35 Portuguese Expressions with PÉ and What They Mean in Brazil

Pé in Portuguese means "foot", the body part you walk on. So if you just wanted to know how to say foot in Portuguese, there you go. But we in Brazil use this word in a ton of situations that have nothing to do with feet: a "pé de laranja" is an orange tree, a "pé d'água" is a sudden downpour, and "pé de moleque" is a peanut candy you'll find at every Festa Junina.

So what does pé mean when a Brazilian friend tells you they're going to "meter o pé"? They're not kicking anyone, they're leaving. If your boss "pega no seu pé", he's on your case all day long. And if someone "enfiou o pé na jaca", they definitely went overboard, whether with food, drinks, or a bad decision.

In this lesson I break down the meaning of pé and the 35 Portuguese expressions with pé we use the most in Brazil, each one with its English meaning and everyday example sentences so you can understand them in context. At the end you'll also find words derived from "pé", like "rodapé", "chulé", and "tripé", that hide in Brazilian vocabulary without you even noticing.

Video: Portuguese Expressions with PÉ Explained

In this video I explain the Portuguese expressions with pé you'll hear most often in Brazil, with the right pronunciation and in the context we actually use them. Hit play, then review each expression with the example sentences below.

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Phrases with the Word PÉ in Portuguese

These are the 35 expressions with pé in Portuguese that we use all the time in Brazil, each one with its meaning in English and a real example sentence. Some of these Portuguese idioms with pé are literal, like "pé de pato", but most of them completely change meaning depending on the context.

Pé de galinha

Wrinkles around the eyes, what we call crow's feet in English; it can also refer to a typical Brazilian dish made with chicken feet.

• Ela não gostou da foto porque saiu com pé de galinha.

Article in Portuguese: Pés de galinha: como surgem, como tratar e prevenir? Veja dicas!

Pé de meia

Money saved up for emergencies or future expenses, like a nest egg.

• Já faz um tempo que eles tão trabalhando com mais intensidade pra fazer o pé de meia deles.

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Pé de pato

It refers to the fins used for swimming or diving (snorkeling or scuba). It can also be used to describe big or splayed feet, but the most common use is the swimming gear.

• Não vou conseguir fazer o mergulho com vocês porque não trouxe meu pé de pato.

Ser pé no chão

Ser pé no chão means being a realistic, sensible person who makes decisions without getting carried away by emotions. It's the equivalent of being "down-to-earth" or "having your feet on the ground", and in Brazil we also say "manter os pés no chão" when someone needs to calm down before acting.

Being realistic, practical, and down-to-earth.

• Quem deve assumir a parte financeira da empresa é o irmão dele que é mais pé no chão.

Pé chato

A person with flat feet; it can also be used in a descriptive or medical way.

• Já que você tem pé chato acho melhor não caminhar muito na trilha, é possível que você se machuque.

Bater o pé

Bater o pé means insisting on something and refusing to back down, like a kid stomping their feet when they don't get what they want. In Brazil we use it to talk about a stubborn person who stands their ground in an argument or a decision.

To insist, not give in, stand firm on a decision.

• Ela bateu o pé e disse que ia fazer a trilha completa praticamente sem parar pra descansar.

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Caminhar na pontinha do pé

To walk on tiptoe, usually so you don't make any noise.

• Cheguei muito tarde ontem, tive que entrar no quarto na pontinha do pé pra não acordar ninguém.

Pé d'água

A very heavy and sudden rain, a downpour.

• Você veio de moto ou carro? Tô perguntando porque tá vindo um pé d'água aí.

Pé da cadeira/sofá

The leg of a chair or a couch.

• Ele tava tão gordo que quando sentou quebrou o pé da cadeira, por pouco não caiu no chão.

Meter o pé

Meter o pé means leaving a place, usually fast and without saying goodbye, a lot like saying "I'm out" or "let's bounce" in English. Heads up, it has nothing to do with "meter o pé na jaca", and in the imperative you'll hear "mete o pé!" a lot, which is like saying "get out of here!".

To leave quickly, head out, take off without much explanation.

• Acho melhor a gente meter o pé daqui, tô vendo que tem uns caras meio suspeitos se aproximando.

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Estar com um pé atrás

Estar com um pé atrás means being suspicious of someone or of a proposal, like someone who holds one foot back in case they need to retreat. It's similar to "estar com a pulga atrás da orelha", which we use in Brazil when we suspect something fishy is going on.

