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A2 noun 8 دقيقة للقراءة

Que legal!

تدرّب عليها أمثلة ملاحظات ونصائح Que legal! في 30 ثانية

الشرح Que legal! in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'Que legal!' is one of the most useful 'survival' phrases. It allows you to participate in a conversation without needing to construct complex sentences. When a Brazilian person speaks to you, even if you don't understand every word, responding with a warm 'Que legal!' shows that you are engaged and positive. At this stage, you should focus on the basic meaning: 'How cool' or 'That's nice'. You should also learn that 'legal' is used to describe things and people you like. It is an essential tool for building basic social rapport. For example, if someone says 'Eu moro em São Paulo', you can say 'Que legal!'. It bridges the gap between knowing no Portuguese and being able to maintain a friendly vibe.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'legal' as a versatile adjective in sentences, not just as an exclamation. You should be able to say things like 'Meu amigo é legal' (My friend is nice) or 'O livro é legal' (The book is cool). You start to notice that 'legal' doesn't change for gender (masculine/feminine), which makes it easier to use than other adjectives. You also begin to distinguish between 'legal' (cool) and its literal meaning (lawful) in specific contexts, although the 'cool' meaning remains dominant. You should practice using 'muito legal' (very cool) and 'bem legal' (quite cool) to vary your intensity. At this level, you are also introduced to the plural form 'legais'.

At the B1 level, you move beyond simple descriptions and start using 'legal' to express nuances of personality and social dynamics. You might use it to describe a situation that is fair or 'okay' in a more abstract sense. You also begin to learn regional alternatives like 'bacana' or 'maneiro' to avoid overusing 'legal'. You understand that 'Que legal!' can be used to acknowledge information even if it's not 'amazing'—it's a polite social lubricant. You also start to use 'legal' in the negative: 'Não é legal' (It's not cool/nice), which is a common way to criticize behavior politely. Your intonation becomes more natural, avoiding the flat 'robot' sound that can make 'Que legal' sound sarcastic.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the B2 level, you are comfortable with the colloquial and formal boundaries of the word. You know that while 'legal' is common, in a very formal academic paper, you might prefer 'interessante' or 'positivo'. You can use 'legal' in complex sentence structures, such as 'Seria legal se nós pudéssemos...' (It would be cool if we could...). You also understand the cultural weight of 'legal' in Brazil—it reflects the 'Cordial Man' concept (O Homem Cordial), where social harmony and friendliness are prioritized. You can handle the pluralization of 'legais' in fast speech, where the 'is' ending might be subtle. You also start to recognize sarcasm more easily when someone says 'Que legal...' with a sigh.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the C1 level, you have a near-native grasp of the word's social utility. You can use 'legal' to navigate delicate social situations, using it to pivot conversations or soften a disagreement. You are aware of its historical evolution from the legal sphere to the counter-culture of the 60s and 70s. You can use 'legal' in idiomatic ways, such as 'ficar legal' (to look good/to be okay). You understand the subtle difference between 'Ele é legal' (He is a nice person) and 'Ele está legal' (He is doing okay/feeling fine). Your use of 'Que legal!' is perfectly timed and tonally accurate, reflecting the specific Brazilian emotion you wish to convey, whether it's genuine excitement or polite acknowledgement.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the C2 level, you possess a masterly command of 'legal' and its entire semantic field. You can discuss the linguistics of the word, including how it functions as a 'placeholder' adjective in Brazilian Portuguese. You are sensitive to the most minute shifts in register—knowing exactly when 'legal' is too informal and when 'bacana' or 'excelente' is required. You can use 'legal' with extreme irony or double meanings. You are also aware of the word's presence in Brazilian music and literature, recognizing it as a marker of 'Brazilianness'. You can fluently switch between regional synonyms (massa, tri, maneiro) depending on whom you are speaking to, demonstrating a deep integration into the Lusophone world's diverse cultures.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

تدرّب عليها أمثلة ملاحظات ونصائح

Que legal! في 30 ثانية

Que legal! is the primary way to say 'How cool!' in Brazil. It is used in almost every social context to show approval or interest.
The word 'legal' does not change for gender. You can use it for men, women, objects, and abstract ideas without changing the ending.
In Portugal, the equivalent is 'Que fixe!'. While 'legal' is understood, it is recognized as a distinctly Brazilian expression.
Be careful with intonation; a flat 'Que legal' can sound sarcastic. Use a rising, enthusiastic tone to sound genuine and friendly.

