How to Say Work in Portuguese: Vocabulary and Office Slang from Brazil

How do you say work in Portuguese? The word is trabalho (noun), the verb to work is trabalhar and working is trabalhando. And if you want to say job in Portuguese, you'll also hear emprego, which is the position you get hired for, while trabalho covers both the work itself and the place you go to every day.

But knowing how to say work in Portuguese is just the beginning. In this guide I'll walk you through the Portuguese work vocabulary we actually use at the office here in Brazil, from how to say you're swamped to the Brazilian work slang you'll hear from coworkers that no textbook will ever teach you.

You'll find real Portuguese workplace expressions and business Portuguese phrases for meetings, phone calls and even for those days when your boss won't leave you alone, plus useful websites to find a job in Brazil. Grab a notebook and read each phrase out loud so it really sticks.

Video: Work Vocabulary and Expressions in Portuguese

In this video you'll hear how we really pronounce these work expressions and vocabulary in Portuguese. Hit play, pay attention to the rhythm and repeat out loud so they stick naturally.

Para mejorar tu portugués

Herramientas gratis. Toca una para ver más.

Guía PDF Mini curso Test Calculadora Mapa Clases

Phrases: Work Vocabulary and Expressions in Portuguese

Here are the phrases with the Portuguese work vocabulary we use the most in Brazil. Before we start, the essentials: work is trabalho, to work is trabalhar and working is trabalhando. With that down, let's jump into the informal expressions you'll hear every day.

Dia de branco

Dia de branco is an informal way to talk about a workday, just a regular day at work. We use it a lot when someone leaves a party or get-together early because they have to work the next day.

• Tenho que ir embora pra casa agora, amanhã é dia de branco e começo logo cedo.

How to use Porém, Embora and Ir embora.

Pegar no batente

Pegar no batente means to go to work or get down to work, pretty much like saying you're clocking in.

• E aí, vai pegar no batente hoje ou vai ficar de boa em casa?

Different ways to use PEGAR.

Trampo / Trampar

Trampo is a very casual way to say work or job, and trampar means to work. It's a lot like calling your job a "gig" or saying you're "on the grind".

• O irmão dela conseguiu um trampo na empresa que eu tô.
• Tá de bobeira aí ou tá trampando?

Trabalho cansativo / puxado / rojão / ralar

When work wears us out, we have several ways to say it: cansativo (tiring), puxado (heavy, demanding), rojão (a crazy, nonstop day) and ralar (to work your tail off).

• Nossa, o trabalho hoje foi cansativo, não veja a hora de chegar em casa e dormir.
• Ela tava reclamando do novo trabalho, disse que era muito mais puxado e ficava com sono toda hora.
• Caramba, hoje foi rojão lá na empresa viu, tô morto de cansado.

Different ways to say I OVERSLEPT in Portuguese.

Estagiar – Estagiário

Estagiar means to do an internship, and the estagiário is the intern. That's what we call someone who's just starting out at a company to learn the ropes.

• O chefe contratou um amigo meu pra estagiar na empresa.
• Imagina que esse cara começou como estagiário há 5 anos e agora já é o CEO da empresa.

Se escorar em alguém

Se escorar em alguém is leaning on someone else so you don't have to do your own work, basically coasting while others carry your load.

• Esse teu amigo é muito preguiçoso, só faz se escorar nas pessoas.

Muito atarefado

Being muito atarefado means being swamped, with a schedule packed with tasks and not a single minute to spare.

• Caramba, essas últimas semanas estive tão atarefado que não vejo a hora de tirar uma folga de uns dias.

The difference between Folga, Férias and Feriado in Portuguese.

15 expressions with the verb TIRAR.

Pegar no pé - Tá me cobrando

Pegar no pé is being on someone's back, breathing down their neck, and tá me cobrando means someone is pressing you for something, like that report you still haven't turned in.

• Não sei porque meu chefe gosta tanto de pegar no meu pé, não me deixa em paz nem um minuto.
• Desde ontem que ela tá me cobrando esse relatório.

The difference between COBRAR and ABUSAR in Portuguese.

Estar de marcação

Estar de marcação comigo means someone has it in for you, keeping tabs on everything you do and picking on you all the time.

• Será que minha chefe tá de marcação comigo porque sou o ex namorado da filha dela?

Ter alguma posição

Ter alguma posição is having an update or a clear answer about something, super common at work when people are waiting on a decision from you. Think of it as "Any update on that?"

• Você já tem alguma posição sobre o envio dos produtos do fornecedor?

Ficar na minha

Ficar na minha is keeping to myself and staying in my lane, not getting involved in other people's drama or giving my opinion when it's better to stay out of it.

• Depois que eu vi a confusão na reunião de hoje decidi ficar na minha e não mencionar o que vi, acho que só iria piorar a situação.

20 expressions with FICAR in Portuguese.

Dar o gás

Dar o gás is basically stepping on the gas: picking up the pace and giving it your all at work so you can get ahead and relax later.

• Hoje vou dar o gás no trabalho pra ficar mais tranquilo nos próximos dias.

Dar uma olhada

Dar uma olhada simply means to take a look or have a quick look at something, without going into detail yet.

• Você já deu uma olhada nos preços dos laptops? Precisamos comprar 5 pro escritório.

The difference between olhar, ver, enxergar and assistir.

Passar batido

Passar batido means to go unnoticed or slip through the cracks, when something gets past you without you meaning it to.

• Ela recomendou 6 lugares pra ir durante nossa viagem mas infelizmente um passou batido, numa outra oportunidade vamos lá com certeza.

Learn 27 expressions with BATER in Portuguese.

Aos cuidados de quem?

