Brazilian Portuguese is full of animals — ducks, frogs, horses, monkeys, hens — but almost never literally. These idioms are opaque: their images don't map onto English equivalents, so you can't decode "pagar o pato" (pay the duck) by reasoning about ducks. The only reliable strategy is meaning-first: learn what each phrase does in a sentence, treat it as one word, and let the colorful image be a memory hook rather than a clue. They're worth the effort — these expressions are extremely common and instantly make you sound fluent.
Taking the blame and getting cheated
Pagar o pato — literally "to pay the duck" — means to take the blame / take the rap for something, usually unfairly. The English equivalent is "to take the fall" or "to carry the can." Neutral, very common.
No fim, quem pagou o pato fui eu, e a ideia nem foi minha.
In the end, I'm the one who took the rap, and it wasn't even my idea.
Comprar gato por lebre — literally "to buy a cat for a hare" — means to be swindled, to be sold a dud, to get ripped off (you paid for one thing and got something inferior). The English equivalent is "to buy a pig in a poke" or "to be sold a bill of goods." Neutral.
Comprei o celular pela internet e comprei gato por lebre: veio com defeito.
I bought the phone online and got ripped off: it came faulty.
Putting up with things
Engolir sapo — literally "to swallow a frog" — means to put up with insults or unfair treatment in silence, to swallow your pride, to grin and bear it. There's no single tidy English idiom, but "bite your tongue" or "swallow your pride" come close. Neutral, very frequent.
Pra manter o emprego, tive que engolir muito sapo do chefe.
To keep my job, I had to put up with a lot of grief from the boss.
Fazer vista grossa — literally "to make thick sight" — means to turn a blind eye, to deliberately overlook something. The English equivalent is exactly "to turn a blind eye." Neutral.
O fiscal fez vista grossa pra irregularidade.
The inspector turned a blind eye to the irregularity.
Giving up and being broke
Tirar o cavalo da chuva — literally "to take the horse out of the rain" — means to give up on an expectation, to forget it, to not get your hopes up. It's typically used to tell someone their hope won't come true: "pode tirar o cavalo da chuva" = "you can forget about that." The origin is a 19th-century custom of tying your horse outside if visiting briefly, or in the barn (out of the rain) if staying long — so being told to take the horse out of the rain meant "settle in, this isn't happening soon." Neutral, common.
Se você acha que eu vou trabalhar de graça, pode tirar o cavalo da chuva.
If you think I'm going to work for free, you can forget about it.
Matar cachorro a grito — literally "to kill a dog by shouting" — means to be desperate / broke / at the end of your rope, scraping by. The image is of someone in such a dire, hopeless situation that they're reduced to absurd, futile efforts — trying to kill a dog just by yelling at it. Informal.
Esse mês tá difícil, tô matando cachorro a grito pra pagar as contas.
This month is rough, I'm scraping by to pay the bills.
Knowing your place, memory, and letting loose
Cada macaco no seu galho — literally "each monkey on its (own) branch" — means everyone should mind their own business / stick to what they know / stay in their lane. Used as a standalone proverb-like remark. Neutral.
Eu não me meto na vida dos outros: cada macaco no seu galho.
I don't meddle in other people's lives: each to their own.
Ter memória de elefante — literally "to have an elephant's memory" — means to have an excellent memory, to never forget anything (sometimes grudges). The English equivalent is identical: "to have a memory like an elephant." Neutral.
Cuidado com o que você fala perto dela, ela tem memória de elefante.
Be careful what you say around her, she has a memory like an elephant.
Soltar a franga — literally "to release the hen" — means to let loose, to let your hair down, to go wild (often dancing, partying, or shedding inhibitions). Informal, playful.
Depois da prova, a gente foi pra balada e soltou a franga.
After the exam, we went clubbing and really let loose.
Dar com os burros n'água — literally "to end up with the donkeys in the water" — means to fail, to come up short, to fall flat after putting in real effort. The image is of colonial mule-train drivers losing their loaded animals in flooded crossings. The English equivalent is "to come up empty-handed" or "to fall flat." Neutral.
A gente se preparou pra caramba, mas deu com os burros n'água na hora H.
We prepared like crazy, but fell flat when it really mattered.
Quando a galinha tiver dentes — literally "when the hen has teeth" — means never, when pigs fly. The English equivalent is "when pigs fly." Informal, jokey. Note the subjunctive tiver (future subjunctive of ter).
Ele vai pedir desculpa quando a galinha tiver dentes.
He'll apologize when pigs fly.
| Idiom | Literal | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| pagar o pato | pay the duck | take the blame/rap | neutral |
| comprar gato por lebre | buy a cat for a hare | be swindled | neutral |
| engolir sapo | swallow a frog | put up with abuse in silence | neutral |
| fazer vista grossa | make thick sight | turn a blind eye | neutral |
| tirar o cavalo da chuva | take the horse out of the rain | give up the hope | neutral |
| matar cachorro a grito | kill a dog by shouting | be broke/desperate | informal |
| cada macaco no seu galho | each monkey on its branch | mind your own business | neutral |
| ter memória de elefante | have an elephant's memory | have a great memory | neutral |
| soltar a franga | release the hen | let loose | informal |
| dar com os burros n'água | end up with the donkeys in the water | fail / fall flat | neutral |
| quando a galinha tiver dentes | when the hen has teeth | never / when pigs fly | informal |
Common Mistakes
❌ Quando os porcos voarem.
A direct calque of 'when pigs fly' — not the Brazilian idiom.
✅ Quando a galinha tiver dentes.
When pigs fly.
The same idea exists, but with a different animal and image. Translate the meaning, then use the Brazilian fixed phrase — don't import the English animals.
❌ Eu comprei lebre por gato.
Reversed — the order of the animals is fixed.
✅ Eu comprei gato por lebre.
I was swindled.
The structure is "buy [the cheap thing: gato] for [the valuable thing: lebre]" — you pay hare prices and get a cat. Reversing it breaks the idiom.
❌ Tive que engolir um sapo. (meaning I was cheated in a sale)
Wrong idiom for the situation — 'engolir sapo' is enduring abuse, not being cheated.
✅ Comprei gato por lebre.
I got ripped off.
Match the idiom to the situation: silent suffering = engolir sapo; getting a bad deal = comprar gato por lebre.
❌ Pode tirar o cavalo na chuva.
Wrong preposition — it's 'da chuva' (out of the rain).
✅ Pode tirar o cavalo da chuva.
You can forget about it.
The horse comes out of the rain — "tirar ... da chuva" (de + a). "Na chuva" (in the rain) reverses the meaning.
❌ Cada macaco no seu galho. (used to mean 'everyone is equal')
Misreading — it's about staying in your own lane, not equality.
✅ Cada macaco no seu galho — eu cuido da minha vida, você da sua.
To each their own — I mind my business, you mind yours.
The phrase is about boundaries and not meddling, not about equality or fairness.
Key Takeaways
- Animal idioms are opaque — learn the meaning, treat the phrase as one word.
- Essentials: pagar o pato (take the rap), engolir sapo (silently endure), tirar o cavalo da chuva (give up hope), comprar gato por lebre (be swindled), fazer vista grossa (turn a blind eye).
- Don't import English animals: it's "quando a galinha tiver dentes," not flying pigs.
- Keep frozen elements intact: animal, order, and preposition are all fixed.
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