Portuguese Sayings

Cair o Carmo e a Trindade

To make Carmo and Trindade fall

• Used when something surprising or confusing happened and that may have serious consequences.

• It’s origin dates to the Lisbon earthquake of the 1st of November 1755. Carmo and Trindade were two of the greatest Lisbon monasteries.

Ficar em águas de bacalhau

To stay in cod’s water

• Used when talking about something that was supposed to happen, but didn’t.

• This expression originates from the fishing activities of cod fishermen in the North Atlantic. Due to the troubled waters, many ships were lost at sea. The ships that sank remained there, in the waters where cod was caught.

Ser pior a emenda que o soneto

The fix is worse than the sonnet

• Used when the solution found for something turned out to be even worse than the original problem; it aggravated the situation.

• In the XVIII century, a famous poet – Bocage – was asked to fix another poet’s poem, but he returned it without any alterations. Bocage said that the poem was so terrible that to change something would make it even worse.

Não dar o braço a torcer

Not to extend your arm for twisting

• Not to admit that you were wrong; to be stubborn.

• It originated during the Inquisition; the prisoners were subjected to terrible torture in order for them to confess to something, but there were always those who resisted.

Ficar a ver navios

Stay watching the ships

• To not get what you wanted, desired or was expected; to be disappointed.

• It dates back to the XVII century, when men awaited for the king to return safely in a ship, but he never did arrive.

À grande e à francesa

In a big and French way

• To live in luxury and ostentation; used when something is done over the top.

• Dates back to 1807, to the first French invasion of Portugal, when the generals and officials lived luxuriously.

São muitos anos a virar frangos

It has been many years turning chickens

• To be an expert in something; to be able to do something well because of a vast experience.

Fia-te na Virgem e não corras

Trust the Virgin (Virgin Mary) and don’t run

• Used to ggive advice and push someone to do something; If you don’t work towards a goal it won’t simply happen on it’s own.

Como sardinhas em lata

Like sardines in a can

• To be in a very crowded space, unable to move.

A banha da cobra

The snake’s lard

• To call out when something is misleading, false or when something is purposefully trying to trick you.

Não chegar aos calcanhares de alguém

Not to reach someone’s heels

• Not to be at the same level of that person; not to be enough.