10 European Portuguese Slang Words to Sound Like a Local

Textbooks teach you to say "Isto é muito bom" (This is very good). But if you walk around Bairro Alto on a Friday night, you won't hear that. You'll hear slang.

Using just one or two of these words can instantly break the ice with locals.

1. Fixe (Cool)

Pronounced "Feesh". This is the universal word for "cool."

• Example: "O teu carro é bué fixe!" (Your car is really cool!)

2. Giro / Gira (Cute/Pretty)

Used for people, places, or things.

• Example: "Lisboa é uma cidade muito gira." (Lisbon is a very pretty city.)

3. Bué (Very/A lot)

Derived from Angolan slang, this is used constantly in Lisbon to replace "muito."

• Example: "Estou bué cansado." (I am very tired.)

4. Tuga (Portuguese)

A nickname for Portuguese people. It used to be derogatory, but now it is used with pride.

• Example: "Isso é uma coisa muito tuga." (That is a very Portuguese thing.)

5. Pá (Man/Dude)

A filler word used at the end (or start) of sentences. Short for rapaz (boy).

• Example: "Não sei, pá." (I don't know, man.)

6. Chato (Annoying/Boring)

Used for a boring movie or an annoying person.

• Example: "O filme foi muito chato." (The movie was really boring.)

7. Desemmerda-te (Figure it out)

Warning: Mildly vulgar. Literally "un-sh*t yourself," it means "figure it out on your own." It captures the Portuguese spirit of improvisation.

8. Porreiro (Great/Excellent)

Similar to Fixe, but slightly more old-school. It describes something solid, good, or reliable.

• Example: "Ele é um gajo porreiro." (He's a solid/good guy.)

9. Gajo / Gaja (Guy/Girl)

The most common way to refer to a person whose name you don't know or are keeping casual. It can be rude in formal contexts, but it's standard among friends.

• Example: "Quem é aquele gajo?" (Who is that guy?)

10. A Malta (The Guys/Everyone)

Used to refer to your group of friends or people