turistar
turistar في 30 ثانية
- A casual verb meaning 'to sightsee' or 'to act like a tourist'.
- Regular -ar conjugation, very common in Brazil and Portugal.
- Used mainly for leisure trips and visiting famous landmarks.
- Best for informal conversations and social media posts.
The Portuguese verb turistar is a delightful and relatively modern addition to the language that encapsulates the action of being a tourist. While the traditional word for traveling is viajar, and for visiting is visitar, turistar specifically refers to the act of engaging in sightseeing, visiting landmarks, and performing the typical activities associated with a traveler exploring a new place. It is an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn't necessarily need a direct object, though it is often used with prepositional phrases to indicate location. The beauty of this word lies in its informal and lighthearted nature; it suggests a sense of leisure, curiosity, and the deliberate choice to see the world through the eyes of a visitor, even if you are in your own home city.
- Grammatical Essence
- It is a first-conjugation verb ending in -ar, following regular conjugation patterns. It is derived from the noun 'turista' (tourist).
People use turistar when they want to emphasize the 'touristy' aspect of their trip. For instance, if you are in Lisbon for a business meeting but decide to spend the afternoon at the Belém Tower, you are turistando. It carries a connotation of taking photos, buying souvenirs, and following the guidebooks. It is a very popular term on social media, often appearing in hashtags like #turistando or #turistarépulsa to show off travel experiences. It reflects a lifestyle choice where exploration is prioritized over just staying in a hotel room.
No próximo fim de semana, vamos para o Rio de Janeiro apenas para turistar.
- Social Context
- Highly informal but socially acceptable in almost all casual settings. It is rarely found in legal or highly academic texts unless discussing the sociology of tourism.
Eu adoro turistar na minha própria cidade quando tenho tempo livre.
In Brazil and Portugal, the culture of 'turistar' involves a specific mindset. It is about the joy of discovery. When someone says 'Vamos turistar?', they are inviting you to be curious, to walk through the streets, to try local foods, and to appreciate the architecture. It is different from 'viajar' because 'viajar' can be for work, for family, or for moving house, whereas 'turistar' is purely for the pleasure of tourism. The term has grown in popularity with the rise of digital nomadism and global travel accessibility.
Eles passaram o dia todo turistando pelo centro histórico de Évora.
- Modern Usage
- Often used as a gerund (turistando) to describe the ongoing action of sightseeing in real-time captions.
É muito caro turistar na Europa com o câmbio atual.
Sempre que viajo a trabalho, tento reservar um dia para turistar.
Using turistar requires an understanding of its conjugation as a regular -ar verb. It is most commonly used in the infinitive form following another verb, or in the gerund form to describe an active state. Because it is an intransitive verb, it stands alone well, but it is frequently paired with prepositions like 'em' (in), 'por' (through/around), and 'com' (with).
- Common Structures
- Verbo Auxiliar + Turistar: 'Quero turistar', 'Vou turistar', 'Gosto de turistar'.
When you use it with 'por', you are emphasizing the movement through a city or region. For example, 'Turistar por Paris' implies wandering through the streets of Paris. If you use 'em', you are focusing on the location itself, such as 'Turistar em Roma'. The choice of preposition can subtly change the focus of your sentence from the journey to the destination.
Nós turistamos o dia inteiro e agora estamos exaustos.
In the past tense, turistar is often used to recount memories. 'Turistei muito no ano passado' suggests a year filled with sightseeing trips. In the future, 'Vou turistar' is a common way to express upcoming vacation plans. It sounds much more active and exciting than simply saying 'Vou viajar'. It implies that the purpose of the trip is exploration and fun.
Se tivéssemos mais dinheiro, poderíamos turistar pelo mundo todo.
- The Gerund Form
- In Brazilian Portuguese, 'estou turistando' is the go-to phrase for 'I am sightseeing'. In European Portuguese, 'estou a turistar' is the preferred structure.
Eles estão turistando em Buenos Aires nesta semana.
Another interesting use is the reflexive-like sense of 'se permitir turistar' (to allow oneself to sightsee). This is common among locals who live in famous cities like Rio or Lisbon but rarely visit the monuments. They might say, 'Hoje vou me permitir turistar na minha cidade', meaning they will finally visit the places they usually ignore as residents.