The expression Que legal! is perhaps the most ubiquitous phrase in the Brazilian Portuguese lexicon for expressing approval, admiration, or general positivity. While the word legal literally translates to 'legal' or 'lawful' in a juridical sense, its colloquial usage as 'cool,' 'nice,' or 'great' has entirely superseded its formal meaning in daily conversation. When you say Que legal!, you are reacting to something that pleases you. This could range from a friend telling you they got a new job to seeing a beautiful sunset. It is an extremely safe, versatile, and common expression that fits almost any social situation in Brazil, from a casual chat on the beach to a semi-formal office environment.

Semantic Range: The phrase covers the English equivalent of 'Cool!', 'Nice!', 'Great!', and 'Awesome!'. It is less intense than 'maravilhoso' but more enthusiastic than a simple 'bom'.

João: 'Eu ganhei duas entradas para o show!'
Maria: 'Que legal!'.

Grammatical Structure: The word 'Que' acts as an intensifier here, similar to 'How' in 'How cool!'. It is followed by the adjective 'legal'.

'Você vai viajar para a Bahia? Que legal!'.

Regional Variations: While 'legal' is national, in Rio you might hear 'Que maneiro!' and in the Northeast 'Que massa!'. However, 'Que legal!' is understood and used everywhere.

'Nossa, que iniciativa legal da sua empresa!'.

'Achei aquele restaurante muito legal.'.

'Ele é um cara muito legal.'.

In summary, 'Que legal!' is the Swiss Army knife of Brazilian social cues. It builds rapport, shows you are listening, and validates the speaker's information without requiring a complex response. It is the perfect word for learners to master early on because it is almost impossible to use 'wrongly' as long as the context is positive.

Using Que legal! in a sentence is straightforward because it usually functions as a standalone exclamation. However, understanding how to integrate the adjective legal into more complex structures will greatly enhance your fluency. When used as an exclamation, 'Que' is mandatory. You cannot simply say 'Legal!' as a reaction, although people often do in very informal shorthand; 'Que legal!' is the complete and standard form.

As a Reaction: Use it immediately after someone shares good news. Example: 'Vou me casar!' - 'Que legal! Parabéns!'.

'Você aprendeu a tocar violão? Que legal!'.

Describing People: When describing a person, 'legal' means they are nice, friendly, or easy to get along with. Example: 'A sua irmã é muito legal'.

'Conheci o seu chefe, ele parece ser bem legal'.

Describing Objects/Events: It functions like 'cool' or 'fun'. Example: 'O filme foi muito legal'.

'É um projeto muito legal para a comunidade'.

'Eles são muito legais conosco'.

'Que ideias legais você teve!'.

In sentence construction, 'legal' usually follows the noun it modifies or the verb 'ser' (to be). It is rare to see it before a noun unless in poetic or highly stylized prose. In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, 'legal' is the 'default' positive adjective. If you aren't sure which word to use to describe something as good, 'legal' is almost always the correct choice.

If you spend a single day in a Brazilian city like São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, you will likely hear Que legal! dozens of times. It is the background noise of Brazilian social harmony. You will hear it in coffee shops when someone describes their weekend, in business meetings when a new idea is presented, and on television during talk shows.

In Media: Brazilian 'Novelas' (soap operas) are a prime place to hear this. Characters use it to show support or interest in each other's lives. It is also common in YouTube vlogs and podcasts.

Vlogger: 'Hoje vamos visitar o Cristo Redentor!'
Audience: 'Que legal!'.

In the Workplace: Even in professional settings, 'legal' is used to validate contributions. 'Que legal essa sua análise' (How cool is your analysis) is a common way to give positive feedback.

'A apresentação foi bem legal, todos entenderam.'.

Social Media: On Instagram or TikTok, 'Que legal!' is a standard comment on a friend's photo. It's the linguistic equivalent of a 'Like' button.

