Expressive and poetic, the Portuguese language is charming and full of words and phrases that hold a tremendous amount of feeling and symbolism. There are also words that can be used to relay various messages, and there is no arguing that it fits well as a romance language. Here are a few of the most beautiful expressions and words in Portuguese that simply cannot be translated completely into English.
Saudade
Saudade is a Portuguese word that’s often described as untranslatable The truth is that saudade can’t be translated into a singular English word, Without a doubt one of the most beautiful words in the Portuguese language, saudade symbolizes a mixture of a few emotions: longing, melancholy, incompleteness, and love. The word holds a lot of weight, and saudade can apply to a person, place, or another time.
“I feel saudades for home.”
Apaixonar”
When translated to English, it can mean ‘to fall in love’, but the real meaning of ‘apaixonar’ is far from that.Literrally, the word in English would be “impassion,” however it’s not used in the same way and doesn’t share the same word tense. Apaixonar is essentially the act of falling in love, it’s the word used for that period in between “I like you” and “I love you.”
Cada dia que passa eu me apaixono mais por você.
Rough translation: With everyday that passes, I fall in love with you more.
Te amo
The most traditional way to say ‘I love you’ in Portuguese is te amo. Like its English translation, it can be used among close friends and as the first definite declaration of the beginning of a serious relationship. A Portuguese may wait to say it or may even say it after a couple of dates – there are no rules. It is simply said when the moment feels right; hiding love-fueled emotions doesn’t register. You can say eu também te amo to say ‘I love you too’.
Você me completa
Portuguese are often incredibly romantic and have a selection of wonderful phrases that can make you feel like the center of the world. After some time in a truly committed relationship, you may start to see your partner as your significant half, someone that makes you feel whole. For these moments, the Portuguese language has a beautiful expression that sums it up perfectly – você me completa to say ‘you make me feel complete’.
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