If you have had the pleasure of training in Brazil or had a Brazilian instructor, chances are that you may have heard many of these expressions and phrases. Even if you didn’t, Portuguese is such a cool language to learn and of course it represents our beloved sport of Jiu-Jitsu.
1/2 Brazilian 1/2 American BJJ brown belt Jean Machado shares some of the funniest Brazilian expressions that you may have heard before.
Some BJJ positions and expression in Portuguese
I’ve borrowed most of the material from other sites so for further reading you can check out: http://www.global-training-report.com/vocabulary.htm
http://www.bjjphrases.com/ and http://dirtywhitegi.blogspot.com/2010/02/portugues-brazilian-jiu-jitsu.html
Positions (Posições):
Side Control – Cem Kilos (literally: 100 kilos)
(Close) Guard – (Fechar) Guarda … where “fechar” is a verb
Half Guard – Meia guarda
Spider guard – Guarda aranha
Mount – Montada
Top / up – Acima (ah-see-ma)
Bottom / down – Baixo (bye-shoo)
Expressions and slangs
abriu o bicobe tired
amarelocoward
americanafigure 4 armlock
armôscam
atletaathlete, fighter
baianadouble leg (or Barzagar)
barato cheap
barrigadabridge
bichotough guy (beast)
bolsapurse, prize money
bombadoguy who uses bombas (steroids)
bota pra baixoput on bottom
bota pra dormirput to sleep
boxe boxing
boxe Thailandemuay Thai
cabeçadahead butt
cai bemfits well
caraguy
cariocaresident of Rio
casca grosatough guy
cascudotough guy
cem quilos side control position (literally, one thousand kilos)
cervicalneck crank
chãofloor, ground
chavekey, lock
chave de bicepesbicep crush
chave de braçoarmlock
chave de pefootlock
chutea kick
chute boxekickboxing
cruxifixohell choke, “jigoku jime”
corridofast
creontetraitor
dar um rolaspar, roll
desfechooutcome, result
durotough guy
em joelhostarting from knees
em péstand-up
equipeteam
escovarwin easily, dominate
escrimapummel
esgotadotired
estrangulamentostrangle
ezequielforearms choke
faixa frouxafits loose (undeserved belt)
faixa pesadafits heavy (well deserved belt)
fortestrong
fracoweak
fecha a guardaclose the guard
finalizafinish
frouxocoward
fugir de quadril“escape” the hip
ganchohook
gasstamina
giriaslang
guereirrowarrior
golacollar
gola rodadapass the collar
golpea punch, or other effective attack
gravata técnicaheadlock
guardeiroa good guard fighter
guilotinhaguillotine choke
inversãoreversal
joelhadaknee strike
joelho na barrigaknee on belly
jogogame
joga por baixoplay from bottom
joga por cimaplay from top
kimuraude garami shoulder lock
legalcool!
luta armadaworked fight
lutadorfighter
macetedetails
macetosoa “technical” fighter
mais o menosmore or less
mäo de vacagooseneck wristlock
maneirocool
marmeladaworked fight
mata leaõkilling the lion (hadaka jime/rear naked choke)
montadamount
morreutired
muito bacanavery cool
mutucacoward
nocauteknockout
pancadaa punch
passadora good passer
passa o carrowin easily, dominate
passa o rodowin easily, dominate
pedaladaheel stomp kick from ground
pega as costastake the back
pisãostepping stomp kick
pontapea kick
porradaa punch
posturaposture
puniçãopenalty
mandingadevious, deceptive, misleading, unforthcoming
manoguy
mata leãorear naked choke (hadaka jime)
marrentococky, arrogant
marrudoarrogant, cocky
meia guardahalf guard
murroa punch
passagem a guardapassing of the guard
passando a guardapassing the guard
passa a guardapass the guard
patrocinadorsponsor
pedreiratough guy
pegadagrip
quedatake down
quimono (also spelled ‘kimono’)gi
regrarules
relogioclock (koshi jime choke)
revancherevenge
ringuering
saidaexit, escape
sangue bomgood guy
saradobuffed guy
soco a punch
tatamemat
tempotime (stop rolling)
timeteam
torcidafans, supporters
triângulotriangle, sankaku jime
vaigo (start rolling)
vira de quatrogo to turtle position
Belts & Training gear:
Belts – Faixas (fai-shas)
White – Branca
Blue – Azul
Purple – Roxa (ho-sha)
Brown – Marrom (mah-hoom)
Black – Preta
Gloves – Luvas
Shirt – Camisa /camiseta
Shorts – Bermudas
Pants – Calças
Backpack – Mochila (mo-shilla)
Hat/cap – Boné
Speedos – Sunga … buy a red one and train with it in sem kimono, I dare you!
