Ignorant in Portuguese: Leigo, Ignorante, Grosso and Bruto Explained

Ignorant in Portuguese is "ignorante", spelled almost exactly like the English word and pronounced roughly "ig-no-RAHN-chee". The catch? Those of us from Brazil almost never use it just to say someone doesn't know something. In everyday conversation, calling someone "ignorante" sounds rude, harsh or even aggressive, so yes: in Brazil it can be a pretty strong insult.

To say someone simply lacks knowledge about a topic, this is how we say it in Brazil: "leigo", the word for layman in Portuguese, as in "sou leigo no assunto" (I'm no expert on this). That's the leigo meaning in a nutshell: neutral, and it won't offend anyone. And when someone loses their temper and gets aggressive in an argument, we use the expression "partir pra ignorância".

Watch out for a sneaky false friend, too. "Grosso" looks a lot like "gross", but the grosso meaning in Portuguese is rude or ill-mannered, not disgusting. Something similar happens with "bruto", which describes someone coarse or lacking manners, and not necessarily someone who doesn't know things.

In this lesson I'll show you what ignorante means in Portuguese, when it's an insult, and how to say ignorant in Portuguese without offending anyone (leigo, grosso and bruto), with real sentences to practice, plus a video where I walk you through it step by step.

Video: Don't Say "Groso" in Brazil (leigo, ignorante)

In Brazil, never use "groso" as a compliment, the way people do in Argentina when they mean someone is awesome: to us it sounds like "grosso", which in Portuguese means rude or ill-mannered. In this video I explain that mix-up and the difference between leigo, ignorante, grosso and bruto, the words we use in Brazil for each situation.

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Portuguese Phrases to Practice

These are the ways to say ignorant in Portuguese depending on what you mean: "grosso" and "bruto" for someone rude or coarse, "ignorante" for someone aggressive or lacking common sense, and "leigo" for someone who doesn't know much about a topic. Each word comes with real sentences to practice.

Grosso

"Grosso" sounds a lot like "gross", but if you tell a Brazilian "você é grosso", they'll understand you're calling them rude, not disgusting.

• Depois que me neguei a fazer um favor pra ele que ele começou a ser grosso comigo, nem olha pra mim direito e tudo que pede é berrando.

Bruto

In Portuguese, "bruto" describes someone coarse, with no delicacy or manners, like a person who eats sloppily or talks by shouting. It's not as strong as "grosso", and we often say it jokingly among friends.

• Nossa cara, como você é bruto pra comer, vai ter que aprender algumas regras de etiqueta antes da reunião de hoje pra não passar vergonha.

Ignorante

Yes, in Brazil "ignorante" is usually an insult: more than a lack of knowledge, it describes someone rude, aggressive or lacking common sense. When a person gets angry and reacts by yelling or being nasty, we say they "partiu pra ignorância".

• A pessoa tem que ser muito ignorante pra dirigir desse jeito, que falta de bom senso.
• Ele partiu pra ignorância depois do comentário que fiz, qualquer pessoa com bom senso teria levado na esportiva.

O ignorante grita, o sábio fala. O ignorante ofende, o sábio cala. O ignorante perde-se nas palavras, o sábio encontra-se no silêncio.

Different ways to use JEITO in Portuguese.

Leigo

"Leigo" is the neutral way to say in Portuguese that someone has no knowledge about a topic, just like "lay" in "layman" or "layperson" in English. Those of us from Brazil use it all the time, even about ourselves, and it doesn't sound offensive at all: "sou leigo no assunto".

• Você é bruto pra comer mas pelo menos não é leigo quando o assunto é vinho.
• A médica deu o diagnóstico e não entendi nada, tive que pedir pra que ela explicasse levando em consideração que sou leigo no assunto.

A curiosidade atrai o leigo, e torna-o perito.

Extra: A Portuguese Expression

There are two very informal ways to say someone is extremely rude in Portuguese.

• Papel de enrolar prego
• Papel de embrulhar prego

Other Portuguese Words That Can Sound Offensive

Now that you know when ignorant in Portuguese is an insult, there are other words that can get you into trouble too (or make a Brazilian burst out laughing). Do you know how to say these in Brazil?

• How to say "you're clumsy" in Portuguese
• How to say güevón in Portuguese
• How to say stingy in Portuguese
• The most common Brazilian Portuguese swear words
• Portuguese false friends that will embarrass you