To be wary of something or someone; not fully convinced.

• Apresentamos a proposta de investimento pra 4 sócios, 3 gostaram e o outro ficou com um pé atrás.

Pé da orelha / Pé do ouvido

Pé do ouvido or pé da orelha is the part of the head right below the ear, and in Brazil it almost always shows up in two phrases: "falar no pé do ouvido", which means whispering something in someone's ear, and "dar um tapa no pé do ouvido", which means giving someone a hard slap.

The spot where the ear meets the head.

• Até hoje lembro do que você disse no meu pé da orelha naquela festa.

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Pé de laranja / limão

An orange tree or a lemon tree.

• Agora que temos mais espaço no quintal, queremos plantar um pé de laranja.

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Tiro no pé

An action that ends up hurting the person who did it, just like "shooting yourself in the foot" in English.

• Cuidado com o que você vai falar na reunião pra não tá dando tiro no pé.

Bicho de pé

A parasite (a type of sand flea) that burrows into the skin of the foot; very common in rural areas.

• Coloque o chinelo pra caminhar por essa parte da praia, me disseram que tem muito bicho de pé por lá.

But there's also a band in Brazil called "Bicho de Pé".

Ao pé da letra

Levar algo ao pé da letra means taking something literally, word for word, just like doing something "to the letter" in English. It's one of the few expressions with pé that works almost the same in both languages, so you'll pick it up in no time.

To do something exactly as it was said or written.

• Lembre-se que o pessoal aqui gosta de brincar, não leve os comentários ao pé da letra.

Apertar o pé

To push harder, demand more, not let up, speed up.

• Se você não apertar o pé vamos chegar atrasados no aeroporto e perder o voo.

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Pé de cabra

A tool used to pry or force something open, a crowbar.

• A gente viu o roubo pelas câmeras de segurança, eles arrombaram a porta da casa com um pé de cabra.

Pegar no pé

Pegar no pé means bugging, criticizing, or pressuring someone over and over, usually about little things. It's one of the expressions with pé you'll hear the most in Brazil: parents pegam no pé dos filhos, bosses pegam no pé dos funcionários, and friends pegam no pé just for fun.

To bug, nag, or pester someone constantly; to be on someone's case.

• Ela trocou de trabalho porque o pessoal da empresa pegava no pé dela sem motivo.

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Estar no pé de alguém

To be on someone's back, pressuring or controlling them.

• Tenho que entregar esse relatório o quanto antes, meu chefe tá no meu pé desde ontem.

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Pé grande

A person with big feet; it can also be used as a nickname or for the legend of "Bigfoot".

• Você já ouviu as histórias sobre o monstro pé grande?

Pezão

The augmentative form of pé, usually informal or humorous.

• Você com esse pezão vai ser difícil encontrar um tênis que caiba no seu pé.

The biggest foot in the world:

Current record (living person): Jeison Orlando Rodríguez Hernández (Venezuela)
Measurements: Right foot: 40.55 cm | Left foot: 40.47 cm
Shoe size: Approximately EU 69 / Brazil 67

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Teste do pezinho

A mandatory screening test for newborns in Brazil, similar to the newborn heel prick test.

• Você já fez o teste do pezinho no seu bebê?

Article in Portuguese: Teste do pezinho: o que é, quando fazer e para que serve

Tá de pé / Estar de pé

Tá de pé or está de pé means that a plan, a date, or a commitment is still on and hasn't been canceled. In Brazil we use it a lot to confirm plans over WhatsApp, for example "o churrasco de sábado ainda tá de pé?", and in the literal sense it also means standing up.

Something is still on, still working, or hasn't been canceled.

• Será que a reunião ainda tá de pé?

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Pé de moleque

A typical Brazilian candy made with peanuts and sugar, similar to peanut brittle.

• Eu trouxe pé de moleque do Brasil, você gosta de amendoim?

Forró pé de serra

Forró pé de serra is the traditional forró from Northeast Brazil, played by the classic trio of sanfona (accordion), zabumba (bass drum), and triangle. "Pé de serra" means "foot of the mountain range", because this rhythm was born in the rural areas at the foot of the mountains.

The traditional, more rustic style of forró.

• Vai ter um festival pra dançar forró pé de serra aqui na cidade.

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Pé de atleta

A fungal infection on the feet, same as athlete's foot in English.

