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A2 verb #6,000 am häufigsten 10 Min. Lesezeit

engrossar

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Erklärung engrossar in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most literal meaning of 'engrossar': making a liquid thicker in the kitchen. Think of it as a simple action you do when cooking. You might say 'Eu engrosso a sopa' (I thicken the soup). At this stage, don't worry about the metaphorical uses. Just associate the word with 'grosso' (thick) and the act of adding flour or cornstarch to a pot. It is a regular '-ar' verb, so it follows the same pattern as 'falar' or 'estudar'. You will mostly use it in the present tense or the simple future with 'vou' (I am going to). For example: 'Vou engrossar o molho'. This is a practical word that helps you describe daily activities in the home and follow basic recipe instructions.

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As an A2 learner, you can start to use 'engrossar' in more varied physical contexts. You understand that it means 'to make thick' or 'to become thick'. You can use it to describe natural processes, like a tree trunk getting wider ('o tronco engrossou') or the rain getting heavier ('a chuva engrossou'). You should also be comfortable using it with the preposition 'com' to specify how you are thickening something: 'Engrossar o caldo com farinha'. At this level, you are beginning to see the word in news headlines about crowds growing or protests gaining more people ('engrossar as manifestações'). You should be able to conjugate it in the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito) to describe actions that have already happened, such as 'O molho já engrossou'.

At the B1 level, you should be familiar with the more nuanced uses of 'engrossar'. This includes the deepening of a voice during puberty ('a voz engrossa') or the 'thickening' of a situation in an informal context. You can use it more confidently as both a transitive and intransitive verb. You might use it in the subjunctive to express desire or necessity: 'É preciso que o molho engrosse mais'. You are also starting to recognize 'engrossar' in idiomatic expressions and can distinguish it from synonyms like 'encorpar' or 'adensar'. Your vocabulary is expanding to include the 'word family', recognizing that 'engrossar' is the active form of being 'grosso'. You can describe changes in texture, volume, and intensity with this single, powerful verb.

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At the B2 level, you can use 'engrossar' to convey social and political nuances. You understand its role in describing the growth of movements, strikes, or ideological groups. You use it to add descriptive 'weight' to your writing and speaking. For instance, instead of just saying a crowd got bigger, you say they 'engrossaram as fileiras', which sounds more native and sophisticated. you are also aware of the slang 'o bicho vai engrossar' and can use it appropriately in informal conversations to describe a situation getting tense. You have a firm grasp of the verb's behavior in complex sentences, including passive constructions or when used with reflexive pronouns in certain regional variations, although 'engrossar' is rarely reflexive.

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At the C1 level, your use of 'engrossar' is fluid and stylistically varied. You can use it in literary or academic contexts to describe the 'thickening' of a plot, the 'densification' of a text, or the 'intensification' of a conflict. You understand the subtle differences between 'engrossar', 'adensar', and 'condensar' and choose the exact word that fits the context's technical or poetic requirement. You can appreciate how authors use the word to create atmosphere—for example, describing a 'thickening' silence or a 'thickening' darkness. Your command of the word includes all its metaphorical extensions, and you can use it to speak about abstract concepts like 'thickening the debate' or 'thickening the cultural fabric' of a society.

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At the C2 level, 'engrossar' is a tool you use with precision and creative flair. You can play with its meanings in wordplay or high-level rhetoric. You are fully aware of its historical etymology and how its usage has evolved in different Lusophone countries (Brazil vs. Portugal). You can identify and use rare or archaic forms if necessary, and you can explain the nuances of the word to others. In professional or academic settings, you might use 'engrossar' to describe complex statistical growth or the physical properties of materials in engineering. You have reached a point where the word is not just a vocabulary item, but a versatile concept that you can apply across any domain of human experience with native-like intuition.

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Engrossar means 'to thicken' and is essential for cooking and describing growth.
It comes from 'grosso' (thick) and is a regular -ar verb in Portuguese.
Commonly used for sauces, deepening voices, and increasing the size of crowds.
Key antonym is 'afinhar' (to thin) and a close synonym is 'encorpar'.

