How do Brazilians use cara?
Brazilians use cara in three ways: to address a friend or start a sentence ("dude", "man"), to mean "a guy", and in o cara, "the man", someone who's the best.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Valeu, cara! | Thanks, man! | Not in the course |
| Cara, que calor! | Man, it's so hot! | Not in the course |
| Conheci um cara muito legal. | I met a really nice guy. | Not in the course |
| Ele viu a namorada com outro cara. Ele é muito ciumento. | He saw his girlfriend with another guy. He's really jealous. | Not in the course |
| Ele é o cara! | He's the man! He's the best! | Not in the course |
Can you say cara to a woman?
Yes, as a filler or to address a friend: Cara, você não vai acreditar! ("Dude, you won't believe it!") works with a woman friend. But um cara ("a guy") is always a man; for a woman, say uma mulher ("a woman") or uma moça ("a young woman").
Is cara rude?
No, cara isn't rude, just informal. Use it with friends and people your age; with older people, your boss or a stranger, leave it out or use o senhor or a senhora.
| Who you're talking to | Can you say it? |
|---|---|
| Friends, people your age | Yes |
| Relaxed coworkers | Yes |
| Your boss, older people, strangers | Leave it out |
What else does cara mean?
A cara is "the face" (Que cara é essa?, "What's that face for?"), and cara is also the feminine of caro, "expensive": A passagem está cara ("The ticket is expensive").
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Que cara é essa? | What's that face for? | Not in the course |
| É caro. | It's expensive. | Unit 1 |
| A passagem está cara. | The ticket is expensive. | Not in the course |
How can you practice Brazilian Portuguese out loud?
Practice it in short, real exchanges, out loud. CiaoSpeak's Brazilian Portuguese course teaches everyday words like legal and valeu with a recording in a Brazilian accent, and in the Speak tab people across Brazil (a São Paulo baker, a Rio ride-app driver, your language-exchange partner Ana) ask you one question at a time. You answer by voice or typing, and the app tells you whether a Brazilian would understand you. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More words like this one: the Brazilian slang list.