macho
/ˈma.ʃu/
The Portuguese word macho means manly or tough.
The word macho has two primary uses. It is an adjective used to describe someone as manly or tough, and it is also used in a biological context to denote a male animal. Unlike the English use of 'macho', which often implies an exaggerated or negative masculinity, the Portuguese term can be used more neutrally to describe physical toughness or biological sex.
Meaning: manly, tough (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective macho has a feminine form, macha, which is used to agree with feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈma.ʃu/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In certain rural regions of Brazil, macho is used as a generic vocative to address a friend or acquaintance, similar to how 'man' or 'dude' is used in English.
- In Brazil, the term macho is often used in the slang phrase é macho, which can act as a confirmation or a way to express that something is 'for real' or 'intense'.
- The word macho is a doublet of the word másculo, meaning they both evolved from the same Latin root masculus but took different paths into modern Portuguese.
Examples in context
- O cara se acha muito machão, mas todo mundo sabe que é só fachada.That guy thinks he's all macho, but everyone knows it's just a facade.
- Ele é um homem muito macho.He is a very manly man.
- Não precisa ser tão macho o tempo todo.You don't need to be so tough all the time.
- Aquele comportamento não é nada macho.That behavior is not manly at all.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Mariana are talking about a movie character.
- GabrielO herói do filme é muito macho.The hero of the movie is very manly.
- MarianaSim, mas ele também é gentil.Yes, but he is also gentle.
- GabrielSer macho não impede isso.Being tough doesn't prevent that.
- MarianaConcordo com você, Gabriel.I agree with you, Gabriel.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry macho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries macho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