The Portuguese verb engrossar is a versatile term that English speakers primarily encounter in the kitchen, but its utility extends far beyond culinary arts. At its core, the word is derived from the adjective grosso (thick, coarse, or large), and the prefix en- combined with the suffix -ar creates a functional verb meaning 'to make thick' or 'to become thick.' In a literal sense, it describes the physical transformation of a substance—usually a liquid—into a more viscous or dense state. For a beginner at the A2 level, you will most frequently hear this when someone is cooking a soup, a sauce, or a traditional Brazilian mingau (porridge).

Literal Culinary Application: The most common use is adding an agent like flour, cornstarch, or cream to a liquid to change its consistency. It is the direct equivalent of the English 'to thicken'.
Physical Growth and Development: It is used to describe objects becoming wider or thicker in diameter, such as a tree trunk over years or a person's neck due to exercise.
Acoustic Changes: When a boy goes through puberty, his voice 'thickens' or deepens. In Portuguese, we say a voz engrossa.

Você precisa de um pouco de amido de milho para engrossar este molho de tomate, senão ele ficará muito ralo.

Translation: You need a bit of cornstarch to thicken this tomato sauce, otherwise it will be too thin.

Beyond the physical, engrossar takes on a metaphorical meaning related to volume and intensity. In social contexts, it describes the act of joining a group to make it larger or more powerful. For example, if more people join a protest, they are 'thickening the ranks' (engrossando as fileiras). This implies not just a numerical increase, but an increase in the perceived 'weight' or 'heaviness' of the movement. It conveys a sense of growing strength and presence that a simple word like aumentar (to increase) lacks.

Os novos recrutas vieram para engrossar o exército na fronteira.

Translation: The new recruits came to swell (thicken) the army at the border.

Another fascinating use is in the context of weather or atmosphere. When clouds gather and the sky becomes dark and heavy before a storm, one might say the weather is engrossando. Similarly, in a debate, if the arguments become more aggressive or 'heavy', the tone is said to engrossar. This versatility makes it a high-value word for learners moving from basic descriptions to more evocative language. It connects the physical sensation of density with the abstract sensation of intensity.

The Root Connection: Always remember the link to grosso. If you can describe something as thick (like a thick book or a thick soup), you can likely use engrossar to describe the process of it becoming that way.

Com o passar dos anos, o tronco da velha figueira engrossou consideravelmente.

Translation: Over the years, the trunk of the old fig tree thickened considerably.

Using engrossar correctly requires understanding its role as both a transitive and intransitive verb. As a transitive verb, it requires a direct object—the thing you are making thicker. As an intransitive verb, it describes the subject itself undergoing the change. This flexibility is key to mastering the word in different contexts, from the kitchen to social descriptions.

Transitive Usage (Action on Object): Example: 'Eu vou engrossar o caldo.' (I am going to thicken the broth). Here, the focus is on the person performing the action to change the state of the liquid.
Intransitive Usage (Subject Changing): Example: 'O caldo engrossou no fogo.' (The broth thickened on the fire). Here, the broth is the subject that changed naturally or due to heat, without focusing on an external agent.

Para engrossar as sobrancelhas, ela usa um óleo especial todas as noites.

Translation: To thicken her eyebrows, she uses a special oil every night.

In everyday speech, you will often find it paired with prepositions like com (with) to indicate the thickening agent. This is particularly useful for giving instructions or recipes. For example, 'Engrosse com farinha' (Thicken with flour). It is a regular -ar verb, which makes its conjugation predictable and easy for A2 learners to apply in the present, past, and future tenses.

Se você deixar o leite ferver por muito tempo, ele vai engrossar naturalmente.

Translation: If you let the milk boil for a long time, it will thicken naturally.

When discussing crowds or groups, the verb often appears in the plural to match the collective nouns. 'Mais manifestantes chegaram para engrossar o coro' (More protesters arrived to swell the chorus/group). This usage is very common in news reports and historical texts. It implies that the addition of more units makes the whole more substantial, much like adding flour to a sauce makes it more substantial.

Common Tenses for Beginners

Present: 'Eu engrosso' (I thicken)
Past: 'O molho engrossou' (The sauce thickened)
Future: 'Vai engrossar' (It's going to thicken)

O artista usou várias camadas de tinta para engrossar a textura da tela.

Translation: The artist used several layers of paint to thicken the texture of the canvas.

