Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| feder | /feˈde(ʁ)/ (Brazil) |
| tresandar | /tɾe.zɐ̃ˈda(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /tɾe.zɐ̃ˈda(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
The verb feder means to have a strong bad smell. It can also be used figuratively to describe something that is morally corrupt or 'stinks' of a certain quality, such as saying something 'stinks' of corruption. The related nouns are fedor and fetidez, which both refer to a strong bad smell.
Which one should you use?
Feder is the most common way to say 'to stink' in everyday Portuguese. In contrast, tresandar is another form available in the language.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the word fedor is used to describe something with a strong and unpleasant odor and the word fedorento is also used in Brazil to describe something with a strong and unpleasant odor.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The gerund form of feder is fedendo, used to describe the continuous action of smelling bad.
How do you pronounce it?
/feˈde(ʁ)/
Did you know?
- The word tresandar is built from tres, meaning 'three', and andar, meaning 'to walk' or 'to move'.
- In Brazil, feder is sometimes used as a slang term to describe someone who is failing miserably at a task or is very bad at a game.
- In Brazilian Portuguese, calling someone a fedorento is a very common, blunt insult for someone who lacks basic hygiene. It is much more direct and personal than the English 'stinky'.
Examples in context
- Está a cheirar mal aquiIt stinks in here.
- Os peixes têm mau cheiroThe fish stink.
- Essa lixeira está a federThat garbage can stinks.
- Esse queijo cheira mal pra carambaThis cheese stinks a lot.
- Este peixe cheira muito malThis fish smells very bad.
- Este lixo vai feder muito em breve.This garbage is going to stink a lot soon.
- Sinto que o quarto vai feder.I feel like the room will stink.
- Se não limpar, a cozinha vai feder.If you don't clean, the kitchen will stink.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Mariana are in the kitchen looking at some old food.
- GabrielMariana, esse queijo parece que vai feder.Mariana, this cheese looks like it's going to stink.
- MarianaVerdade, Gabriel, ele está com um cheiro estranho.True, Gabriel, it has a strange smell.
- GabrielNão queremos que a casa comece a feder.We don't want the house to start to stink.
- MarianaVou jogar fora agora mesmo.I will throw it away right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stink” translations and entries feder, tresandar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries feder, tresandar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
