20 Ways to Say "Friend" in Brazilian Portuguese

How do you say friend in Portuguese? The literal translation is easy: amigo. But if you want to sound like a real Brazilian, you need to know the words people actually use on the street to call someone when you don't know their name. In this lesson I'm sharing 20 ways to say friend in Brazilian Portuguese, with real examples of how they're used in Brazil.

These are the most common ways to call a friend in Brazil:

• Amigão – the affectionate, "big buddy" version of "amigo"
• Mano / Brother – very informal, like "bro" between young guys
• Parceiro – "partner", like calling someone your buddy
• Campeão / Chefia – friendly nicknames for addressing strangers
• Cara – the equivalent of "dude" or "man"

Below you'll find the full list with example sentences, including what to say when you talk to a female friend in Portuguese and other Brazilian nicknames for guys that you'll hear every single day in Brazil. Keep in mind that most of these expressions are used in informal settings, mostly between men.

Video: Amigo, Campeão, Parceiro and many others

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List of words with example phrases

AMIGÃO / AMIGO

Amigão is the affectionate augmentative of "amigo" in Portuguese. You use it to greet someone warmly, whether it's a close friend or even someone you just met in an informal setting. It's one of the most natural and versatile ways to call someone in Brazil.

• E aí amigão, tem como você me tirar uma dúvida?

COMPANHEIRO

Companheiro is the equivalent of "companion" or "partner" in English, but in Brazil it's also used as an informal nickname for someone you trust, or to bring a third person into the conversation. It has a slightly more neutral tone than "amigão" and can be used with people you know as well as strangers.

• Falei pro companheiro aqui não se estressar com isso porque o pessoal é um pouco leigo no assunto, tem que ter paciência.

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FERA

Fera has two uses in Brazilian Portuguese. First, as a nickname to call someone, similar to "champ" or "genius" in English. Second, to say that someone is really good at something or truly masters a subject. Interestingly, it's also used to say that someone is furious or fuming, so context is everything.

• Como é que tá tudo por aí fera?
• Meu amigo é fera nesse assunto, vou ligar pra ele pra pedir ajuda. (he really knows a lot about something)

In Portuguese, "Fera" is also used to say that someone is really angry.

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MOÇO

Moço is used to call any man, especially in situations where you don't know the person's name, like calling the waiter or asking someone for directions on the street. It's easy to confuse with "mozo" from Argentine Spanish, which means waiter, but in Brazil the waiter is "garçom" and the waitress "garçonete".

• Já pediu pro moço trazer a conta?

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JOGADOR

Jogador literally means "player" in Portuguese, but as an informal nickname it carries a sense of recognition, like telling someone they're skilled or that they know how to handle situations well. It's used in a laid-back tone between friends or acquaintances.

• Tudo certo por aí jogador?

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MANO

Mano is one of the most used nicknames among young men in Brazil, equivalent to "bro" in English. It's completely informal and is used both to call someone and to start a sentence or express surprise.

• Mano, uma perguntinha, você sabe onde fica o centro histórico?

MORAL

Moral as a nickname is a way of telling someone they're street-smart, respected, or that they have a good reputation. Using it to call someone is like acknowledging that status informally. There's also the expression "dar moral", which means to give someone attention or recognition.

• Ei moral, sabe me dizer onde tem uma farmácia por aqui perto?

GRANDE

Grande as a nickname is an affectionate way to call someone, similar to "big guy" or "boss" in English. It conveys warmth and familiarity. It's used between friends or people with some level of trust and has a very relaxed tone.

• Fala aí grande, tudo jóia?

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BROTHER (BRODI)

Brother, pronounced "brodi" in informal Brazilian speech, is the adaptation of the English word "brother" into colloquial Portuguese. It's used exactly like "mano" or "bro" and is very common among young people in Brazil's big cities.

• E aí brother, beleza?

COLEGA

Colega in Portuguese means the same as in English: someone you share a space, job or activity with. As an informal nickname to call someone, it has a more neutral, polite tone than "mano" or "brother", and you can use it with people you don't know.

• Colega, tem como me ajudar a levantar isso pra colocar em cima do carro?

CHEFIA

Chefia literally means "management" or "the boss", but as an informal nickname it's a way to flatter or acknowledge someone, similar to calling them "boss" or "chief" in English. It's used in informal contexts to get someone's attention or start a conversation on a friendly note.

• Conta as boas aí chefia.

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CAMPEÃO

Campeão means "champion" in Portuguese and is one of the most used nicknames for calling strangers in Brazil, especially in service settings like restaurants or shops. It's friendly, positive, and implies no prior familiarity. Anyone can be greeted this way.

• Tudo bem campeão? você pode me ajudar aqui por favor?