If you spend any time in a Brazilian or Portuguese kitchen, engrossar will be part of the soundtrack. Grandmothers teaching their grandchildren how to make feijoada or caldo verde will frequently use the term. 'Deixe o feijão cozinhar mais para engrossar o caldo' (Let the beans cook longer to thicken the broth) is a classic piece of culinary advice. It is a word associated with comfort, slow cooking, and the transformation of simple ingredients into hearty meals.

Na cozinha brasileira, o segredo de um bom pirão é saber engrossar a farinha sem empelotar.

Translation: In Brazilian cuisine, the secret to a good pirão is knowing how to thicken the flour without it clumping.

Beyond the home, you will hear this word in medical or biological contexts. Doctors might talk about engrossamento das artérias (thickening of the arteries) or skin conditions where the dermis thickens. In these cases, it often carries a more clinical or serious tone. Similarly, in nature documentaries, you might hear about how animals engrossam their fur or fat layers to prepare for winter. This reinforces the idea of 'engrossar' as a protective or developmental process.

In the world of beauty and fashion, engrossar is a common marketing term. Shampoos that promise to 'thicken hair' (engrossar os fios) or serums for 'thickening eyelashes' (engrossar os cílios) use this verb to appeal to consumers looking for more volume. It is linked to health, vitality, and aesthetic appeal. If you are browsing a pharmacy in Lisbon or São Paulo, you will see this word on many bottles.

Slang and Informal Settings: In a more aggressive or informal setting, if someone says 'Não engrosse comigo,' they are telling you not to get 'thick' or 'tough' with them—essentially, 'don't get an attitude' or 'don't get aggressive'. This stems from the idea of the voice getting deeper and the posture becoming more imposing.

A chuva começou a engrossar e logo tivemos que procurar abrigo.

Translation: The rain began to thicken (get heavier) and soon we had to look for shelter.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is confusing engrossar with engordar. While engordar specifically means to gain weight or become fat (from gordura - fat), engrossar means to become thick or wide (from grosso - thick). If you want to say a person got bigger because they went to the gym, you might say their muscles engrossaram, but if they ate too much pizza, they engordaram. Mixing these up can lead to unintended insults or confusion!

Engrossar vs. Encorpar: In culinary contexts, encorpar is a synonym that means 'to give body to'. While often interchangeable, engrossar is more common for the literal physical thickening, while encorpar is often used for wine or complex sauces where the flavor profile is also becoming richer.
False Friend Alert: Engross: Do not confuse engrossar with the English 'to engross' (to absorb all the attention or interest of). If you are 'engrossed' in a book, you are absorvido or fascinado, not 'engrossado'.

Erro: Vou engordar o molho com farinha.
Correto: Vou engrossar o molho com farinha.

Explanation: You don't make a sauce 'fat' with flour; you make it 'thick'.

Another mistake is using engrossar when aumentar (to increase) is more appropriate. While engrossar can mean to increase the size of a crowd, it implies a change in density or volume. If you are just talking about a number going up (like a price or a temperature), engrossar is incorrect. You wouldn't 'engrossar' the price of bread; you would 'aumentar' the price.

Finally, remember that engrossar is not used for 'thickening' in the sense of making something more complex or complicated. In English, we might say 'the plot thickens'. In Portuguese, we don't usually say o enredo engrossa; instead, we say o enredo se complica or use the idiom o caldo entornou (the broth spilled) to mean things have gone wrong or gotten complicated.

A voz dele engrossou muito rápido durante a adolescência.

Note: This is a correct usage for the deepening of a voice.

While engrossar is the most common and versatile word for thickening, Portuguese offers several alternatives that can add precision to your speech, depending on whether you are talking about science, cooking, or social dynamics.

Encorpar: Literally 'to give body to'. It is very common in cooking and wine tasting. When a sauce becomes rich and has a good mouthfeel, it has 'encorpado'. Use this when you want to sound a bit more sophisticated about food.
Condensar: To condense. This is used when the thickening happens because water is removed (evaporation). 'Leite condensado' (condensed milk) is the most famous example.
Adensar: A more formal or technical term meaning 'to make dense'. You might see this in scientific papers or formal writing about urban populations ('adensamento urbano').

O molho precisa encorpar um pouco mais antes de servirmos a massa.