Você prefere descansar ou turistar durante as férias?
- Negative Construction
- 'Não vim aqui para turistar, vim para trabalhar.' (I didn't come here to sightsee, I came to work.)
Para turistar com tranquilidade, é melhor evitar a alta temporada.
The word turistar is ubiquitous in modern Lusophone life, particularly in environments related to travel, leisure, and digital communication. If you follow any Brazilian or Portuguese influencers on Instagram or TikTok, you will see 'turistando' in almost every travel-related post. It has become a linguistic marker for the 'traveler' identity. Beyond social media, you will hear it in airports, hostels, and tourist information centers. It is the language of the modern voyager who sees every trip as an opportunity for discovery.
- Travel Blogs and Vlogs
- Titles like 'Como turistar em Lisboa com pouco dinheiro' (How to sightsee in Lisbon on a budget) are extremely common.
In casual conversation between friends, turistar is used to distinguish between different types of travel. If a friend asks, 'O que você vai fazer em Londres?', replying with 'Vou turistar' immediately communicates that you are going to see the Big Ben, the London Eye, and museums, rather than going for a specific event or work. It sets the tone of the trip as exploratory and relaxed. You might also hear it in a slightly self-deprecating way when someone is doing something very touristy, like wearing a fanny pack or taking a selfie with a statue.
O guia sugeriu os melhores lugares para turistar à noite.
In the workplace, colleagues might use it when talking about their upcoming vacations. 'Finalmente vou turistar um pouco' (Finally I'm going to sightsee a bit) expresses the relief of getting away from the routine. It is also used by tourism agencies in marketing materials to sound more modern and approachable. Instead of 'Conheça nossos pacotes turísticos', they might say 'Pronto para turistar com a gente?' (Ready to sightsee with us?). This anthropomorphizes the act of tourism, making it feel like a shared adventure.
Eles compraram um mapa para poder turistar sem GPS.
- Podcast and Radio
- Travel podcasts often use 'turistar' as a verb to describe the process of learning about a new culture through its sights.
É impossível turistar em Roma em apenas dois dias.
Lastly, you'll find it in literature and journalism when authors want to evoke the specific atmosphere of a tourist-heavy area. A journalist might write about how a certain neighborhood is being 'taken over' by people who just want to turistar, touching on themes of gentrification. In this context, it can take on a more critical or observational tone, though the verb itself remains neutral. It is a word that adapts to its surroundings, much like a good tourist should.
Mesmo morando aqui há anos, eu ainda amo turistar no Pelourinho.
- Music and Culture
- Some modern 'MPB' (Musica Popular Brasileira) songs use the term to describe wandering through the city streets.
One of the most common mistakes for English speakers learning Portuguese is using turistar in overly formal contexts. While it is a perfectly valid verb, it is informal. In a formal business report or a legal document about the tourism industry, you should use 'praticar turismo' or 'realizar atividades turísticas'. Using 'turistar' in a formal presentation might make you sound a bit too casual, similar to using the word 'sightseeing' as a verb in a formal English business meeting.
- Confusion with 'Viajar'
- Mistake: 'Eu turistei para a França'. Correct: 'Eu viajei para a França para turistar'. 'Turistar' describes the activity, not the movement between countries.
Another frequent error is treating turistar as a transitive verb that takes a direct object without a preposition. English speakers often want to say 'Eu turistei Lisboa', similar to 'I toured Lisbon'. However, in Portuguese, it is much more common and correct to say 'Eu turistei em Lisboa' or 'Eu turistei por Lisboa'. Without the preposition, the sentence feels incomplete or slightly off-balance to a native ear. The verb describes the state of the subject, not an action performed directly upon the city.
Não diga 'Eu turistei o museu', diga 'Eu turistei no museu'.
Misconception about the gerund: In European Portuguese, learners often forget to use the 'a + infinitive' construction and instead use the '-ndo' form common in Brazil. While 'estou turistando' will be understood in Lisbon, 'estou a turistar' is the local standard. Conversely, in Brazil, 'estou a turistar' sounds very formal and archaic. Adapting your use of turistar to the regional dialect is key to sounding like a natural speaker.
Em Portugal: 'Estou a turistar'. No Brasil: 'Estou turistando'.