Aos cuidados de quem? is like asking who something should be addressed to, the "Attn:" or "c/o" you see on documents and mail.

• Esses documentos devem ser entregues aos cuidados de quem?

Procurar sarna pra se coçar

Procurar sarna pra se coçar literally means looking for an itch to scratch. It's the same as asking for trouble, getting into a mess you could easily have avoided.

• Acho melhor você não reclamar sobre isso, caso você o faça vai tá procurando sarna pra se coçar.

Learn the difference between "Buscar, Procurar, Pesquisar, Investigar" in Portuguese.

Muito mimimi

Muito mimimi is a lot of whining and drama over little things. The word imitates the sound of someone whining, and that's what we call it in Brazil when someone complains about everything.

• Ela já tava de saco cheio de tanto mimimi no escritório, o pessoal era muito sensível, no final das contas ela não aguentou e se demitiu.

Sounds we Brazilians make with our mouths.

Já era

Já era means there's no going back: something is over or lost and there's nothing you can do about it. Think "game over".

• Nossa cara, que vacilo que você deu, acho que agora já era, eles vão te mandar pra rua.

Vai sobrar pra mim

Vai sobrar pra mim means that in the end I'll be the one left holding the bag, taking the blame or the consequences even if I had nothing to do with it.

• Eu já vi essa situação acontecer antes, geralmente isso sobra pra mim, mesmo que eu não tenha nada a ver com a história.

Learn to speak like a native: they'll think you're from Brazil

Deixa comigo

Deixa comigo is the classic "leave it to me" or "I got this", what you say when you take charge of solving something.

• Deixa comigo que eu resolvo isso pra você rapidinho.

Dar certo /  Dar errado

Dar certo means to work out and dar errado means to go wrong, two expressions you'll hear all the time on any project.

• Será que vai dar certo esse novo plano de marketing da empresa?
• Se isso der errado vamos continuar tentando outras opções.

Different ways to say something doesn't work in Portuguese.

Dar zica / Dar zebra / Dar bronca

Dar zica is when bad luck strikes and things go south, dar zebra is when something turns out the opposite of what you expected (it backfires), and dar bronca is getting chewed out or getting in trouble.

• Deu zica lá no trabalho, estão fazendo corte de funcionários.
• Eu tentei ajeitar o carro mas deu zebra, ficou pior do que já tava.
• Será que vai dar bronca se eu deixar o carro estacionado nessa vaga?

De saco cheio – encher o saco

Estar de saco cheio is being fed up, sick and tired of something, and encher o saco is exactly what causes it: bugging someone or getting on their nerves nonstop.

• Os clientes ficaram de saco cheio de serem prejudicados e decidiram entrar com uma ação na justiça pra processar a empresa.
• Deixa de encher meu saco por favor, tô tentando estudar.

Different ways to say DON'T BOTHER ME.

Puxão de orelha

Levar puxão de orelha literally means getting your ear pulled, but it's the same as getting a talking-to or being called out by your boss.

• Se você não for pra essa reunião com certeza vai levar puxão de orelha da chefe.

How to use the Future Subjunctive in Portuguese.

Prego batido ponta virada

Prego batido, ponta virada describes something that's a done deal, set in stone, a situation there's no way to change.

• Você sabe que com ela é prego batido ponta virada, não tem como voltar atrás na decisão.

Different ways to use VIRAR.

Tá tenso

Tá tenso means things are rough, heavy or tricky. We use it for work and for pretty much any uncomfortable situation.

• - Vai rolar sair este fim de semana?
  - Rapaz, o trabalho esteve tenso nos últimos dias e terminei acumulando tarefas pro fim de semana.

Bambambã

The bambambã is the big shot, that guy at the office who thinks he's hot stuff and acts like he runs the place.

• Você percebeu como esse novo funcionário se acha o bambambã? Só porque trabalhou numa empresa grande pensa que é melhor que todo mundo.

Ele quer ser o foda

Querer ser o foda is acting like you're the best, the badass who's better than everyone. It's a very informal (and a bit vulgar) expression you'll hear when someone thinks they're superior.

• Agora que ele foi promovido só quer ser o foda.

What FODA means in Portuguese.

Useful Phrases for Talking on the Phone

A work call changes everything: the tone, the greeting and the way you say goodbye. At this link I've put together the vocabulary for talking on the phone in Portuguese before, during and after the call.

Vocabulary to use before, during and after a phone call.

Quotes and Thoughts to Reflect On

There's nothing better than learning with real sentences. Here are some thoughts about work from authors like Clarice Lispector and Frank Lloyd Wright, perfect for practicing your reading and reflecting at the same time.

“Eu sei o preço do sucesso: dedicação, trabalho duro, e uma incessante devoção às coisas que você quer ver acontecer.”
― Frank Lloyd Wright

“A satisfação que nosso trabalho nos proporciona é sinal de que soubemos escolhê-lo.”
― Clarice Lispector

On KDfrases you'll find more examples with TRABALHO.

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

Websites to Find a Job in Brazil

Looking for a job in Brazil? I've rounded up the best job search websites, useful whether you're already in the country or planning to move and want to start applying.

• The best websites to find a job in Brazil.

Volunteering Websites Around the World

If you'd rather gain experience and practice your Portuguese while helping out, volunteering is a great way in. These websites list opportunities to do social work in Brazil and in many other parts of the world.

• Want to do social work? Check out the best volunteering websites.

Websites to Find Study Scholarships

Want to study in Brazil? Here you'll find the best websites to land a scholarship and fund your studies while you learn Portuguese in the country.

• If you want to study in Brazil, these are the best websites to find scholarships.

Frequently Asked Questions About Work Vocabulary in Portuguese