Translation: The sauce needs to 'body up' (thicken) a bit more before we serve the pasta.

In terms of opposites, the most direct antonym is afinhar (to make thin/fine). Just as engrossar comes from grosso, afinhar comes from fino. You would use afinhar for a voice getting higher, a sauce being diluted with water, or a person losing weight in a way that makes them look 'finer' or more delicate.

If you are talking about a crowd getting bigger, you can also use avolumar (to increase in volume) or intensificar (to intensify). However, engrossar remains the most evocative choice because it suggests the group is becoming a solid, 'thick' mass of people. It creates a stronger mental image than the more abstract aumentar.

A névoa começou a se adensar, reduzindo a visibilidade na estrada.

Translation: The fog began to thicken (become dense), reducing visibility on the road.

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The root 'grosso' is also where the English word 'gross' (meaning bulk or twelve dozen) comes from, though the modern English meaning of 'disgusting' is a later development.

Aussprachehilfe

UK /ẽ.ɡɾu.ˈsaɾ/

US /ẽ.ɡɾo.ˈsaʁ/

The stress is on the last syllable: en-gros-SAR.

Reimt sich auf

passar cantar andar falar olhar chegar pensar tomar

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing 'ss' as a 'z' sound (en-gro-zar).
Forgetting the nasal 'en' at the beginning.
Pronouncing the 'o' as 'oo' (en-groo-sar).
Over-emphasizing the 'r' in the middle.
Misplacing the stress on the second syllable.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 2/5

Easy to recognize due to the root 'grosso'.

Schreiben 3/5

Requires remembering the double 'ss'.

Sprechen 3/5

Nasal 'en' and tapped 'r' require some practice.

Hören 2/5

Generally clear, though it can be confused with 'engordar' in fast speech.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

grosso molho sopa farinha voz

Als Nächstes lernen

encorpar adensar espessura afinhar diluir

Fortgeschritten

viscosidade aglutinar coagular sedimentar robustecer

Wichtige Grammatik

Regular -ar verb conjugation

Eu engrosso, tu engrossas, ele engrossa...

Transitive vs Intransitive usage

Eu engrosso o molho (Transitive) vs O molho engrossou (Intransitive).

Preposition 'com' for instruments

Engrossar COM farinha.

Nasal vowel 'en'

The 'en' in engrossar is pronounced through the nose.

Double 'ss' pronunciation

Always a voiceless 's' sound, never a 'z'.

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Beispiele nach Niveau

Eu engrosso a sopa com batatas.

I thicken the soup with potatoes.

Present tense, 1st person singular.

Você engrossa o molho hoje?

Are you thickening the sauce today?

Question in present tense.

O cozinheiro vai engrossar o caldo.

The cook is going to thicken the broth.

Future with 'ir' + infinitive.

Nós engrossamos o leite para o bebê.

We thicken the milk for the baby.

Present tense, 1st person plural.

Eles engrossam o creme com farinha.

They thicken the cream with flour.

Present tense, 3rd person plural.

Ela engrossa o suco com gelo batido.

She thickens the juice with blended ice.

Present tense, 3rd person singular.

Eu quero engrossar este mingau.

I want to thicken this porridge.

Infinitive after 'querer'.

O molho não engrossa!

The sauce is not thickening!

Negative sentence, present tense.

A chuva engrossou muito rápido à tarde.

The rain thickened (got heavier) very fast in the afternoon.

Past tense (Pretérito Perfeito).

O tronco da árvore engrossa a cada ano.

The tree trunk thickens every year.

Present tense describing a natural process.

Use mais amido para engrossar a mistura.

Use more starch to thicken the mixture.

Imperative form (giving instructions).

A voz do meu irmão engrossou este ano.

My brother's voice thickened (deepened) this year.

Past tense, metaphorical use for voice.

As pessoas começaram a engrossar a fila.

People started to thicken (join) the line.

Infinitive after 'começar a'.

O gelo vai engrossar no inverno.

The ice will thicken in the winter.

Future tense.

Você já engrossou o caldo de feijão?

Have you already thickened the bean broth?

Question in the past tense with 'já'.

A neblina engrossou e não vejo a estrada.

The fog thickened and I can't see the road.

Past tense followed by present result.