Comment: 'Nossa, que legal esse lugar! Onde fica?'.

'Ficou muito legal o seu novo corte de cabelo!'.

'Foi uma experiência muito legal viajar sozinho.'.

One interesting place you hear this is in the Southern regions of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), where they often add 'Tri' as a prefix. You might hear 'Tri-legal!', which means 'Triple cool' or 'Very cool'. This regionalism is very strong and instantly identifies someone from that area. Regardless of where you are, 'Que legal!' is the sound of Brazilian friendliness and openness to new experiences.

While Que legal! is easy to use, there are a few pitfalls for English speakers. The most common mistake is related to the literal translation. Since 'legal' exists in English with a very specific meaning (lawful), learners often hesitate to use it for 'cool'. Don't be afraid; in Brazil, the 'cool' meaning is far more common than the 'lawful' meaning in speech.

Mistake: Using 'Como legal': English speakers often translate 'How cool' literally as 'Como legal'. This is incorrect. In Portuguese exclamations, 'How' is translated as 'Que'.

Incorrect: 'Como legal!'
Correct: 'Que legal!'.

Mistake: Gender Agreement: Learners often try to change the ending to 'legala' for feminine nouns. 'Legal' is a uniform adjective; it remains the same for both masculine and feminine.

Incorrect: 'Ela é legala.'
Correct: 'Ela é legal.'.

Mistake: Misuse in Portugal: If you are in Portugal, 'Que legal!' will be understood, but it identifies you as someone influenced by Brazilian culture. If you want to sound local in Lisbon, use 'Que fixe!'.

Context: Lisbon. Person A: 'Vamos ao cinema?'
Person B: 'Que fixe!' (Instead of 'Que legal').

'Achei legal que você veio.' (I found it cool that you came).

'Não é legal fazer isso com os outros.' (It's not nice to do that to others).

Finally, watch out for 'legalmente'. While 'legal' means cool, 'legalmente' almost always reverts to the juridical meaning of 'legally'. You wouldn't say 'Ele agiu legalmente' to mean 'He acted coolly'; it would mean 'He acted within the law'. To say someone acted coolly, you would simply use 'de forma legal' or a different adverb entirely like 'bacana'.

While Que legal! is the most common expression, Portuguese is rich with synonyms that vary by region and intensity. Knowing these will help you understand different dialects and choose the right word for the right moment.

Bacana: Very similar to 'legal'. It sounds slightly more sophisticated or 'old school' cool. 'Que bacana!' is very common among adults.

'Foi um jantar muito bacana'.

Maneiro: Classic Rio de Janeiro slang. If you want to sound like a 'Carioca', use 'Que maneiro!'. It has a more youthful, surfer-vibe energy.

'Aquele carro é muito maneiro!'.

Joia / Tudo Joia: Literally 'Jewel'. Used to say everything is fine or cool. 'Que joia!' is a bit more polite and gentle.

'Tudo joia por aqui, e com você?'.

'A festa foi show de bola!'.

'Que massa esse seu tênis novo!'.

'O professor é super gente boa'. (Gente boa is a synonym for 'pessoa legal').

Comparisons: 'Legal' is the neutral baseline. 'Bacana' is slightly more elegant. 'Maneiro' and 'Massa' are regional and informal. 'Show' is for higher excitement. By mastering 'Que legal!', you have the foundation, but adding these others will make you sound like a native speaker who understands the local flavor of the city you are in.

How Formal Is It?

حقيقة ممتعة

The shift from 'lawful' to 'cool' happened in Brazil during the 1960s. It originally meant that something was 'okay' or 'within the rules', and eventually evolved into a general term of approval.

دليل النطق

UK /keɪ leɪˈɡɑːl/

US /keɪ leɪˈɡaʊ/

The stress is on the second syllable of 'legal': le-GAL.

