vai mais devagar
To slow down in Portuguese, you can say vai mais devagar.
The phrase is used to tell someone to decelerate. While vai mais devagar specifically means 'go more slowly' by comparing the speed to the current one, you might also hear vai devagar used as a general instruction to 'go slow'.
Meaning: (''intransitive'') to decelerate (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase vai mais devagar literally translates to 'go more slowly'.
Which one should you use?
The phrase vai mais devagar implies a comparative speed (going more slowly than the current speed), whereas vai devagar serves as a general instruction to 'go slow'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, you may hear Reduza a velocidade to mean 'reduce your speed' or Vá mais devagar to mean 'go more slowly'. In Portugal, the word Abranda is used to mean 'slow down'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are giving a direct command to someone you address formally (você), you should use vá mais devagar instead of vai mais devagar.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese word devagar shares a root with the English word 'vague'. Both stem from a Latin term for wandering or strolling.
- While vai mais devagar is a command to decelerate, the word devagar is also used to tell someone to relax or take it easy in a stressful situation.
- The word abrandar used in Portugal doesn't just mean to slow down, but can also describe softening a sound or calming a mood.
Example conversation
Rodrigo is driving a car and Beatriz is the passenger.
- RodrigoOlha aquele animal na estrada!Look at that animal on the road!
- BeatrizNossa, você vai mais devagar agora!Wow, you're slowing down now!
- RodrigoEu não quero atropelar nada.I don't want to hit anything.
- BeatrizVocê está certo, Rodrigo.You are right, Rodrigo.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries devagar, mais, vai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
