Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| insignificante | /ĩ.si.ɡi.ni.fiˈkɐ̃.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ĩ.siɡ.ni.fiˈkɐ̃.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) |
| pequeno | /piˈkẽ.nu/ (Brazil) /peˈkẽ.nu/ (Brazil) |
The term is used to describe people or behaviors characterized by an undesirably limited scope of interest or sympathy, often preoccupied with matters that lack importance or fail to consider broader concerns.
Which one should you use?
Use insignificante when 'petty' refers to something of little importance, value or scale, similar to the English 'insignificant' or 'trivial'. Use pequeno when 'petty' refers to a low rank or status, such as a 'petty noble' (a 'small' or 'minor' noble).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the expression Mi-mi-mi is used to describe excessive complaining over trivial matters.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word insignificante is invariable in gender, meaning it remains the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word insignificante is pronounced /ĩ.si.ɡi.ni.fiˈkɐ̃.tʃi/. It has 7 syllables, with the stress on the 6th syllable.
Did you know?
- The Brazilian expression mi-mi-mi mimics the sound of a child whimpering, reflecting how petty complaints are viewed as infantile.
- While pequeno means 'small' or 'petty', placing it after a noun can sometimes change the meaning to refer to the youngest child in a family.
- Portuguese uses pequeno to describe a 'petty' person in the sense of 'small-minded', but using mesquinho is more common when describing someone who is stingy or petty with money.
Examples in context
- Ele é apenas um desordeiro insignificante, mas se tivesse apenas um pouco mais de iniciativa, poderia ser um consumado líder criminoso.He's just a petty hooligan, but if he had just a little more initiative, he could be a major criminal leader.This sentence shows how to use insignificante to describe a person of little importance.Tatoeba #3853348 by Laudemilson, translation #3852947 by AlanF_US
- O pai dele era um cavaleiro, o senhor da mansão, mas Abelardo pouco se interessava pela vida de um pequeno nobre, e, portanto, ele cedeu os seus direitos senhoriais aos seus irmãos e partiu para se tornar, primeiramente um estudante, e depois um palestrante e professor público.His father was a knight, the lord of the manor, but Abelard cared little for the life of a petty noble, and so he gave up his seigniorial rights to his brothers and went forth to become, first of all a student, and then a public lecturer and teacher.This sentence demonstrates the use of pequeno when referring to low social status.Tatoeba #12354365 by Cangarejo, translation #12354364 by Cangarejo
- Ele foi mesquinho ao não dividir o lanche com os colegas.He was petty by not sharing his snack with his classmates.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Beatriz are discussing a coworker's behavior at the office.
- GabrielEle reclamou de algo insignificante hoje.He complained about something petty today.
- BeatrizSim, o comportamento dele é muito infantil.Yes, his behavior is very childish.
- GabrielIsso é tão irritante.That is so irritating.
- BeatrizEu concordo totalmente com você.I completely agree with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “petty” translations and entries insignificante, pequeno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