يتقافى مع

Avental Final Canal Quintal Natal Real Degrau (approximate rhyme due to vocalized L) Bacanal

أخطاء شائعة

Pronouncing 'Que' as 'Kwee'. It should always be 'Kay'.
Pronouncing the final 'L' like an English 'L' (with the tongue on the roof of the mouth). In Brazil, it is almost always vocalized as a 'U'.
Stress on the first syllable (LE-gal). It must be on the second (le-GAL).
Nasalizing the 'e' in 'Que' too much.
Making the 'g' in 'legal' soft like a 'j'. It is a hard 'g' as in 'goat'.

مستوى الصعوبة

القراءة 1/5

Very easy to recognize in text. Usually followed by an exclamation mark.

الكتابة 1/5

Simple spelling, but remember the plural 'legais'.

التحدث 2/5

Requires correct intonation and the vocalized 'L' to sound native.

الاستماع 1/5

Very distinct sound, easy to pick out in a conversation.

ماذا تتعلّم بعد ذلك

المتطلبات الأساسية

Que Bom Sim Oi Tudo

تعلّم لاحقاً

Bacana Massa Maneiro Beleza Ótimo

متقدم

Legalidade Legítimo Cordialidade Gíria Interjeição

قواعد يجب معرفتها

Exclamatory 'Que'

Que + Adjective! (Que bonito!, Que legal!)

Uniform Adjectives

Legal (Masc) / Legal (Fem)

Pluralization of -al

Legal -> Legais (Drop 'l', add 'is')

Adjective Position

Usually after the noun: Um amigo legal.

Vocalization of final L

L sounds like U: /le'ɡaw/

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

أمثلة حسب المستوى

Que legal!

How cool!

Standalone exclamation.

O café é legal.

The coffee shop is nice.

Simple adjective use.

Você é legal.

You are nice.

Describing a person.

Que legal, um presente!

How cool, a gift!

Exclamation with a noun.

O jogo é legal.

The game is fun/cool.

Describing an activity.

Tudo legal?

Everything cool? / Everything okay?

Common greeting.

Minha casa é legal.

My house is nice.

Possessive + adjective.

Que legal seu carro!

How cool is your car!

Que + adjective + noun.

Eles são muito legais.

They are very nice.

Plural form: legais.

A festa foi bem legal.

The party was quite cool.

Past tense of 'ser'.

Eu achei o filme legal.

I found the movie cool.

Verb 'achar' + object + adjective.

Que legal que você veio!

How cool that you came!

Que legal + conjunction 'que'.

Ela tem uma ideia legal.

She has a cool idea.

Adjective following a noun.

Nós vamos a um lugar legal.

We are going to a cool place.

Future intent + adjective.

O professor não é legal.

The teacher is not nice.

Negative sentence.

Que legal esse seu relógio!

How cool is that watch of yours!

Demonstrative 'esse'.

Foi uma viagem super legal.

It was a super cool trip.

Prefix 'super' for intensity.

Seria legal visitar o Rio.

It would be cool to visit Rio.

Conditional 'seria'.

Achei legal a sua atitude.

I thought your attitude was cool/nice.

Abstract noun modification.

Não é legal falar assim.

It's not nice to talk like that.

Using 'legal' for social norms.

O evento pareceu bem legal.

The event seemed quite cool.

Verb 'parecer' (to seem).

Que legal que deu tudo certo!

How cool that everything worked out!

Fixed expression for success.

Eles moram em um bairro legal.

They live in a nice neighborhood.

Describing location.

Você conhece algum restaurante legal?

Do you know any cool restaurant?

Interrogative with 'algum'.

É legal ver como você evoluiu.

It's cool to see how you have evolved.

Infinitive clause as subject.

O projeto ficou muito legal no final.

The project turned out very cool in the end.

Verb 'ficar' meaning 'to turn out'.

Que legal que você se lembrou de mim!

How cool that you remembered me!

Pronominal verb 'lembrar-se'.

A gente teve uma conversa bem legal.

We had a very nice conversation.

Use of 'a gente' (we).

Não acho legal essa sua ironia.

I don't think your irony is cool/nice.

Criticizing behavior.

O design desse site é bem legal.

The design of this website is quite cool.

Technical context.

Que legal seria se pudéssemos viajar.

How cool it would be if we could travel.

Conditional + Subjunctive.

Ela é uma pessoa muito legal de se conviver.

She is a very nice person to live/work with.

