← Back to searchWord Index →

Is the word ralar the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

The literal meanings of "ralar"—to grate (as in cheese), to scrape (as in skin), or to rub—are identical in both Brazilian and Continental Portuguese. However, there is a significant difference in usage and connotation. In Brazil, "ralar" is a very common colloquialism for working extremely hard or "grinding" (e.g., "ralar muito"). While a Portuguese person would understand this, they would more naturally use different idiomatic expressions to express the same level of intense effort, such as "dar o litro" or "partir o lombo". Additionally, in Brazilian slang, "ralar" can occasionally carry a sexual connotation, which is not the primary association in Portugal.

Brazilian Portuguese

  1. Eu ralei muito hoje no trabalho. (I worked very hard today at work.)
  2. Eu ralei o joelho quando caí. (I scraped my knee when I fell.) . Vou ralar um pouco de queijo para a massa. (I'm going to grate some cheese for the pasta.)
  3. Ele rala muito para sustentar a família. (He works very hard to support the family.)
  4. A lixa serve para ralar a madeira. (The sandpaper is used to scrape the wood.)

Continental Portuguese

  1. Eu dei o litro hoje no trabalho. (I gave my all today at work.)
  2. Eu ralei o joelho quando caí. (I scraped my knee when I fell.)
  3. Vou ralar um pouco de queijo para a massa. (I'm going to grate some cheese for the pasta.)
  4. Ele parte o lombo para sustentar a família. (He works his tail off to support the family.)
  5. A lixa serve para ralar a madeira. (The sandpaper is used to scrape the wood.)