É necessário mexer sempre para o molho não engrossar demais.

It is necessary to stir constantly so the sauce doesn't thicken too much.

Subjunctive mood after 'para que'.

Muitos artistas decidiram engrossar o coro contra a nova lei.

Many artists decided to join the chorus (group) against the new law.

Metaphorical use for joining a movement.

Se você adicionar farinha, o creme engrossará em poucos minutos.

If you add flour, the cream will thicken in a few minutes.

Future tense (Futuro do Presente).

A voz dele engrossava sempre que ele ficava bravo.

His voice used to thicken (deepen) whenever he got angry.

Imperfect past (Pretérito Imperfeito).

As nuvens negras engrossaram o céu antes da tempestade.

The black clouds thickened the sky before the storm.

Descriptive past tense.

Ela usa um produto para engrossar os cabelos finos.

She uses a product to thicken her fine hair.

Present tense, beauty context.

O caldo engrossou tanto que virou um purê.

The broth thickened so much that it turned into a puree.

Resultative construction with 'tanto que'.

Precisamos de mais voluntários para engrossar as fileiras da ajuda.

We need more volunteers to swell the ranks of the aid effort.

Metaphorical use for increasing numbers.

A tensão na reunião começou a engrossar após o comentário do diretor.

The tension in the meeting began to thicken after the director's comment.

Metaphorical use for atmosphere/tension.

Não tente engrossar a voz para parecer mais autoritário.

Don't try to deepen your voice to seem more authoritative.

Negative imperative.

Os novos impostos vieram apenas para engrossar os cofres do governo.

The new taxes came only to swell the government's coffers.

Idiomatic use for increasing wealth/funds.

O bicho vai engrossar se eles não chegarem a um acordo logo.

Things are going to get serious/ugly if they don't reach an agreement soon.

Brazilian slang expression.

A caligrafia dele engrossou conforme ele escrevia com mais pressa.

His handwriting thickened as he wrote with more haste.

Describing physical change in writing style.

Seria bom se pudéssemos engrossar a camada de isolamento térmico.

It would be good if we could thicken the thermal insulation layer.

Imperfect subjunctive.

A poeira engrossava o ar, tornando a respiração difícil.

The dust was thickening the air, making breathing difficult.

Imperfect past, descriptive.

Eles decidiram engrossar a massa do bolo com mais chocolate.

They decided to thicken the cake batter with more chocolate.

Culinary use with more complex nouns.

O autor utiliza adjetivos densos para engrossar a narrativa do livro.

The author uses dense adjectives to thicken the book's narrative.

Metaphorical use in literary criticism.

A medida visa engrossar o caldo das discussões sobre a reforma urbana.

The measure aims to thicken the broth (intensify) the discussions on urban reform.

Idiomatic use for intensifying a debate.

O sedimento no fundo da garrafa começou a engrossar o vinho.

The sediment at the bottom of the bottle began to thicken the wine.

Technical culinary/oenological context.

A resistência popular engrossou à medida que as injustiças se tornaram claras.

Popular resistance thickened as the injustices became clear.

Abstract social description.

É imperativo engrossar o debate ético em torno da inteligência artificial.

It is imperative to thicken (deepen/intensify) the ethical debate around AI.

Formal academic tone.

O fluxo migratório engrossou as periferias das grandes metrópoles.

The migratory flow swelled (thickened) the outskirts of large metropolises.

Sociological context.

O gelo polar engrossou este ano, contrariando as previsões pessimistas.

The polar ice thickened this year, contrary to pessimistic predictions.

Scientific observation.

Sua voz engrossou de tal maneira que mal o reconheci ao telefone.

His voice thickened in such a way that I barely recognized him on the phone.

Emphasis with 'de tal maneira que'.

A prosa barroca tende a engrossar o tecido textual com metáforas complexas.

Baroque prose tends to thicken the textual fabric with complex metaphors.

Highly formal literary analysis.

O silêncio na sala engrossou até se tornar quase palpável.

The silence in the room thickened until it became almost palpable.

Poetic use for atmosphere.

A estratégia visava engrossar o patrimônio da empresa através de aquisições agressivas.

The strategy aimed to swell (thicken) the company's assets through aggressive acquisitions.

High-level business/economic context.

