How do Brazilians use tipo?
Brazilians use tipo as a filler, to introduce an example, and before numbers, the same three ways English speakers use "like".
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| tipo… | like… | Unit 33 |
| Tipo assim… | Like, you know… (casual) | Unit 33 |
| Tinha tipo umas vinte pessoas. | There were like twenty people. | Not in the course |
| Eu queria algo tipo uma pizza. | I wanted something like a pizza. | Not in the course |
What does que tipo de mean?
Que tipo de…? means "what kind of…?": here tipo is the normal word for "type" or "kind", fine in any register. Rodrigo, the ride-app driver in CiaoSpeak's Speak tab, asks you this one:
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| o tipo | kind, type | Unit 28 |
| Você gosta de que tipo de música? | What kind of music do you like? | Unit 28 |
| De que tipo de música você gosta? | What kind of music do you like? | Speak: Ride-app car |
| esse tipo de coisa | that kind of thing | Unit 33 |
| todo tipo de | all kinds of | Unit 33 |
Is tipo slang?
As a filler, yes: tipo meaning "like" is casual, and, as with "like" in English, using it in every sentence sounds very young. In a job interview or formal writing, leave it out. As "type, kind", it's standard Portuguese.
| Who you're talking to | Can you say it? |
|---|---|
| Friends, people your age | Yes |
| Work, casually | A little is fine |
| Job interviews, formal writing | Leave the filler out |
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 tipo… and né? 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.