saudar
/sa.uˈda(ʁ)/
To salute or greet in Portuguese is to saudar.
The verb saudar means to make a gesture.
Meaning: make a gesture (verb)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, you will frequently hear the colloquial greeting E aí? and the informal greeting Tudo tranquilo? (Everything calm?).
How do you pronounce it?
/sa.uˈda(ʁ)/. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
When do people say it?
In Brazil, a common way to ask if someone is doing well in an informal setting is to say Tudo tranquilo?
Did you know?
- While saudar is the formal verb for greeting, Brazilians often replace the physical gesture of a salute with 'beijinhos' or air kisses on the cheek in social settings.
- The word saudar is a direct descendant of the Latin 'salus', which means 'health'. This means that every time you salute someone, you are linguistically wishing them wellness.
- The word 'salute' in English often implies a military gesture, but in Portuguese, saudar is a broad term that can apply to everything from a poet greeting a muse to a citizen greeting a leader.
Examples in context
- Olá, Sr. Silva. Como posso ajudá-lo?Hello, Mr. Silva. How can I assist you?
- Boa tarde, Sra. Ferreira. Como está hoje?Good afternoon, Mrs. Ferreira. How are you today?
- Olá, João. Como vai? Espero que esteja bem.Hello, João. How are you? I hope you're well.
- Oi, Ana! Tudo bem?Hi, Ana! How are you?
- E aí, pessoal? Como está a festa?What's up, guys? How's the party going?
- Tudo bem, minha amiga? Há quanto tempo não nos vemos!Everything okay, my friend? Long time no see!
- Oi, Pedro! Beleza?Hi, Pedro! What's up?
- E aí, pessoal? Tudo tranquilo?What's up, guys? Everything okay?
- O soldado deve saudar o capitão.The soldier must salute the captain.
- Eles costumam saudar o novo rei.They usually salute the new king.
- O oficial vai saudar a bandeira.The officer will salute the flag.
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Juliana are discussing military protocol.
- RodrigoEu não sei como saudar corretamente.I don't know how to salute correctly.
- JulianaÉ simples, Rodrigo. Olhe para a pessoa.It's simple, Rodrigo. Look at the person.
- RodrigoDevo saudar apenas os oficiais superiores?Should I salute only the superior officers?
- JulianaSim, Juliana explica que essa é a regra.Yes, Juliana explains that this is the rule.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry saudar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries saudar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
