roupa íntima
general
The general Brazilian term is roupa íntima. A man's underpants are cueca and a woman's underwear is calcinha.
Meaning: underwear (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | Note |
|---|---|
| roupa íntima | general |
| Cueca | men's |
| Calcinha | women's |
In a shop you ask for roupa íntima or go to the seção de lingerie. A bra is sutiã.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal cuecas is used for both men and women. In Brazil cueca is for men and calcinha is the women's item, which is a clear Brazilian marker.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese word cueca is also used in Spanish with a different meaning, a Chilean dance.
Examples in context
- Preciso comprar cuecas.I need to buy underwear.
- Ela comprou uma calcinha branca.She bought white underwear.
- A roupa íntima fica na gaveta.The underwear is in the drawer.
Example conversation
Paula packs for a trip with her son Théo in Natal.
- PaulaThéo, pegou as cuecas?Théo, did you take your underwear?
- ThéoPeguei cinco.I took five.
- PaulaÓtimo, vamos.Great, let us go.