- Overuse
- Don't use 'turistar' for every visit. If you are visiting a sick relative or attending a funeral, 'turistar' is highly inappropriate and insensitive.
Eles acham que turistar é apenas tirar fotos, mas é muito mais que isso.
Finally, be careful with the spelling. Some learners confuse it with 'turismo' and try to create variations like 'turismar' or 'turistiar'. Neither of these exist. The verb is strictly turistar. Stick to the 't-u-r-i-s-t-a-r' root to avoid confusion. Also, remember that while you can 'turistar' in a place, you 'visitar' a person. You never 'turista' your grandmother; you 'visita' her.
Nós vamos turistar em Curitiba, não visitar parentes.
- Preposition Pitfall
- Avoid 'turistar de'. The correct prepositions are 'em', 'por', or 'com'.
While turistar is a specific and trendy word, Portuguese offers several alternatives depending on the nuance you want to convey. Understanding these synonyms will help you choose the right word for the right situation. The most direct alternative is 'fazer turismo', which is the more traditional and slightly more formal way of saying the same thing. It is neutral and can be used in any context, from a casual chat to a travel brochure.
- Turistar vs. Viajar
- Viajar is the general act of traveling (moving from A to B). Turistar is what you do once you arrive at B to see the sights.
Another common alternative is 'passear'. This verb means 'to go for a walk', 'to stroll', or 'to go on an outing'. It is much broader than turistar. You can 'passear' in a park near your house, but you 'turista' when you are visiting a landmark. 'Passear' implies a slow, leisurely pace without a specific destination, whereas 'turistar' often implies a list of sights to see. If you want to sound less like a 'tourist' and more like someone just enjoying a walk, use 'passear'.
Eles preferem passear pela orla do que turistar nos museus.
'Conhecer' is another powerful alternative. Literally meaning 'to know' or 'to meet', it is used in Portuguese to mean 'to visit a place for the first time'. If someone asks, 'Você conhece o Porto?', they are asking if you have been to Porto. You might respond, 'Ainda não, mas quero turistar lá em breve'. In this context, 'conhecer' implies the result (knowing the place), while 'turistar' implies the process (the activities of being a tourist).
Vamos conhecer os novos pontos turísticos da cidade amanhã.
- Comparison Table
-
- Turistar: Sightseeing, landmarks, informal.
- Viajar: General travel, can be for any reason.
- Passear: Strolling, leisure, local or travel.
- Explorar: Adventurous, off-the-beaten-path.
- Visitar: Visiting specific places or people.
O objetivo da viagem é explorar a natureza, não apenas turistar.
Finally, 'bater perna' is a very common Brazilian idiom that means 'to walk a lot', often while shopping or sightseeing. It is even more informal than turistar. If you spent the whole day walking around New York City, you could say, 'Bati muita perna hoje turistando'. It emphasizes the physical effort of walking through a city. Using these words interchangeably will give your Portuguese a much more dynamic and natural feel.
Depois de turistar o dia todo, nada melhor que um bom jantar.
- Register Check
- Use 'Turistar' with friends; use 'Visitar pontos turísticos' with your boss.
أمثلة حسب المستوى
Eu quero turistar em Lisboa.
I want to sightsee in Lisbon.
Infinitive form after 'quero'.
Você gosta de turistar?
Do you like to sightsee?
Interrogative sentence using 'gostar de'.
Nós vamos turistar amanhã.
We are going to sightsee tomorrow.
Future with 'ir' + infinitive.
Ela turista no Rio de Janeiro.
She is sightseeing in Rio de Janeiro.
Present tense, third person singular.
Eles não turisnam hoje.
They are not sightseeing today.
Negative sentence in the present tense.
Eu turisto com meus amigos.
I sightsee with my friends.
Present tense, first person singular.
Onde você quer turistar?
Where do you want to sightsee?
Question with the adverb 'onde'.
É bom turistar aqui.
It is good to sightsee here.
Impersonal expression 'é bom' + infinitive.
Estou turistando por São Paulo este fim de semana.
I am sightseeing around São Paulo this weekend.
Gerund form (-ndo) common in Brazil.
Eles estão a turistar no Porto.
They are sightseeing in Porto.
Gerund form (a + infinitive) common in Portugal.
Nós turistamos muito nas últimas férias.
