paraquedas
/ˌpa.ɾaˈkɛ.dɐs/masculine
The English word parachute is paraquedas in Portuguese.
paraquedas refers to a device designed to control the fall of an object or person.
Meaning: device designed to control the fall of an object or person (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
paraquedas is an invariable noun, which means its form does not change when used in the singular or the plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌpa.ɾaˈkɛ.dɐs/. It has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Brazilian political slang, a paraquedas is a person appointed to a high-ranking position without having any experience or merit, as if they just dropped in from above.
- If you are describing a person's sudden or unexpected arrival in a conversation, you might jokingly say they arrived 'de paraquedas'.
- The word paraquedas is a 'calque', meaning Portuguese translators took the French word 'parachute' and translated its components literally into Portuguese.
Examples in context
- O paraquedas de Tom não se abriu.Tom's parachute didn't open.This sentence is useful for showing the negation of the verb 'abriu' with paraquedas.Tatoeba #6483161 by bill, translation #2250326 by CK
- Uma tarde, peguei meu paraquedas e disse: "Entre uma estrela e duas andorinhas".One afternoon, I grabbed my parachute and said, "Between a star and two swallows."This sentence shows the use of paraquedas in a narrative context.Tatoeba #8164421 by carlosalberto, translation #8163560 by magnificentgoddess
- Um paraquedista americano sobreviveu a um salto de 7.600 metros de um avião, embora não tenha utilizado um paraquedas.An American skydiver has survived a 7,600-meter jump from an airplane, although he did not use a parachute.This sentence illustrates how to use paraquedas when discussing a skydiving accident.Tatoeba #10880136 by Cangarejo, translation #10880135 by Cangarejo
Example conversation
Gabriel and Beatriz are talking about an adventure sport.
- GabrielVocê quer saltar com um paraquedas?Do you want to jump with a parachute?
- BeatrizSim, eu quero testar esse paraquedas.Yes, I want to test this parachute.
- GabrielO paraquedas novo é muito seguro.The new parachute is very safe.
- BeatrizQue bom que ele é confiável.It's good that it is reliable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “parachute” translations and entries paraquedas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries paraquedas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
