There are a rich array of ways to display surprise in Brazilian Portuguese. Let’s look at some of them.
1. Nossa Senhora or Nossa! [Noh-sah Seen-yor-ah]
This is a very common Brazilian expression. The full expression is “Nossa Senhora Aparecida,” which is the patron saint of Brazil. It’s a nicer way of saying “Oh my god!” rather than directly saying “Ai meu Deus.”
Example:
Olha ai ao final da rua. É o Cristo Redentor. Look up the street. It’s Christ the Redeemer!
Nossa Senhora! Que lindo. Oh my god! It’s beautiful.
2. Que é isso or O quê que é isso or Que isso? [Key eh ee-soo? Oo key kay eh ee-soo ? Key ee-soo]
All of these expressions mean the same thing: What IS that? It’s meant to show disbelief, and directly translates to “What the heck?”
Example:
Eu estou muito cansada. Fiquei vendo Big Brother a noite toda.
I’m so tired. I spent the whole night watching Big Brother.
Que isso!! Esse show é ruim demais.
What the heck?! That show is awful.
3. Caramba! [Kah-rahm-bah]
This word is meant to express surprise or shock, and translates to Wow! or Woah! or Jeez!
Example:
Caramba! Esta mala é pesada. Jeez! This suitcase is heavy.
Desculpa, é que trouxe muitos livros. Sorry, I brought a lot of books.
To be continued…