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IRMÃO (IRMÃOZINHO)

Irmão means "brother" in Portuguese and as an informal nickname it works just like "brother" or "bro" in English. It conveys a lot of closeness and affection. The diminutive irmãozinho ("little brother") makes it even more affectionate and is used between very close friends.

• Irmão, uma informação por favor!

ABENÇOADO

Abençoado means "blessed" in Portuguese. As a nickname, it has a tone more tied to a religious context and is very common in evangelical communities and in northeastern Brazil. Outside that context it can sound a little odd, so use it carefully depending on who you're talking to.

• Já falou com o abençoado pra vir te pegar aqui?

PARCEIRO

Parceiro is the exact equivalent of "partner" or "buddy" in English. In Brazil it's used to refer to a close friend, someone you trust, or simply to call someone in a friendly tone. It's one of the most natural and frequent nicknames you'll hear.

• E aí meu parceiro, vai visitar a gente hoje à noite?

MEU PATRÃO

Meu patrão literally means "my boss", but in informal Brazilian usage it's simply a way to address someone with respect and a friendly tone, similar to "boss" or "chief" in English. It's very common for addressing waiters, salespeople, or anyone in a service context.

• Meu patrão, poderia trazer a conta?

MEU CAMARADA

Meu camarada is a warm and slightly more formal way to call someone. It carries a tone of camaraderie and trust, equivalent to "comrade" or "buddy" in English. It's used more between adults and in situations where there's some familiarity, or when you want to sound friendly without being too informal.

• Meu camarada, se eu te contar o que aconteceu comigo você nem vai acreditar.

MEU QUERIDO

Meu querido means "my dear" and is a very affectionate way to address someone. You can use it between close friends or even with strangers in a friendly tone. There's also the feminine version minha querida for addressing a woman, which would be the equivalent way to say friend in Portuguese to a female with that same warm tone.

• Belezinha por aí meu querido?

MEU CHAPA

Meu chapa is a very Brazilian informal expression, equivalent to "old pal" or "buddy" in English. It's used between friends with a lot of trust and has a more retro, older-generation feel, though it's still heard quite a bit in everyday speech.

• E aí meu chapa, prepara um "dogão" bem caprichado.

Dogão: an expression used in Brazil to refer to a large "cachorro quente" (hot dog).

MEU JOVEM

Meu jovem means "my young man" and is used when the speaker is addressing someone clearly younger than they are. It has a paternalistic tone but isn't necessarily disrespectful. It's simply a way to acknowledge the age difference in a kind, direct way.

• Boa tarde meu jovem, você sabe onde tem algum posto de gasolina por aqui?

CARA

Cara is probably the most used word in everyday Brazilian speech. It means "dude", "man" or "guy". It's used to call someone, to refer to a third person, or simply as a filler word at the start of a sentence. It's completely neutral and informal.

• E aí cara, tudo pronto pra sua viagem?

EXTRA

Beyond the ways to call someone, there are a few expressions related to the social dynamics between friends in Brazil that are worth knowing:

CHEGA AÍ / DAR UMA CHEGADA

Chega aí literally means "come over here" or "come closer" and is used to invite someone to join a group or a conversation. Dar uma chegada means to go visit someone or swing by a place, equivalent to "drop by" or "stop by" in English.

• Chega aí pessoal, vou contar como será a dinâmica da atividade.

FICAR BEM NA FITA

Ficar bem na fita is a colloquial expression that means to look good in front of others, protect your own image, or act in a calculated way to be seen favorably. It's equivalent to "keep up appearances" in English. The tone usually implies the person isn't being completely genuine.

• Eu já percebi que ele fala essas coisas "da boca pra fora", é só pra tentar ficar bem na fita.

FICAR in Portuguese and its 20 meanings in everyday expressions

FAZER O FILME

Fazer o filme means to recommend someone, introduce them favorably to another person, or talk them up to open a door for them. It's equivalent to "putting in a good word" in English. It's used a lot in romantic or professional contexts.

• Cara, faça o meu filme pra sua prima, acho que rolaria alguma coisa entre nós.

QUEIMAR O FILME

Queimar o filme is the opposite of "fazer o filme". It means to ruin someone's image, damage their reputation, or make them look bad in front of others. It's equivalent to "throwing someone under the bus" in English slang.

• O movimento desse restaurante caiu demais depois que fizeram uns vídeos queimando o filme do dono da empresa.

How to respond in Portuguese if someone calls you

Now you know how to call someone in Portuguese. Next you also need to know what to say when someone calls out to you. I recorded a very complete video with the different ways to respond in Portuguese.

14 Ways to Respond in Portuguese If Someone Calls You