We sightsaw a lot during the last holidays.
Pretérito Perfeito (Past tense).
Você prefere turistar sozinho ou em grupo?
Do you prefer to sightsee alone or in a group?
Use of 'preferir' with infinitive.
Vou levar minha câmera para turistar melhor.
I will take my camera to sightsee better.
Finality expressed with 'para' + infinitive.
Ela sempre turista quando viaja a trabalho.
She always sightsees when she travels for work.
Adverb 'sempre' indicating frequency.
Não podemos turistar porque está chovendo muito.
We cannot sightsee because it is raining a lot.
Causal conjunction 'porque'.
Eles querem turistar pelos museus da cidade.
They want to sightsee through the city's museums.
Preposition 'pelos' (por + os) indicating movement.
Se eu tivesse dinheiro, turistaria pela Europa todo mês.
If I had money, I would sightsee through Europe every month.
Conditional tense (turistaria).
Mesmo morando aqui, às vezes gosto de turistar como se fosse um estranho.
Even living here, sometimes I like to sightsee as if I were a stranger.
Concessive clause with 'mesmo'.
Disseram que é perigoso turistar por esse bairro à noite.
They said it is dangerous to sightsee through this neighborhood at night.
Reported speech with 'disseram que'.
Espero que possamos turistar juntos no próximo ano.
I hope we can sightsee together next year.
Present Subjunctive (possamos) after 'espero que'.
Turistar exige um pouco de planejamento e paciência.
Sightseeing requires a bit of planning and patience.
Infinitive used as a noun/subject.
Ela turistei por horas antes de encontrar o hotel.
She sightsaw for hours before finding the hotel.
Pretérito Perfeito indicating a completed action.
Nós costumávamos turistar todos os domingos quando éramos crianças.
We used to sightsee every Sunday when we were children.
Pretérito Imperfeito indicating a habit in the past.
Você já pensou em turistar pela Ásia?
Have you ever thought about sightseeing through Asia?
Verb 'pensar em' followed by infinitive.
É fundamental que os turistas turistem de forma sustentável.
It is fundamental that tourists sightsee in a sustainable way.
Present Subjunctive (turistem) after 'é fundamental que'.
Muitas cidades estão mudando por causa do excesso de pessoas querendo turistar.
Many cities are changing because of the excess of people wanting to sightsee.
Gerund 'querendo' modifying the subject.
Embora quisesse turistar, ele teve que ficar no hotel resolvendo problemas.
Although he wanted to sightsee, he had to stay in the hotel solving problems.
Imperfect Subjunctive (quisesse) after 'embora'.
Turistar pode ser uma experiência educativa se você ler sobre a história local.
Sightseeing can be an educational experience if you read about the local history.
Modal verb 'pode' + infinitive.
A prefeitura criou novas rotas para quem deseja turistar a pé.
The city hall created new routes for those who wish to sightsee on foot.
Relative clause 'para quem deseja'.
Se tivessem avisado, não teríamos vindo turistar nesta época do ano.
If they had warned us, we wouldn't have come to sightsee at this time of year.
Past Conditional (teríamos vindo) and Pluperfect Subjunctive.
Ela se sente revigorada após turistar por novos lugares.
She feels refreshed after sightseeing through new places.
Reflexive verb 'se sente' with 'após' + infinitive.
O guia nos ensinou a turistar sem gastar muito dinheiro.
The guide taught us how to sightsee without spending much money.
Verb 'ensinar a' + infinitive.
A gentrificação é muitas vezes impulsionada pelo desejo desenfreado de turistar.
Gentrification is often driven by the unrestrained desire to sightsee.
Passive voice with 'impulsionada por'.
Não basta turistar; é preciso vivenciar a cultura de forma autêntica.
It is not enough to sightsee; it is necessary to experience the culture authentically.
Use of 'não basta' to create a contrast.
Caso você pretenda turistar em regiões remotas, contrate um guia especializado.
In case you intend to sightsee in remote regions, hire a specialized guide.
Future Subjunctive (pretenda) after 'caso'.
O autor descreve o ato de turistar como uma busca por validação social.
The author describes the act of sightseeing as a search for social validation.
Abstract usage of the infinitive as a concept.
Por mais que eu ame turistar, às vezes sinto falta do conforto do meu lar.
