How do you use legal in Brazil?
Use legal as a reaction (Que legal!, "how cool!"), about a thing ("it's cool") or about a person ("nice, fun"). It doesn't change for feminine words (uma ideia legal); the plural is legais.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| legal | cool, great (everyday speech); also legal (by law) | Unit 1 |
| Ah, que legal! | Oh, how cool! | Speak: Language exchange |
| Que legal! O rio aqui é enorme, viu? | How cool! The river here is huge, you know? | Speak: River trip |
| Ele é muito legal. | He's really nice. | Unit 13 |
| super legal | super cool, really nice (casual) | Unit 34 |
| Ele é legal demais! | He's so nice! (casual) | Unit 34 |
Does legal mean legal in Portuguese?
It can: legal is also the normal word for "lawful". When the law is what you mean, Brazilians often say permitido ("allowed") to be clear, because É legal? can sound like "Is it cool?".
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| É permitido? | Is it allowed? |
| É legal? | Is it cool? (and, in the right context, "Is it legal?") |
What is the opposite of legal?
The opposite is chato or chata: "boring" about a thing, "annoying" about a person. To say you're not into something, Não é a minha praia ("It's not my thing").
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| chato / chata | boring; annoying | Unit 9 |
| Não é a minha praia. | It's not my thing. (literally "not my beach") | Unit 28 |
How else do Brazilians say cool?
Besides legal, Brazilians say demais! ("awesome!"), show! and top; in the Northeast you'll hear massa. More in the Brazilian slang list.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Demais! | Awesome! (casual) | Unit 34 |
| Show! | Great! Awesome! | Not in the course |
| Ficou top! | It turned out great! | Not in the course |
| massa | cool, great (the Northeast and Brasília) | 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 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.