As you’ve undoubtedly heard, the 2014 World Cup - A Copa do Mundo de 2014 - will be held in Brazil. Whether you’ll be there in person or watching from home, you can get in the spirit by learning some soccer phrases in Brazilian Portuguese. Shout Marca! (Score!) when your favorite jogador (player) scores. When things don’t go as you’d like them to on the field, complain like a native with Foi falta! (It was a foul!) or our favorite Que palhaçada! (What a circus!)
Here are some general soccer terms:
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | English |
| arbitro | ahr BEE troh | referee |
| bola | BOH lah | ball |
| campo | camPOO | field/pitch |
| chute | SHOOtee | kick |
| escanteio | ehs cahn TEY you | corner |
| falta | FAHl tah | foul |
| futebol | foo TCHEE ball | soccer |
| gol | goal | goal |
| goleiro | goh LAYroo | goal keeper |
| gramado | gra MAHdoo | field (grass) |
| impedimento | een peh dee MEN toh | offside |
| jogador | joh gah DOR | player |
| juiz | jooEEZ | referee (popular) |
| penalti | penalty | penalty |
| trave | TRAhvee | goalpost |
| torcida | tohr SEE dah | fans |
| torcer | tohr SEHr | to root |
And some exclamations and cheers:
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | English |
| Vai lá timão! | VAY lah TEEmaow | Go team! |
| Foi gol! | FOH ee gol | It was goal! |
| Marca! | MAHr kah | Score! |
| Passa a bola! | PAHs AH bohLAH | Pass the ball! |
| É do Brasil! | EH doo Brazil | It was for Brazil! |
| É campeão! | EH cahn pee AOW | The champions! |
And phrases sure to be heard in the stands:
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | English |
| Foi falta! | PHO ay FAHl tah | It was a foul! |
| Que palhaçada! | KEE pah leeah SAH dah | What a circus! (That’s not right!) |
| Onde já se viu uma coisa dessas? | Ondee xah see VEEoo oomahCOYzah DEHssas? | Who’s ever seen something like that? (complaint) |
| O juiz errou! | oh jooEEZ EHrroh | The referee is mistaken! |
| Foi fora! | PHO ay PHO rah | Out! |
