, such as kkkkkkk.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When using kkk in English-speaking contexts, be aware that it is the acronym for a white supremacist group in the US and may be seen as offensive. However, in Brazil, it is a common way to express laughter.
When do people say it?
In Portuguese-speaking digital culture, users often scale the amount of laughter by repeating characters. Some people even use the abbreviation rs when speaking in real life.
Did you know?
- The Brazilian laugh kkk is a linguistic cousin to the Korean character ㅋ (k), which eventually led to the English internet slang 'kek'.
- The use of 'k' sounds for laughter in Brazil is a specific development of Brazilian digital culture that has since spread to Portugal.
Examples in context
- Kkk!Lol!This sentence shows a simple use of kkk to express laughter.Tatoeba #5242763 by Ricardo14, translation #2770644 by Hybrid
- kkk, o que?Lol, what?This example shows how to use kkk in a conversational phrase.Tatoeba #8997614 by 0sigmaone0, translation #2871142 by Hybrid
- Mary é uma dessas pessoas que falam "rsrs" na vida real.Mary is one of those people who say "lol" in real life.This sentence illustrates how someone might use the rs form in spoken conversation.Tatoeba #10133656 by pedromarques, translation #8336790 by deniko
Example conversation
Juliana and Rodrigo are texting about a funny video.
- JulianaVocê viu aquele vídeo do gato? rsDid you see that cat video? lol
- RodrigoVi sim! Ele é muito engraçado.I did! He is very funny.
- JulianaA cara dele no final é a melhor rsrs.His face at the end is the best lol.
- RodrigoCom certeza, eu não paro de rir!For sure, I can't stop laughing!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lol” translations and entries rs, kkk, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kkk, rs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