• Ele tá fazendo um tratamento porque tem pé de atleta.

Dor no pé da barriga

Pain in the lower abdomen.

• Não sei o que comi que me fez mal, tô sentindo uma dor no pé da barriga.

Pé rapado

Pé-rapado is an informal and somewhat derogatory way to call someone poor or broke. The best-known explanation goes back to colonial times, when poor people walked barefoot and had to scrape the mud off their feet before going inside anywhere.

A person with no money; it's also used to talk about someone very humble.

• Você acha mesmo que ele vai casar com uma pé-rapada?

Article in Portuguese: Saiba a origem da expressão "pé rapado"

Ir a pé

To get somewhere by walking.

• Você prefere ir a pé ou de táxi pro restaurante?

Andar a pé

To get around on foot, without using any transportation.

• Me falaram que a melhor opção aqui é andar a pé pelos bairros mais seguros.

Meter o pé na jaca / Enfiar o pé na jaca

Enfiar o pé na jaca means overdoing it, going too far, or losing control, especially with food or drinks, but it also works for a bad decision. In Brazil every generation uses it, and it's a classic the morning after a party: "ontem eu enfiei o pé na jaca".

When someone makes a really serious mistake.

• Só tem cuidado pra não meter o pé na jaca fazendo esses investimentos tão arriscados.

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Só quer o pezinho

An ironic expression for someone who starts with something small but wants more, like "give them an inch and they'll take a mile".

• Ele só quer o pezinho pra se aproveitar da situação.

Pezinho da moto

The side stand (kickstand) used to park a motorcycle.

• Quando o policial mandou parar fiquei assustado, ele falou pra colocar no pezinho e descer da moto.

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Pé de pano

It's used to refer to the horse from the Pica-Pau (Woody Woodpecker) cartoon. By extension, in informal contexts it can also show up as a nickname or a cultural reference, but the best-known meaning comes straight from the cartoon.

• O apelido dele era o mesmo nome daquele cavalo do Pica-Pau, pé de pano.

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Em pé, de pé, or a pé: What's the Difference?

Em pé and de pé mean the same thing: standing up, in an upright position, so both "ficar em pé" and "ficar de pé" are correct. In Brazil we use "em pé" more in conversation, while "de pé" sounds a bit more formal and also shows up in expressions like "tá de pé".

A pé, on the other hand, means on foot, without using transportation, and it never takes a crase (the grave accent): the correct form is "ir a pé", not "ir à pé", because "pé" is a masculine word. A lot of us Brazilians get this wrong too, so don't feel bad if it happens to you.

• Fiquei em pé no ônibus a viagem inteira porque não tinha lugar pra sentar.
• Todo mundo ficou de pé quando o juiz entrou na sala.
• Hoje vou pro trabalho a pé, tá fazendo um dia lindo.

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Bonus: Words Derived from Pé in Portuguese

Besides the expressions, the word pé in Portuguese hides inside other everyday words, like "rodapé", "tripé", and "pezinho". These words derived from pé are super useful because you'll see them in documents, around the house, and even at the hair salon.

Rodapé

The bottom part of a page or a wall, like a footer or a baseboard; it's also used in texts and documents.

• Coloque a informação de contato no rodapé do documento que você tá editando.

Centopeia

An animal with lots of legs, a centipede.

• Hoje tive um susto quando abri o armário, uma centopeia caiu na minha frente.

Pegadas

Footprints left behind when walking.

• Eles seguiram as pegadas que estavam na praia antes da maré subir e apagar tudo.

Chulé

Bad foot odor, smelly feet.

• Ele ficou com vergonha de tirar o tênis pra fazer Yoga, com o chulé que ele tem seria capaz de cancelarem a aula.

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Pedômetro

A device that counts your steps, a pedometer.

• Agora ela tá usando um pedômetro pra ter mais noção de quantas calorias tá queimando indo e voltando do trabalho a pé.

Tripé

A three-legged stand for cameras or equipment, a tripod.

• Vou comprar um tripé pra poder gravar os vídeos com mais facilidade, sabe onde tem alguma loja que vende isso?

Cortar o pezinho

Cortar o pezinho means tidying up the hairline on the nape of the neck and around the ears, without touching the length. It's what you ask for at a hair salon or barbershop in Brazil when you just want a quick touch-up between haircuts.

• Não quero mudar o corte, só vim cortar o pezinho pra ficar mais arrumado.