As much as I love sightseeing, sometimes I miss the comfort of my home.
Concessive expression 'por mais que' + subjunctive.
A economia local depende quase inteiramente da capacidade de atrair pessoas para turistar.
The local economy depends almost entirely on the ability to attract people to sightsee.
Prepositional phrase 'da capacidade de' + infinitive.
Turistar em zonas de conflito é uma tendência controversa conhecida como turismo negro.
Sightseeing in conflict zones is a controversial trend known as dark tourism.
Complex subject phrase using 'turistar'.
Ao turistar, acabamos por descobrir facetas desconhecidas da nossa própria personalidade.
While sightseeing, we end up discovering unknown facets of our own personality.
Temporal clause with 'ao' + infinitive.
A fenomenologia do turistar revela uma desconexão entre o observador e o objeto observado.
The phenomenology of sightseeing reveals a disconnection between the observer and the observed object.
Highly academic use of 'turistar' as a philosophical noun.
Se nos ativéssemos apenas ao turistar superficial, jamais compreenderíamos a alma do povo.
If we were to stick only to superficial sightseeing, we would never understand the soul of the people.
Imperfect Subjunctive (ativéssemos) and Conditional (compreenderíamos).
A saturação dos destinos mais procurados obriga-nos a repensar o modo como escolhemos turistar.
The saturation of the most sought-after destinations forces us to rethink the way we choose to sightsee.
Pronominal verb 'obriga-nos' with 'como' + subjunctive/indicative.
O ato de turistar, outrora um privilégio de poucos, tornou-se um imperativo da modernidade líquida.
The act of sightseeing, once a privilege of the few, has become an imperative of liquid modernity.
Appositive phrase and sophisticated sociological vocabulary.
Oxalá pudéssemos turistar sem deixar qualquer pegada ecológica negativa.
Would that we could sightsee without leaving any negative ecological footprint.
Use of 'oxalá' with Imperfect Subjunctive (pudéssemos).
A literatura contemporânea frequentemente satiriza o turista que turista apenas para exibir-se.
Contemporary literature frequently satirizes the tourist who sightsees only to show off.
Relative clause with a nested verb.
Turistar transmuta-se, sob certas condições, numa jornada de autodescoberta quase mística.
Sightseeing transmutes itself, under certain conditions, into a journey of almost mystical self-discovery.
Pronominal verb 'transmuta-se' in a formal context.
Não há quem não se sinta tentado a turistar quando confrontado com tamanha beleza arquitetônica.
There is no one who doesn't feel tempted to sightsee when confronted with such architectural beauty.
Double negative 'não há quem não' + subjunctive.
تلازمات شائعة
Summary
The verb 'turistar' is your best friend for describing sightseeing. Instead of using the formal 'fazer turismo', say 'Eu quero turistar' to sound like a natural Portuguese speaker. Example: 'Vamos turistar no Rio?'
- A casual verb meaning 'to sightsee' or 'to act like a tourist'.
- Regular -ar conjugation, very common in Brazil and Portugal.
- Used mainly for leisure trips and visiting famous landmarks.
- Best for informal conversations and social media posts.
محتوى ذو صلة
مزيد من كلمات travel
a aterragem
A2The act of an aircraft descending to the ground; landing.
a conta, por favor
A2The bill, please.
a pé
A2أذهب إلى المدرسة سيرًا على الأقدام كل يوم. من الأفضل الذهاب سيرًا على الأقدام.
abarrotado
A2ممتلئ إلى سعته؛ مزدحم أو مكتظ. يستخدم للأماكن والمركبات أو الحاويات التي لم يعد بها مكان.
abastecer
A2تزويد شيء ما بما يحتاجه، مثل تعبئة السيارة بالوقود.
abertura
A2افتتاح؛ فعل البدء أو فتح شيء ما.
acertado
A2كان قراراً صائباً (acertada) جداً.
acessórios
A2Additional items, typically small, that complement something else.
acidente
A2الحادث هو حدث غير متوقع مؤسف يسبب غالبا ضررا أو إصابة. تستخدم الكلمة في سياقات عديدة، من حوادث السيارات إلى حوادث العمل.
acolá
A2هناك، في ذلك المكان البعيد. 'البيت هناك (acolá).'