Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| bravo | /ˈbɾa.vu/ (Brazil) /ˈbɾa.vu/ (Portugal) |
| nervoso | /neʁ.ˈvo.zu/ (Brazil) |
The word is used to describe someone who is angry or mad. If you want to specify who someone is angry at, use the preposition 'com' (e.g., bravo com someone).
Which one should you use?
Be careful with bravo as it is a false friend. While it primarily means 'mad' or 'angry' in modern conversation, it can also mean 'brave'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a colloquial way to describe someone acting mad or agitated, you can use nervoso. For a more formal sense of indignation or outrage, use indignado(a).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the expression estar pistola is used to describe the state of being mad. In Portugal, the term enraivecido(a) is used to express extreme anger.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the person or people being described. Use brava for a female, bravas for a feminine plural group and bravos for a masculine plural or mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɾa.vu/. The stress is on the first of two syllables.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the expression estar pistola uses the word for 'gun' to describe being extremely mad, implying the person is about to explode.
- In some contexts, bravo describes the sea when it is rough or stormy, rather than a person's mood.
- The word bravo likely evolved from a fusion of the Latin words prāvus meaning 'crooked' and barbarus meaning 'barbarian'.
Examples in context
- Ele ficou muito bravo.He got really mad.This sentence shows how to use bravo to describe someone's state of being.Tatoeba #5354854 by bill, translation #2309335 by Hybrid
- Tom está bravo comigo.Tom is mad at me.This sentence demonstrates the use of bravo to express being mad at a specific person.Tatoeba #5877144 by bill, translation #3023627 by CK
- Não fique bravo comigo.Don't be mad at me.This sentence illustrates how to use bravo when telling someone not to be mad at you.Tatoeba #1162162 by tulio, translation #1860515 by CK
- Estou chateado(a) com a situaçãoI am mad about the situation
- Estou indignado(a) com a falta de respeitoI am mad about the lack of respect
- Ele ficou irado quando ouviu as notíciasHe got mad when he heard the news
- Estou bravo(a) com a demora no atendimentoI am mad about the slow service
- Ele está pistola com a demora do ônibusHe is mad about the bus delay
- Estou enraivecido(a) com a falta de consideraçãoI am mad about the lack of consideration
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Gabriel are talking about a coworker.
- BeatrizO Ricardo está bravo?Is Ricardo angry?
- GabrielSim, ele está muito bravo.Yes, he is very angry.
- BeatrizEle fez algo errado?Did he do something wrong?
- GabrielNão, ele só está estressado.No, he is just stressed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mad” translations and entries bravo, nervoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bravo, nervoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