Prepositional phrase 'de se conviver'.

Que legal, mais uma conta para pagar...

How cool, another bill to pay...

Sarcastic usage.

O ambiente de trabalho é bem legal e descontraído.

The work environment is very cool and relaxed.

Professional register.

Achei legal a forma como você abordou o problema.

I found the way you approached the problem cool/interesting.

Nuanced approval.

É legal a gente manter o contato.

It's nice for us to keep in touch.

Social maintenance.

O filme não é apenas legal, é uma obra-prima.

The movie isn't just cool, it's a masterpiece.

Contrastive usage.

Que legal que você tomou essa iniciativa!

How cool that you took this initiative!

Empowerment context.

Seria legal se houvesse mais transparência.

It would be nice if there were more transparency.

Polite criticism/suggestion.

O resultado final ficou visualmente muito legal.

The final result turned out visually very cool.

Adverbial modification.

A gíria 'legal' transcende classes sociais no Brasil.

The slang 'legal' transcends social classes in Brazil.

Meta-linguistic discussion.

Que legal que a proposta foi aceita por unanimidade.

How great that the proposal was accepted unanimously.

High-level formal context.

O autor utiliza o termo 'legal' para ironizar a burguesia.

The author uses the term 'legal' to ironize the bourgeoisie.

Literary analysis.

Não obstante o preço, o hotel é realmente legal.

Notwithstanding the price, the hotel is really cool.

Complex conjunctions.

É legal observar a transição semântica desse vocábulo.

It's cool to observe the semantic transition of this word.

Academic observation.

Que legal esse seu desprendimento material.

How cool is this material detachment of yours.

Philosophical context.

O evento foi legal, posto que bem organizado.

The event was cool, given that it was well organized.

Use of 'posto que'.

Achei legal, conquanto um pouco pretensioso.

I found it cool, albeit a bit pretentious.

Concessive conjunction 'conquanto'.

المرادفات

Bacana Maneiro Massa Joia Show Gente boa Fixe Legalzinho

الأضداد

Chato Ruim Sem graça Paia

تلازمات شائعة

Muito legal

Bem legal

Super legal

Pessoa legal

Lugar legal

Ideia legal

Nada legal

Tri legal

Legal pra caramba

Ficar legal

العبارات الشائعة

Tudo legal?

— Is everything okay? / How's it going?

Oi, João! Tudo legal?

Que coisa legal!

— What a cool thing! / How nice!

Você ganhou o prêmio? Que coisa legal!

Achei legal.

— I thought it was cool. / I liked it.

Vi o seu vídeo e achei legal.

Não é legal.

— It's not cool. / It's not right (morally).

Mentir para os pais não é legal.

Ficou legal.

— It turned out well. / It looks good.

O novo logo da empresa ficou legal.

Legal, né?

— Cool, right?

Vamos viajar amanhã. Legal, né?

Papo legal.

— A nice/cool conversation.

Tivemos um papo legal ontem.

Gente legal.

— Cool/nice people.

Nesse escritório só tem gente legal.

Mais ou menos legal.

— Somewhat cool. (Mediocre).

O filme foi mais ou menos legal.

Legalzão.

— Very cool (augmentative slang).

Aquele professor é legalzão!

يُخلط عادةً مع

Que legal! vs Legalmente

Usually means 'legally' (by law), not 'coolly'.

Que legal! vs Fixe

The Portugal version. Using 'legal' in Portugal is fine but sounds Brazilian.

Que legal! vs Leal

Means 'Loyal'. Sounds similar but a very different meaning.

تعبيرات اصطلاحية

"Ficar numa legal"

— To be in a good mood or in a good situation.

Depois das férias, ele ficou numa legal.

Informal

"Dar um trato legal"

— To fix something up nicely or give it a good cleaning/makeover.

Vou dar um trato legal no meu carro.

Informal

"Legal pra chuchu"

— Very, very cool. 'Chuchu' is a bland vegetable used as an intensifier.

A festa estava legal pra chuchu!

Old-fashioned Informal

"Na maior legal"

— In a very cool/friendly way.

Eles conversaram na maior legal.

Informal

"Puxar um papo legal"

— To start a nice/interesting conversation.

