In 15 Sekunden
- Folding the corner of a page to mark your place.
- Commonly used for books, notebooks, and magazines.
- A casual alternative to using a physical bookmark.
Bedeutung
This expression means to dog-ear a page in a book by folding the corner down. It is a way to mark your place or highlight something important without using a bookmark.
Wichtige Beispiele
3 von 6Reading a novel before bed
Esqueci o marcador, então tive que fazer a orelha na página.
I forgot the bookmark, so I had to dog-ear the page.
Studying for an exam
Faça uma orelha na parte sobre o Império Romano.
Dog-ear the part about the Roman Empire.
Borrowing a book from a friend
Por favor, não faça orelha no meu livro novo!
Please, don't dog-ear my new book!
Kultureller Hintergrund
The term likely stems from the visual similarity between a folded page corner and an animal's ear. In many Lusophone cultures, books are seen as precious, leading to a divide between 'dog-earers' and 'bookmark-purists'. It is a deeply relatable habit that transcends social classes.
The 'Other' Orelha
In Portuguese, the flap of a book cover is also called 'a orelha do livro'. Don't confuse folding the page with the actual cover flap!
Book Lover Alert
Many people find this habit annoying. Always ask before you `fazer a orelha` in a book that isn't yours.
In 15 Sekunden
- Folding the corner of a page to mark your place.
- Commonly used for books, notebooks, and magazines.
- A casual alternative to using a physical bookmark.
What It Means
Imagine you are reading a great book. You do not have a bookmark nearby. You fold the top corner of the page down. That little triangle looks like a small ear. In Portuguese, we call this fazer a orelha. It is a simple way to save your spot. It is also used for documents or notebooks. Some people love it for convenience. Others think it ruins the paper.
How To Use It
You use it as a standard verb phrase. You can say fazer uma orelha or fazer a orelha. It usually takes the preposition em (in) or no/na (in the). For example: Eu fiz uma orelha na página 50. You can also use it for folders or maps. If you do it by accident, you can say the book está com orelha. It describes that worn-out, folded look.
When To Use It
Use it when you are studying with friends. It is perfect for casual reading talk. You might use it at a bookstore. Use it when telling someone where a quote is. It is great for physical media like magazines. If you are a student, you might use it for your textbook. It is a very common, everyday action.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this in a library. Librarians will not be happy! Avoid it with very expensive or rare books. In a formal legal setting, do not fold corners. It might seem unprofessional or messy. Also, do not use it for digital books. You cannot fazer a orelha on a Kindle! Use 'bookmark' or 'marcador' for digital things instead.
Cultural Background
Portuguese speakers value physical books and newspapers. Folding the corner is a classic 'lazy' habit. It is a sign that a book is well-loved. Some teachers in Brazil or Portugal might scold you. They want you to keep books pristine. However, it is a universal sign of a reader. The term orelha also refers to the book jacket flap. This can sometimes cause a little confusion. But usually, the context makes it clear.
Common Variations
You might hear orelha de burro (donkey's ear). This is a more humorous or self-deprecating version. It implies the fold is big or messy. Another variation is dobrar a pontinha. This is more literal and less idiomatic. Some people just say the book is orelhado. This means it has many folded corners. It suggests the book has been read many times.
Nutzungshinweise
The phrase is very versatile and fits into almost any casual or semi-formal conversation. Just be careful with the preposition 'em' which usually contracts with articles (no, na, nos, nas).
The 'Other' Orelha
In Portuguese, the flap of a book cover is also called 'a orelha do livro'. Don't confuse folding the page with the actual cover flap!
Book Lover Alert
Many people find this habit annoying. Always ask before you `fazer a orelha` in a book that isn't yours.
Donkey Ears
If you want to be funny, call a messy fold an `orelha de burro`. It makes you sound like a native speaker.
Beispiele
6Esqueci o marcador, então tive que fazer a orelha na página.
I forgot the bookmark, so I had to dog-ear the page.
A very common everyday scenario for readers.
Faça uma orelha na parte sobre o Império Romano.
Dog-ear the part about the Roman Empire.
Used here to highlight important information.
Por favor, não faça orelha no meu livro novo!
Please, don't dog-ear my new book!
A common request from book lovers who want to keep books clean.
Fiz orelha em todas as páginas importantes do caderno.
I dog-eared all the important pages in the notebook.
Shows the phrase works well for notebooks too.
Seu livro tem tantas orelhas que parece um coelho!
Your book has so many dog-ears it looks like a rabbit!
A playful way to comment on a very worn book.
Eu sabia onde parei porque fiz a orelha.
I knew where I stopped because I dog-eared it.
Expressing relief at finding the right spot.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the correct verb to complete the phrase about marking a page.
Eu sempre ___ a orelha nos meus livros de receitas.
The standard idiom is 'fazer a orelha'.
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition.
Não gosto de fazer orelha ___ páginas.
We use 'em' (in) which contracts with 'as' (the) to become 'nas'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality of 'Fazer a orelha'
Too specific for general slang.
N/A
Perfect for friends and family.
Fiz uma orelha aqui.
Safe for general conversation.
Pode fazer a orelha?
Might seem a bit too casual for a gala.
Dobrei a ponta da página.
Where to use 'Fazer a orelha'
At the library
Proibido fazer orelha!
Studying
Faz uma orelha no capítulo 2.
Bedtime reading
Vou fazer a orelha e dormir.
Office work
Fiz orelha no contrato.
Aufgabensammlung
2 AufgabenEu sempre ___ a orelha nos meus livros de receitas.
The standard idiom is 'fazer a orelha'.
Não gosto de fazer orelha ___ páginas.
We use 'em' (in) which contracts with 'as' (the) to become 'nas'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenMostly yes, but you can use it for anything made of paper like revistas (magazines) or cadernos (notebooks).
Not at all! It is a very common and neutral phrase, though the action itself might annoy some people.
No, a bookmark is called a marcador de página. Orelha specifically refers to the fold.
It is usually a lighthearted way to describe a very large or messy fold, like Nossa, que orelha de burro você fez!
You can say the book is com orelhas or use the adjective orelhado in some regions.
Yes, it is widely understood and used in both countries and other Portuguese-speaking nations.
No, it is strictly for physical paper. For digital, use marcar or favoritar.
It is still called fazer a orelha, regardless of which corner you fold.
You could say dobrar a extremidade da página, but that sounds very clinical and unnatural.
In Portuguese, we focus on the shape of the fold, which resembles an animal's ear, rather than specifying a dog.
Verwandte Redewendungen
marcador de página
orelha de burro
dobrar a ponta
orelha do livro