Gi / Kimono – Kimono (duhhhh!)
No-Gi – Sem kimono (seng kimono) … sem = without
Lapel – Lapela
Collar – Gola
Sleeves – Mangas
Useful terms:
Yes – Sim
No – Não … (a real nasally: now)
Left – Esquerda (ee-scare-da)
Right – Direita (jee-reta)
Prepare/Get ready – Preparar
Go – Vai
Stop – Pare … VERY useful if you can’t physically tap!
Stopped – Parou … Gordo would ask me this; if I’d “stopped”/finished with rolling or wanted one more
Been – Foi … I noticed alot of guys say this to verbally tap, the literal translation is “been” but if anyone can explain better I’ll update it
Here – Aqui (ah-kee)
There – Lá
This/that (depending how you use it) – Isso
Weight – Peso
Heavy – Pesado
Change – Trocar / Troco
Always – Sempre
Never – Nunca
Return/go back – Voltar
Is this correct? – É isso certo?
More or less – Mais or menos
Of course – É claro
Time – Tempo (heard at end of rounds)
Dominate – Dominar / Domina …. e.g. “domina o braço” (domin-ey oo bra-zhoo) = control the arm
Just / Only – Só … (s-oh)
Actions:
Grip – Pegada / Pega …. e.g. “Pega aqui” = “Grip here”
Hook – Gancho (gan-shoo)
Push – Empurre (ing-poo-hey)
Pull – Puxe (pu-shay)
Pummel – Escrima
Hold – Segura … e.g. “Segura o posição” = “Hold the position”
Posture – Postura
Backwards/go back – Pra trás / Vai para trás … sounds like “partraish”
Lift / Raise – Leve / Levantar … “Levantar ele” = “Lift him up”
Get / seize – Pegar … so if you’re setting up an armbar and someone says “Pegar” = “Get/take it”
Calm – Calma … Self explanatory but if someone tells you “calma” they’re telling you to calm down.
Relax – Relax (he-lash) … same explanation as above
Turn – Vire … “Vire seu quadril” = “Turn your hips”
Straighten – Shika (not sure on spelling) … “Shika o braço” = “Straighten the arm”
Body (Corpo):
Hand – Mão
Foot – Pé
Arm – Braço (bra-zhoo)
Leg – Perna
Knee – Joelho (zhoo-el-oo … sometimes sounds like they say “joo-el-ee”)
Elbow – Cotovelo (koh-toh-velo)
Fingers – Dedos do mão
Toes – Dedos do pé
Hips – Quadril (kwa-dril)
Body – Corpo
Chest – Peito (Pay-too)… “Peito a Peito” = “Chest to chest”
Trunk – Tronco
Head – Cabeça (ka-beh-sa)
Neck – Pescoço
Throat – Garganta
Back – Costas
Shoulder – Ombro
Shoulder blade – Omoplata
Commands:
Go – Vai / Embora
Pass the guard – Passar de guarda
Attack – Attaque
Defend – Defendar
Escape – Saida /S air
Sweep – Raspa / Raspada (has-pa)
Spar/roll – Spare (sh-par-ey)
Close the guard – Fechar a guarda
Other things you might here in class:
Valeu – thanks … used as a departing
Até amanhã – until tomorrow
Treinar – training
Vai com ele (vai kong el-ee) – go with him
Tiver duvida – Have doubts (questions
Boa treinar – Good training … (before rolling with your partner)
Mais um – One more
Quem quero mais? (Keng kero maes?)– Who wants more?
Livre treinar – free training … (usually after normal class and if people want to keep rolling they’d say this)
Striking:
Jab – Jabby
Cross/right straight – Direita (jee-reta)
Straights – Direito … if they say “só direito” then just do straight punches
Hook – Cruzo/Cruza … not sure on spelling for this one
Uppercut/Body hook – Gancho or cruza … From memory they called an uppercut a hook (gancho) and same for a hook or “rip” to the body
Kick – Chute (shoo-ta)
Elbow – Cotovelo
Knee – Joelho
Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: you can be slow and unathletic and still kick butt in Jiu-Jitsu.