In 15 Sekunden
- Used for harsh, relentless verbal criticism or 'trashing' something.
- Highly informal; best used with friends or family.
- Always followed by the preposition 'em' to indicate the target.
Bedeutung
This phrase is used when someone is relentlessly criticizing, bad-mouthing, or 'ripping into' someone or something. It implies a harsh, often public, verbal attack.
Wichtige Beispiele
3 von 6Reviewing a bad movie with friends
Todo mundo meteu o pau no novo filme da Marvel.
Everyone trashed the new Marvel movie.
Complaining about a politician
O jornalista meteu o pau no governo durante a entrevista.
The journalist ripped into the government during the interview.
Texting about a bad restaurant experience
Amiga, eu vou meter o pau naquele restaurante no TripAdvisor!
Girl, I'm going to trash that restaurant on TripAdvisor!
Kultureller Hintergrund
The expression likely originates from the old practice of using a stick for physical punishment. Over time, the violence became metaphorical, shifting from the body to one's reputation or work. It is deeply embedded in Brazilian 'resenha' (social chatting) culture.
Use it for inanimate objects too
You don't just 'meter o pau' in people. It's very common to use it for things like a slow computer or a bad book.
Careful with the 'Stick'
Because 'pau' can be a slang term for male genitalia in some contexts, always use the full expression 'meter o pau em' to avoid any awkward double entendres.
In 15 Sekunden
- Used for harsh, relentless verbal criticism or 'trashing' something.
- Highly informal; best used with friends or family.
- Always followed by the preposition 'em' to indicate the target.
What It Means
Meter o pau is a very common idiom. It means to criticize someone or something severely. Think of it as 'trashing' a movie or 'roasting' a coworker. It is not a gentle critique. It is a full-on verbal assault. You are essentially 'beating' the subject with your words.
How To Use It
You use it with the preposition em (in/on). For example, meter o pau em alguém. It works for people, movies, or government policies. It is a flexible verb phrase. You can conjugate meter normally. Eu meti o pau means 'I trashed it.' It is punchy and direct.
When To Use It
Use it when you are venting to friends. It is perfect for talking about a bad restaurant. Use it when a celebrity does something stupid. It fits perfectly in a casual group chat. If a movie was terrible, you mete o pau. It shows you have a strong, negative opinion.
When NOT To Use It
Never use this in a job interview. Avoid it when speaking to your boss. It is too aggressive for professional feedback. Do not use it in academic writing. It sounds a bit 'street' and informal. If you want to be polite, use criticar. This phrase is for when the gloves are off.
Cultural Background
Brazil is a very social culture. People love to debate and share opinions. Meter o pau reflects this passionate communication style. The 'stick' (pau) represents a physical beating. It transitioned from physical punishment to verbal discipline. It is a staple of Brazilian daily conversation.
Common Variations
You might hear descer o pau. It means the exact same thing. Some regions use sentar o pau. All three imply a heavy, harsh critique. They are interchangeable in most casual settings. Just remember the 'pau' part stays the same!
Nutzungshinweise
This is a high-energy, informal idiom. It requires the preposition 'em' (em + o = no, em + a = na). Use it when you want to sound like a local venting about something frustrating.
Use it for inanimate objects too
You don't just 'meter o pau' in people. It's very common to use it for things like a slow computer or a bad book.
Careful with the 'Stick'
Because 'pau' can be a slang term for male genitalia in some contexts, always use the full expression 'meter o pau em' to avoid any awkward double entendres.
The Brazilian 'Hater'
Brazilians use this phrase to describe what the internet calls 'hating.' If someone is always complaining, they are 'metendo o pau' in everything.
Beispiele
6Todo mundo meteu o pau no novo filme da Marvel.
Everyone trashed the new Marvel movie.
Shows a collective negative opinion in a casual setting.
O jornalista meteu o pau no governo durante a entrevista.
The journalist ripped into the government during the interview.
Even in media, it describes a very aggressive critique.
Amiga, eu vou meter o pau naquele restaurante no TripAdvisor!
Girl, I'm going to trash that restaurant on TripAdvisor!
Commonly used for online reviews and venting.
Não conta pra ela, senão ela vai meter o pau em você!
Don't tell her, otherwise she's going to roast you!
Used playfully to warn about someone's sharp tongue.
Eu liguei lá e meti o pau no atendimento.
I called them and gave them a piece of my mind about the service.
Implies a heated complaint.
O chefe meteu o pau no nosso relatório.
The boss ripped our report to shreds.
Describes a very harsh professional critique.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the correct preposition to complete the sentence.
Eles começaram a meter o pau ___ sistema de transporte.
The phrase `meter o pau` requires the preposition `em`. Since `sistema` is masculine, `em + o` becomes `no`.
Which verb is a common variation of 'meter' in this idiom?
Você pode ___ o pau se não gostar do serviço.
`Descer o pau` is a very common and synonymous variation of `meter o pau`.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality Level of 'Meter o pau'
Professional feedback
Criticar construtivamente
General discussion
Falar mal
Venting with friends
Meter o pau
When to use 'Meter o pau'
Bad Movie
Meti o pau no roteiro.
Politics
O povo meteu o pau na lei.
Bad Service
Vou meter o pau no app.
Gossip
Eles vivem metendo o pau nela.
Aufgabensammlung
2 AufgabenEles começaram a meter o pau ___ sistema de transporte.
The phrase `meter o pau` requires the preposition `em`. Since `sistema` is masculine, `em + o` becomes `no`.
Você pode ___ o pau se não gostar do serviço.
`Descer o pau` is a very common and synonymous variation of `meter o pau`.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt is not a swear word, but it is very aggressive and informal. Use it with people you are comfortable with, like amigos or família.
Generally, no. It is better to use fazer críticas or apontar falhas in a professional email.
Falar mal is simply bad-mouthing. Meter o pau is much more intense and implies a heavy, detailed attack.
Literally, yes, it could mean to hit with a stick, but 99% of the time it is used figuratively for verbal criticism.
You would say Ele está metendo o pau em mim. Remember to use the preposition em.
In some parts of the Northeast, you might hear meter a ripa, which uses a different word for a wooden strip but means the same thing.
No, this phrase is exclusively for negative, harsh criticism. You cannot meter o pau in something you like.
It is understood, but much more common and 'at home' in Brazilian Portuguese.
Only if you have a very close, joking relationship. Otherwise, it sounds disrespectful.
A good opposite would be rasgar elogios, which means to praise someone excessively.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Falar mal (To talk bad about)
Descer a lenha (To criticize harshly)
Criticar duramente (To criticize harshly - formal)
Sentar o pau (To attack/criticize intensely)
Falar cobras e lagartos (To say nasty things)
