Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| maria-rapaz | /mɐˌɾi.ɐ.ʁɐˈpaʃ/ (Portugal) | feminine |
| menina macha | feminine |
A tomboy is a girl who acts as a typical boy would.
What does it mean word for word?
The term maria-rapaz is a compound of maria (a common female name used here to denote a girl) and rapaz (boy).
Which one should you use?
While maria-rapaz focuses on a girl's interests or behavior being traditionally masculine, menina macha is often used to describe a girl who is tough, assertive or physically strong.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
maria-rapaz is an informal term. The term Moleca is also an informal term used in Brazil to refer to a girl who behaves in a boyish manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
maria-rapaz is a feminine noun and does not change its form to indicate a male subject, as the concept itself is gender-specific.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 5th syllable: /mɐˌɾi.ɐ.ʁɐˈpaʃ/.
Did you know?
- The word menina comes from the Old Galician-Portuguese meninha, which was a diminutive form of meninho.
- Although moleca can mean tomboy, in different Brazilian contexts it can also refer to a street urchin or a person of questionable character.
- The term menina macha uses the word macha to imply toughness, which comes from the same root as 'machismo'.
Examples in context
- A Clara é uma moleca, nunca se interessa por atividades consideradas femininas.Clara is a tomboy, she never shows interest in activities considered feminine.
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Juliana are talking about Juliana's younger sister.
- RodrigoA sua irmã gosta de bonecas?Does your sister like dolls?
- JulianaNão, a Juliana é uma maria-rapaz.No, Juliana is a tomboy.
- RodrigoEla prefere brincar de carrinhos então?Does she prefer playing with toy cars then?
- JulianaSim, ela prefere carrinhos e lama.Yes, she prefers cars and mud.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tomboy” translations and entries maria-rapaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries menina, CC BY-SA 4.0.
