How to Say Left-Handed in Portuguese (and Why Surdo Means Deaf)

Want to know how to say left-handed in Portuguese? The word is "canhoto", or "canhota" for a woman, so any lefty in Brazil will tell you "eu sou canhoto". Easy, right? The trouble starts if you also speak some Spanish, because the Spanish word for left-handed is "zurdo", and in Portuguese "surdo", which sounds almost the same, means "deaf".

Here in Brazil we see this mix-up all the time: someone says "sou surdo" trying to explain they write with their left hand, and we understand they can't hear a thing. It's one of the classic false friends between Spanish and Portuguese, so knowing the real surdo meaning (and what "canhoto" means) can save you from a very awkward moment.

Manco is another trap. The manco meaning in Portuguese is someone who limps, while a person missing an arm or a hand is called "maneta". In this lesson I'll walk you through each word with a video and real phrases to practice, so you sound natural in your next conversation in Portuguese.

Canhoto vs. Surdo: The Classic Portuguese False Friend

In Portuguese, a left-handed person is canhoto, and the feminine form is canhota. So if you're wondering how to say left-handed in Portuguese, that's the word you need. The opposite, right-handed, is destro.

The confusion usually hits people who studied Spanish first, because Spanish uses "zurdo" for left-handed, and in Brazil "surdo", with an S, means "deaf". So "eu sou canhoto" means "I'm left-handed", but "eu sou surdo" means "I'm deaf", and trust me, the look on a Brazilian's face changes quite a bit.

A fun fact from us Brazilians: the "surdo" is also the big, deep bass drum that keeps the beat in our escolas de samba. And "surdo" isn't the only trap in the language; check out these 12 Portuguese false cognates that will trip you up before your next conversation.

Video: How to Say Left-Handed and Manco in Portuguese

In this video I explain how to say left-handed in Portuguese, what "manco" means in Brazil, and why mixing up "surdo" and "zurdo" can land you in a really awkward situation. Hit play and repeat the words out loud to practice your pronunciation.

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Portuguese Phrases to Practice

Here's each word with its translation and real phrases, the way we actually use them in Brazil: surdo (deaf), canhoto (left-handed), manco (limping, lame) and maneta (a person missing an arm or a hand). Read them out loud and pay attention to the context, because that's where the difference lies.

Remember to take notes so you can review the content later.

SURDO (Deaf)

"Deaf" in Portuguese is "surdo". This word describes a person who has a hearing impairment and can't hear properly.

Some phrases:

• Já é a quinta vez que eu digo pra não deixar isso no chão, você é surdo ou tá se fazendo de doido?
• A bomba explodiu tão perto dele que ele vai ficar surdo do ouvido direito pro resto da vida.

How to say EXPLODE and EXPLOITATION in Portuguese.

Canhoto (Left-Handed)

The word for "left-handed" in Portuguese is "canhoto". For example, if you want to say "He is left-handed" in Portuguese, you'd say "Ele é canhoto".

• Você é canhoto ou destro?
• Ele fez o gol de canhota que garantiu a vitória do time.

And if you were looking for the word "left" itself: in Portuguese "left hand" is "mão esquerda" and the right hand is "mão direita", which is why we call a right-handed person "destro". Heads up: in Brazil "mano" is slang for "bro", and "maninho" is something like "little bro".

Article in Portuguese: Canhotos foram obrigados a usar mão direita e eram vistos como 'defeituosos'

MANCO

The manco meaning in Portuguese is "lame" or "limping": a person who limps, not someone who lost an arm or a hand, as it means in Spanish. It's a false friend that confuses plenty of Spanish speakers when they arrive in Brazil.

The Portuguese word "manco" comes from the verb "mancar", which means "to limp", so "he is limping" in Portuguese would be "ele está manco".

• Ele sofreu um acidente de moto e ficou manco.
• Ninguém sabe que sou manco na universidade porque uso tênis que nivela minha altura.

Other ways to say "limping" in Portuguese.

• Estou coxo. Coxeando (limping)
• Sou perneta (someone with only one leg)

The expression "se mancar" in Portuguese has several meanings depending on the context: "take the hint, read the room, get lost".

So how do you say "a person missing an arm or a hand" in Portuguese? That would be MANETA.

MANETA

In Portuguese, a person who is missing an arm or a hand is called "maneta".

• Ela é maneta, perdeu o braço na fábrica onde trabalhava.

EXTRA

In Portuguese, "person with a disability" is "pessoa com deficiência". You may still come across the older "pessoa portadora de deficiência", but today it's considered outdated.

These terms are used to refer to someone who has a physical, sensory or cognitive disability.

For example, when you park you'll see a sign that says "vaga exclusiva para deficiente físico" (parking reserved for people with physical disabilities).

Article in Portuguese: Terminologia sobre Deficiência na Era da Inclusão