Ela sabe puxar um papo legal com qualquer um.

Neutral

"Não ser nada legal"

— To be very rude or inappropriate.

O que você disse não foi nada legal.

Neutral

"Ficar legal com alguém"

— To be on good terms with someone.

Eu quero ficar legal com o meu irmão.

Neutral

"Mandar um recado legal"

— To give a good/positive message or advice.

O palestrante mandou um recado legal para os jovens.

Neutral

"Fazer uma média legal"

— To make a good impression (sometimes used slightly pejoratively).

Ele tentou fazer uma média legal com o sogro.

Informal

"Legal até dizer chega"

— Extremely cool (until you can't take it anymore).

O hotel era legal até dizer chega!

Informal

سهل الخلط

Que legal! vs Legal

Two meanings: Lawful vs Cool.

In Brazil, 90% of the time it means 'cool'. In legal documents, it means 'lawful'.

Isso é legal (cool) vs. Isso é legal (permitted by law).

Que legal! vs Bacana

Almost identical meaning.

Bacana is slightly more 'polished' or adult, while legal is universal.

Um cara bacana / Um cara legal.

Que legal! vs Massa

Both mean cool.

Massa is more informal and common in the North/Northeast.

Que massa! vs Que legal!

Que legal! vs Bonito

Sometimes 'cool' things are also 'beautiful'.

Bonito refers to visual beauty; Legal refers to the vibe/quality.

O quadro é bonito. A ideia é legal.

Que legal! vs Bom

General positive words.

Bom is more functional (good quality); Legal is more social (cool/nice).

O pão é bom. O padeiro é legal.

أنماط الجُمل

Que [Adjective]!

Que legal!

[Noun] é legal.

O livro é legal.

Achei [Noun] legal.

Achei o filme legal.

Que legal que [Clause].

Que legal que você passou na prova!

Não é nada legal [Infinitive].

Não é nada legal chegar atrasado.

[Noun] conquanto legal, [Contrast].

O plano, conquanto legal, carece de fundos.

All

Muito legal!

Muito legal seu trabalho!

All

Tudo legal?

E aí, tudo legal?

عائلة الكلمة

الأسماء

Legalidade (Legality)

Legalização (Legalization)

الأفعال

Legalizar (To legalize)

الصفات

Legal (Cool / Lawful)

Ilegal (Illegal)

مرتبط

Lei (Law)

Legislativo (Legislative)

Legítimo (Legitimate)

Bacana (Synonym)

Massa (Synonym)

سجّل مجاناً لرؤية جميع الأمثلة

كيفية الاستخدام

frequency

Extremely High (Top 100 most used expressions in Brazil).

أخطاء شائعة

Saying 'Como legal!' → Que legal!
In Portuguese, 'Que' is used for 'How' in exclamations followed by an adjective.
Saying 'Ela é legala' → Ela é legal
Legal is a uniform adjective and does not have a feminine form ending in 'a'.
Pronouncing it 'LEE-gal' → le-GAL
The stress in Portuguese is on the last syllable (ending in L).
Using 'legalmente' to mean 'coolly' → de um jeito legal
Legalmente almost always refers to the law, not the slang meaning of 'cool'.
Using 'legal' in Portugal to sound local → Que fixe!
While understood, 'legal' is the Brazilian way. 'Fixe' is the Portuguese way.

نصائح

Use it as a filler

If you don't know what to say when someone is telling you a story, just nod and say 'Que legal!'. It keeps the conversation going.

Vocalize the L

To sound like a Brazilian, make sure the final L sounds like a W/U. Practice saying 'le-GAU'.

Don't change for gender

Remember: 'legal' works for everything. Don't try to make it feminine.

Know your audience

If you are in Portugal, try 'Que fixe!'. If you are in Brazil, 'Que legal!' is king.

Show enthusiasm

Brazilians are expressive. A little bit of extra energy in your 'Que legal!' goes a long way.

Learn synonyms

Once you master 'legal', try using 'bacana' to add variety to your speech.

Avoid 'Como legal'

Never translate 'How cool' as 'Como legal'. It must be 'Que legal!'.

