Hello folks! In today’s Dica we’ll take a look at the meaning of cara in Portuguese. Do you know what cara means? Well, it’s a versatile word with multiple meanings, so hold on tight and join us in this new adventure through Portuguese language!
Not only does cara have different meanings, it also varies with gender and number. So, before we dive into the different uses we have for this word, let’s take a look at these variations:
| Singular | Plural | |
| Masculine | caro | caros |
| Feminine | cara | caras |
Not every usage allows these variations, so be careful to only use it in the right way!
First of all, we can use cara as a slang that refers to a friend of ours, but very casually here in Rio de Janeiro. This word in its feminine and singular form can refer to both guys and girls. Take a look at our example:
Diogo: Pierre! Vem ver essa moça que está no meu Instagram!
Pierre: Nossa, cara! Essa moça é muito linda!
Diogo: Pena que ela não quer nada comigo!
Diogo: Pierre! Come here to see this woman on my Instagram!
Pierre: Uow, dude! She is gorgeous!
Diogo: It’s a pity she doesn’t want anything with me!
We can also use cara when we want to refer to a certain part of our bodies: our face! But watch out if you speak Spanish: this word can be a false friend, ok? When referring to our face, this word is always in its feminine and singular form.
Luana: Eita! A minha cara tá cheia de espinhas!
Silvia: Eu tenho um creme ótimo pra te emprestar!
Luana: Valeu, hein!
Luana: Gosh! My face is full of pimples!
Silvia: I have an excellent cream for you!
Luana: Thanks!
We can also use cara as a polite pronoun in letters or formal events, for example. In this case, the word will vary in gender and number. Take a look at the example below:
José: Cara Ana, nosso evento beneficiente será dia 13 de maio.
Ana: Obrigada por avisar, caro José!
José: Dear Ana, our benefit event will be on May 13th.
Ana: Thank you for letting me know, dear José!
We can use this word to refer to something expensive. In this case, the word cara can vary according to the gender of the subject.
Igor: Nossa, esses óculos são muito caros!
Igor: Uow! These glasses are really expensive!
Now that you know all the meanings for the word cara in Portuguese, let’s check out this video made by our teachers and students here at Rio & Learn to complement your learning!
That is it for cara in Portuguese! I hope you enjoy this Dica and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and to subscribe to our Youtube Channel!
Big hug from Rio.
Click in the links below to see more related Dicas
Nossa in Portuguese
Eita in Portuguese
Body Parts in Portuguese
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