Menu Reader: Brazilian Portuguese to English

Published date: 4 November 2012

A
Abacate	Avocado
Abacaxí	Pineapple
Abóbora	Pumpkin
Açaí	Jungle berry, typically served “na tigela” (“in the bowl”) as a breakfast smoothie topped with granola and fruit
Acarajé	Black bean fritters, sliced open and filled with seafood and chilli garnishes
Acebolado/a	With onions
Acerola	Jungle cherry
Açucar	Sugar
Água (com/sem gás)	(Sparkling/still) water
Aipim	Manioc, cassava
Alcaparras	Capers
Alface	Lettuce
Alho	Garlic
Alho e óleo	Typical preparation of garlic and oil, for pasta or prawns
Aliche	Anchovy
Almôndegas	Meatballs
Ameixa	Plum
Arroz	Rice
Arroz à grega	Rice with vegetables
Assado/a	Roasted, barbecued
Atum	Tuna
Azeite	Oil
Azeitonas	Olives

B
Bacalhau	Cod, saltcod
Badejo	White fish
Batata	Potato
Batata frita	Chips (fries)
Batata natural	Boiled potatoes
Baurú	Sandwich of cheese, ham, lettuce and tomato
Beijinho	Bite-sized sweet coconut ball
Beirut	Pitta bread sandwich
Beringela	Aubergine
Bife	Steak
Bobó	Seafood dish with a tomato and coconut sauce thickened with cassava (manioc)
Bolinho de bacalhau	Saltcod fish cakes
Bolo	Cake
(Na) brasa	(cooked on the) grill
Brigadeiro	Bite-sized condensed milk and chocolate ball
Brochete	Skewer, kebab

C
Cabro / cabrito	Goat / kid
Cachaça	Strong cane spirit
Café	Coffee
Café com leite	Coffee with milk
Cafezinho	Small, sweet black coffee
Café da manha	Breakfast
Caipifruta	Cocktail of cane spirit, fruit juice of your choice and sugar
Caipirinha	Cocktail of cane spirit, lime juice and sugar
Caipiríssima	Cocktail of rum, lime juice and sugar
Caipiroska	Cocktail of vodka, lime juice and sugar
Cajú	Cashew (often refers to the fruit rather than the nut)
Camarão	Prawn
Canja de galinha	Chicken stew
Caranguejo	Crab
Carneiro	Lamb
(Com/sem) cáscara	(With/without) shell (eg prawns)
Castanha do Pará	Brazil nut
Catupiry	Brazilian creamy cheese
A cavalo	With a fried egg on top
Cebola	Onion
Cenoura	Carrot
Cereja	Cherry
Cerveja	Beer
Chá	Tea
Champignon	Mushroom
Chantilly	Cream
Chopp	Draught beer
Churrasco	Charcoal-grilled meat
Coco (gelado)	(Chilled green) coconut
Coelho	Rabbit
Cogumelo	Mushroom
Comida a/por kilo	“Weigh and pay” – buffet-style restaurant system in which you choose your food, have it weighed and pay according to its weight
Contrafilé	Sirloin
Coração	Heart
Costela	Rib
Costeleta	Cutlet, chop
Couve	Cabbage
Coxinha	Fried snack of shredded chicken and seasoning formed into a rounded cone (also: chicken drumstick)
Cupuaçu	Sweet jungle fruit

D
Dendê	Palm oil
Dobrada	Tripe
Doce	Sweet (as adjective or to mean pudding)
Doce de leite	Caramelised condensed milk

E
Empada / empadinha	Pasty-like snack
Empadão	Savoury pie
Espinafre	Spinach
Espeto / espetinho	Kebab, skewer

F
Farofa	Manioc flour – a traditional accompaniment used to thicken the consistency of sauces and stews
Feijão	Black beans (usually not vegetarian)
Feijoada	Stew of black beans and meat – the traditional family meal, eaten on Saturdays
Fígado	Liver
Filé	Fillet of beef
Frango	Chicken
Frio	Cold

G
Galinha	Chicken
Geleia	Jam
Goiaba	Guava
Goiabada	Guava jam
Grelhado/a	Grilled
Guaraná	Sweet fizzy drink made from jungle berries
Guarnições	Side dishes, garnishes

H
(Chá de) hortelã	Mint (tea)

I
Isca	Strip

L
Lagosta	Lobster
Laranja	Orange
Lasanha / lazanha	Lasagne
Legumes	Vegetables
(Molho de) lentejana	Sauce of wine, bacon, onion, mushrooms and potatoes
Leite	Milk
Limão	Lime
Lingua	Tongue
Linguado	Sole
Linguiza	Sausage
Lombo	Pork loin
Lula	Squid

M
Maçã	Apple
Macarrão	Pasta
Macaxeira	Cassava, manioc – north-eastern Brazil
Mamão	Papaya
Mandioca	Manioc (usually refers to manioc flour)
Manteiga	Butter
Maracujá	Passionfruit
Massa	Pasta, noodles
Maté	Herb infusion, similar to a tea
Medalhão	Steak medallions, typically filet mignon
Melao	Melon
À milanesa	Deep-fried in batter or breadcrumbs
Milho	Maize
Mocotó	Beef and bean stew
Molho	Sauce
Moqueca	Seafood dish in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, pepper and coconut milk
Morango	Strawberry
Mixto quente	Toasted sandwich (usually ham and cheese)

N
Na telha	Served on a ceramic dish or tile
Nozes	Walnuts

O
Óleo	Oil
Ovo	Egg
Ovo estrelado	Fried egg
Ovo mexido	Scrambled egg
Ostra	Oyster

P
Pão	Bread
Pão de queijo	Balls of cheese bread
Palmito	Palm hearts
Passas	Raisins
Pastel	Pasty, snack
Peixe	Fish
Perú	Turkey
Pêssego	Peach
Picadinho	Mince, small beef pieces
Picanha	Steak
Picolé	Ice lolly
Pimenta	Pepper (seasoning)
Pimentão	Pepper (capsicum)
Pirão	Paste of flour and fish stock
Polvo	Octopus
Porco	Pork
Presunto	Ham
Pudim	Milk pudding
Purée	Mashed potato

Q
Queijo	Cheese
Queijo coalho	Grilled cheese skewers (similar to halloumi)
Quente	Hot
Quiabo	Okra
Quibe	Middle-Eastern-style croquette
Quindim	Egg and coconut custard dessert

R
Refrigerante	Soft drink
Requeijão	Cream cheese
Rodizio	Served all-you-can-eat buffet in which waiters bring food (usually cuts of meat) to your table
Rodovalho	Turbot
Romeu e Julieta	Cheese and guava jam filling

S
Salada	Salad
Sal	Salt
Salgado / salgadinho	Bar snack, finger food
Salpicão	Pickled pork sausage
Salsa	Parsley
Salsicha	Sausage
Sardinha	Sardine
Siri	Crab
Sobremesa	Dessert
Sorvete	Ice cream
Suco	Juice – you can usually choose whether to have milk (“com leite”) or water (“com água”) added
Suco natural	Pure fruit juice – no added water or milk

T
Talharim	Linguini
Tapioca	Filled pancake made of manioc flour
Torrado/a	Toasted, roasted

V
Vatapá	Paste of coconut, palm oil, peanut and shrimp, a filling for acarajé – north-eastern Brazil
Vinho (branco / tinto)	(White / red) wine
Vitamina	Fruit juice drink
Vitela	Veal

X
X-burger	Cheeseburger (‘X’ in Portuguese is pronounced ‘shees’ and often used as an abbreviation of ‘cheese’)
Xuxu	Marrow