Remember 'legais'

When talking about multiple people or things, use 'legais'. 'Eles são legais'.

Informal shorthand

In WhatsApp, 'Legal' is often shortened to 'Lgl' or just 'legal'.

Workplace use

It's fine to use 'legal' at work in Brazil. It shows you are a team player and positive.

احفظها

وسيلة تذكّر

Think of a 'Legal' judge who is actually really 'Cool' and lets everyone go to the beach. Legal = Lawful = Cool Judge.

ربط بصري

Imagine a thumb pointing up with the word 'LE-GAL' written on the nail in bright colors.

Word Web

Que legal! Bacana Massa Maneiro Bom Ótimo Show Beleza

تحدٍّ

Try to use 'Que legal!' at least five times today in response to any positive news you hear, even if you are practicing alone.

أصل الكلمة

From the Latin 'legalis', meaning 'pertaining to the law'. It entered Portuguese as a technical term for things that follow the legal code.

المعنى الأصلي: Lawful, permitted by law.

Romance / Latin.

السياق الثقافي

While 'legal' is safe, it is informal. Avoid using 'Que legal!' in a courtroom or when receiving a very serious formal reprimand.

English speakers should realize 'legal' is much more common than 'cool' is in English. It's almost impossible to overuse it in Brazil.

The song 'Legalize Já' by Planet Hemp (plays on both meanings). Commonly used by TV presenters like Luciano Huck or Faustão. Appears frequently in the comic strip 'Turma da Mônica'.

تدرّب في الحياة الواقعية

سياقات واقعية

Hearing good news

Que legal!
Fico feliz por você!
Parabéns!
Que notícia boa!

Meeting someone new

Você parece ser legal.
Prazer em te conhecer.
Que legal te encontrar.
Gostei de você.

Reacting to a suggestion

Legal, vamos!
Acho uma ideia legal.
Pode ser, legal.
Fechado, legal.

Describing a trip

A viagem foi legal.
O lugar é bem legal.
As pessoas são legais.
Foi tudo muito legal.

Giving feedback

Ficou bem legal.
Gostei, está legal.
Um trabalho legal.
Ficou legal pra caramba.

بدايات محادثة

"Você conhece algum lugar legal para jantar por aqui?"

"Que legal seu sotaque! De onde você é?"

"Achei muito legal aquele seu post no Instagram. Onde foi aquela foto?"

"Você acha que esse novo projeto vai ser legal para a equipe?"

"Que legal que a gente se encontrou hoje, não é?"

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

Escreva sobre uma pessoa legal que você conheceu recentemente e por que ela é legal.

Descreva um lugar muito legal que você visitou no passado.

O que seria um dia 'legal' para você? Descreva as atividades.

Pense em uma notícia legal que você recebeu esta semana.

Como você se sente quando alguém diz 'Que legal!' para algo que você fez?

الأسئلة الشائعة

10 أسئلة

Yes, primarily. In Portugal, they mostly use 'fixe'. In Brazil, 'legal' is the standard for 'cool', but it still retains its meaning of 'lawful' in formal or juridical contexts.

It is informal to neutral. You can use it with friends, family, and even coworkers. You wouldn't use it in a highly formal speech or a legal contract unless referring to the law.

Yes! 'Legal' is a uniform adjective. You say 'Ele é legal' and 'Ela é legal'. It never changes to 'legala'.

The plural is 'legais'. For example: 'Eles são muito legais' (They are very nice).

In Brazil, the final 'L' sounds like a 'U'. So 'legal' sounds like 'le-GAU'. In Portugal, the 'L' is pronounced more like a traditional European 'L'.

It can be, depending on your tone. If you say it with a flat, bored voice, it sounds sarcastic. If you say it with energy, it sounds genuine.

In Rio de Janeiro, 'Que maneiro!' is very popular and will make you sound like a local 'Carioca'.

Absolutely. 'O filme foi muito legal' is a very common way to say the movie was good or enjoyable.

It means 'not cool at all' or 'not nice'. It's a common way to express disapproval of someone's behavior.

It started as slang but is now so common that it's considered standard colloquial Portuguese in Brazil. It's safe for almost any age group.

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