A common pitfall for learners of Portuguese became evident when a client of mine enthusiastically shared that he loves to “jogar” the guitar. While “jogar” does translate to “to play,” it’s not the verb you’d use for playing the guitar. So, how to say to play in Portuguese? Well, we have three different verbs: brincar, tocar, and jogar. And I will tell you how these verbs are used, ensuring you can express the joy of play in Portuguese just as vividly as you would in English.
How to say To Play in Portuguese: When to Use Brincar, Tocar, and Jogar
In English, the verb “to play” seamlessly covers a wide range of activities, from strumming the guitar and children playing outside to Brazilians engaging in a game of soccer. However, Portuguese requires a more nuanced approach, employing three distinct verb – brincar, tocar, and jogar – to express these varied forms of play. These verbs are not interchangeable, each serving its unique context.
Let’s dive into the specifics of each verb.
1. Brincar: The Play of Imagination and Joy
Brincar = to play, to toy, to joke, to mock, to tease, to kid
Brincar is the verb you use when referring to playful activities, especially those involving children or a sense of fun and imagination.
Here are examples using brincar:
1. As crianças estão brincando no quintal. = The children are playing in the backyard.
2. Quando eu era pequena, eu adorava brincar de boneca. = When I was little, I loved to play with a doll.
3. Toda criança gosta de brincar de esconde-esconde. = Every child likes to play hide and seek.
How to Say I’m Kidding in Portuguese
Tô brincando is how we say “I’m kidding” in Portuguese as in when we are teasing a friend.
Here is the “tô brincando” used in context in a dialogue:
Tiago: Gostou do bolo? Fui eu que fiz.
Rosa: Ai, Tiago, não tá bom, não.
Tiago: Não?!!
Rosa: Tô brincando :) Tá uma delícia.
Translation:
Tiago: Did you like the cake? I made it.
Rosa: Oh, Tiago, it’s not good.
Tiago: No?!!
Rosa: I’m kidding :) It’s delicious.
Street Smart Portuguese
“Tá” is a colloquial abbreviation for the verb “estar,” conjugated in the present tense for “você” (you; singular), “ele” (he), or “ela” (she), transforming “está” into “tá.”
This shortened form is prevalent in both spoken and written informal Brazilian Portuguese, often appearing in personal emails and text messages.
It’s part of a broader pattern where various tenses and conjugations of “estar” are similarly contracted for casual communication. For example, “eu estou” becomes “eu tô” (I am), and “ele estava” shortens to “ele tava” (he was).
These abbreviations are integral to everyday conversations, reflecting the fluid and dynamic nature of language use among us Brazilians.
Related word: Brinquedo
Brinquedo means toy. Here are examples using the word.
- Quando eu era criança, eu tinha muitos brinquedos. = When I was a kid, I had a lot of toys.
- Toda criança adora visitar lojas de brinquedos. = Every child loves visiting toy stores.
In Brazil, the word “brinquedo” is also colloquially used to convey that something is not easy, should not be taken lightly, or is not to be toyed with.
Não pense que passar no vestibular é brinquedo; requer muito estudo e dedicação. = Don’t think that passing the college entrance exam is an easy task; it requires a lot of study and dedication.
Do you like samba? Martinho da Vila sings a samba called Amor Não É Brinquedo.
2. Tocar: When Music Comes Into Play
Tocar = to play music, to play an instrument.
If it’s music you’re talking about, tocar is the verb that hits the right note.
Examples:
1. Camila é cantora, mas ela não toca nenhum instrumento. = Camila is a singer but she does not play any instruments.
2. João toca violão super bem. = João plays the guitar very well.
3. Que música é essa que está tocando? É linda. = What is this song that is playing? It is so beautiful.
4. O show foi ótimo! Eles tocaram todas as minhas músicas favoritas. = The concert was great! They played all my favorite songs.
Did you notice that música = song? You can also say canção.
Tocar also has other different meanings: to touch; to ring (a bell).
Now, learn 4 handy Brazilian idiomatic expressions with the verb Tocar!
3. Jogar: The Competitive Edge of Play
Jogar = to play a ball sport, to play games.
Jogar is used when referring to playing games that have a set of rules and often involve competition, such as sports, video games, board games, or card games. It’s about aiming to win, whether it’s scoring goals, beating levels in a video game, or coming out on top in a game of chess.
So, when there’s a winner, a loser, or if strategy and rules come into play, jogar is your verb.
Examples:
1. João adora jogar futebol. = João loves to play soccer.
2. Você joga tênis? = Do you play tennis?
3. Meus pais jogam baralho com amigos todos os sábados. = My parents play cards with friends every Saturday.
However, we do not use the verb Jogar with the word “sports”. We use the verb Praticar.
- Milena é muito atlética. Ela pratica vários esportes. = Milena is very athletic. She plays several sports.
We use the verb Fazer with sports without a ball.
- Cristina faz natação. = Cristina takes swimming lessons.
- Paula faz atletismo. = Paula does track and field.
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