gíria
neutral, Brazil
In Brazilian Portuguese "slang" is gíria. The plural is gírias, and the phrase linguagem informal describes informal language in general.
Meaning: informal language (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | Note |
|---|---|
| gíria | neutral, Brazil |
| linguagem informal | descriptive |
Brazilians talk about gírias when they discuss new expressions, such as those from a city, a group or the internet. You can ask Isso é uma gíria? to find out if a word is slang.
How does it change in a sentence?
Gíria is feminine, so you say a gíria and uma gíria nova. The adjective for slangy speech is informal.
How do you pronounce it?
The first syllable is stressed and the g is soft, like "zh", so it comes out close to "ZHEE-ree-uh".
Did you know?
- Slang differs by region in Brazil, so a gíria heard in São Paulo may not be used in Recife.
Examples in context
- Essa palavra é uma gíria.That word is slang.
- Aprendi muitas gírias no Rio.I learned a lot of slang in Rio.
- O professor explicou a gíria.The teacher explained the slang.
Example conversation
Emma, an exchange student, talks with her Brazilian friend Gustavo.
- EmmaO que significa "massa"?What does "massa" mean?
- GustavoÉ uma gíria, quer dizer legal.It is slang, it means cool.
- EmmaEntendi, obrigada.I see, thanks.
