What Does Mesmo Mean in Portuguese? 6 Ways We Use It in Brazil

Mesmo in Portuguese is one of those words we use all the time in Brazil, and that's exactly why it trips up so many learners. At first glance it looks like it always means "same," but we also use it to confirm something, react with surprise, say "even though," or insist that something is for real.

If you've ever wondered what does mesmo mean in the middle of a conversation, the answer depends on context. Saying "Você tem o mesmo sotaque" is not the same as replying "É mesmo?" with a surprised look, or using mesmo assim to say "even so." Each use has its own mesmo meaning, and here I'll walk you through all of them with phrases we hear every day in Brazil.

In this lesson you'll learn how mesmo works as an adjective and as an adverb, the most common expressions like mesmo que, isso mesmo, and agora mesmo, plus famous quotes and even some Brazilian memes. Watch the video, then practice with the examples so you can use this word in Brazilian Portuguese naturally.

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Phrases with MESMO in Portuguese

In Portuguese, mesmo means "same" when it works as an adjective, but as an adverb we use it in Brazil to say "really," "even so," or "even though." As an adjective it changes for gender and number (mesmo, mesma, mesmos, mesmas). Here's each meaning of mesmo with a real example.

Mesmo (same)

As an adjective, mesmo means "same" and agrees with the noun: o mesmo sotaque, a mesma casa, os mesmos amigos. That's why "the same thing" in Portuguese is "o mesmo" or "a mesma coisa," as in "Pra mim dá no mesmo" (it's all the same to me).

• Você tem o mesmo sotaque de uma amiga minha.

Mesmo (normal, correct)

When we say "é assim mesmo" in Brazil, mesmo means "that's how it is," "it's normal," or "that's right." It's the phrase we use to confirm that something works that way and there's nothing strange about it, a lot like saying "that's just the way it is" in English.

• Você sabe se isso é assim mesmo? (Normal, correto)

"cêsabecissénormal" (video: advanced Portuguese)

Mesmo (really)

As an adverb, mesmo reinforces that something is real or true, just like "really" or "actually" in English. That's where expressions you'll hear all the time in Brazil come from, like "sério mesmo?" (seriously?) and "agora mesmo" (right now).

• Será que ele é daqui mesmo ou tá fingindo o sotaque?

The neutral Brazilian accent (sotaque).

Mesmo (is that so?)

"É mesmo?" is our go-to reaction of surprise in Brazil, the same as "really?" or "no way!" in English. Following the same logic, we say "isso mesmo" for "exactly!" or "that's it," and "não é mesmo?" at the end of a sentence to ask for confirmation, like "right?" or "isn't it?"

• Noooosssa.. é mesmo??

Mesmo assim (no matter what)

Mesmo assim means "even so," "anyway," or "still," and we use it to say that something happens despite an obstacle. It's super common in everyday conversation and also shows up in famous quotes, like the Charles Chaplin one you'll see below.

• Mesmo assim você vai ter que fazer tudo isso.

Different ways to say "I don't care" in Portuguese.

Não fique triste quando ninguém notar o que fez de bom.
Afinal, o sol faz um enorme espetáculo ao nascer, e mesmo assim, a maioria de nós continua dormindo.

Different ways to say "I overslept" in Portuguese.

Mesmo que (even though)

Mesmo que means "even though" or "even if" and is almost always followed by a verb in the subjunctive (faça, fale, tenha). If you want to compare it with similar connectors, here I explain how to use porém and embora in Portuguese.

• Mesmo que você faça isso não vai servir de nada.

7 ways to use AINDA in Portuguese

Quotes and sayings with MESMO in Portuguese

Famous quotes are a great way to see how mesmo is used in written Portuguese. In this one by Cora Coralina, "mesmo quando" means "even when," a combination we use a lot in Brazil to talk about tough times.

"Mesmo quando tudo parece desabar, cabe a mim decidir entre rir ou chorar, ir ou ficar, desistir ou lutar; porque descobri, no caminho incerto da vida, que o mais importante é o decidir."

On Kdfrases you can find more examples with MESMO.

Write down your favorite quotes in a notebook so you can review them often.

MEMES with MESMO in Portuguese

In Brazilian memes, mesmo almost always shows up to add emphasis or to tease someone. The most famous one is "Parece que o jogo virou, não é mesmo?", something like "looks like the tables have turned, huh?", and we use it when someone who was winning ends up losing.

Parece que o jogo virou, não é mesmo?

Different ways to use VIRAR.

Quem é você mesmo?

Sou grossa mesmo, quer doçura? Se afoga no leite condensado.

What does MESMICE mean in Portuguese?

MESMICE in Portuguese means doing the same thing over and over, basically the same old routine.

• Não sei como ele não cansa dessa mesmice.

“Não é o sentimento que se esgota, somos nós que ficamos esgotados de sofrer, ou esgotados de esperar, ou esgotados da mesmice.”
― Martha Medeiros