Mini Lesson 14: Why Cariocas Have Six Words for the Same Lie
In Rio, there are several everyday words for calling out a made-up story: caô, migué, papo furado, lero-lero, história para boi dormir and história de pescador all mean the same thing, it's not true, however different each one sounds.
Why Cariocas Have Six Words for the Same Lie
Cariocas have a real gift for finding a new word for the exact same thing. Tell someone an invented story in Rio and they can call you out with six different words, and every single one means exactly the same: you're lying.
Six Ways to Say It's Not True
- Caô: a lie, rubbish.
No literal translation, pure slang.
- Migué: a con, a trick someone pulled on you.
No literal translation, also pure slang.
- Papo furado: nonsense, a flimsy story.
Literal: "holey talk", "talk full of holes."
- Lero-lero: waffle, empty rambling.
Literal: close to "blah blah blah".
- História para boi dormir: a cock-and-bull story.
Literal: "a story to put an ox to sleep"
Try this!
Next time someone tells you an obviously made-up story in Rio, skip "mentira" and pick one of these six instead. Cariocas will notice, and you'll sound like you've actually been paying attention.
If today's lesson made you want more, I'd love to have you as a student.
I'm Samar, I'm Brazilian! I teach Brazilian Portuguese, one-on-one or in small groups, for anyone who actually wants to learn properly.
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