O caldo entornou e a situação engrossou de vez entre as duas nações.

The situation went sour and tension thickened for good between the two nations.

Combining two idioms for maximum effect.

A viscosidade do polímero engrossou sob condições extremas de pressão.

The polymer's viscosity thickened under extreme pressure conditions.

Technical scientific language.

Engrossar o coro dos descontentes é uma tática política milenar.

Swelling the chorus of the discontented is a millenary political tactic.

Rhetorical philosophical statement.

A tinta a óleo permite engrossar a pincelada, criando relevos na tela.

Oil paint allows for thickening the brushstroke, creating reliefs on the canvas.

Artistic technical description.

A densidade demográfica engrossou as demandas por infraestrutura básica.

Demographic density swelled the demands for basic infrastructure.

Complex sociological cause-and-effect.

Häufige Kollokationen

engrossar o molho

engrossar a voz

engrossar as fileiras

engrossar o caldo

engrossar o coro

engrossar o pescoço

engrossar a massa

engrossar o patrimônio

engrossar a chuva

engrossar os fios

Häufige Phrasen

Engrossar o caldo

— Literally to thicken broth, but figuratively can mean to make a situation more serious.

Se você não pagar, o caldo vai engrossar.

Engrossar a voz

— To speak in a deeper tone, often to show authority or anger.

O pai engrossou a voz com o filho.

Engrossar o olho

— An informal way to say someone is looking with envy or greed (regional).

Ele engrossou o olho para o meu carro novo.

Engrossar a lista

— To add more names or items to a list, making it longer.

Novos nomes vieram engrossar a lista de convidados.

Engrossar as sobrancelhas

— To make eyebrows look thicker with makeup or treatments.

Ela usa lápis para engrossar as sobrancelhas.

Engrossar a pele

— To cause the skin to become thicker or tougher.

O trabalho manual engrossa a pele das mãos.

Engrossar o movimento

— To join a social or political movement to give it more strength.

Os estudantes decidiram engrossar o movimento.

Engrossar o trânsito

— To contribute to making traffic heavier or slower.

O acidente acabou por engrossar o trânsito na avenida.

Engrossar a polêmica

— To add more arguments or controversy to a debate.

A nova declaração só serviu para engrossar a polêmica.

Engrossar o exército

— To join military ranks, increasing the number of soldiers.

Muitos jovens foram convocados para engrossar o exército.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

engrossar vs engordar

Engordar is to get fat; engrossar is to get thick or wide.

engrossar vs aumentar

Aumentar is to increase in number/size; engrossar is specifically about density or thickness.

engrossar vs encorpar

Very similar, but encorpar is more focused on the 'body' or richness of a liquid.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"O bicho vai engrossar"

— A very common Brazilian idiom meaning things are about to get difficult, serious, or violent.

Se a polícia chegar, o bicho vai engrossar.

Slang / Informal

"Engrossar o caldo (figurative)"

— To make a situation more complicated or to escalate a conflict.

A sua mentira só serviu para engrossar o caldo.

Informal

"Engrossar o pescoço (figurative)"

— To get stubborn or to refuse to back down in an argument.

Ele engrossou o pescoço e não aceitou o conselho.

Informal

"Engrossar a voz para alguém"

— To talk down to someone or treat them with aggression.

Não engrosse a voz para mim!

Informal

"Engrossar o coro"

— To join others in expressing the same opinion or complaint.

Vim apenas para engrossar o coro dos descontentes.

Neutral

"Engrossar as fileiras"

— To join a group, usually for a cause, making it more powerful.

Ela decidiu engrossar as fileiras do partido político.

Formal / Journalistic

"Engrossar o caldo da discussão"

— To add depth or more intense arguments to a debate.

O novo estudo veio engrossar o caldo da discussão científica.

Formal

"Engrossar o cordão"

— To join a Carnival group (bloco) or a parade.

Milhares de foliões vieram engrossar o cordão.

Cultural / Informal

"Engrossar a vista"

— To ignore something or pretend not to see a problem (less common than 'vista grossa').

Ele engrossou a vista para os erros do filho.

Informal

"Engrossar o caldo (culinary tip)"

— Often used as a metaphor for success in cooking.

O segredo da vovó era como ela engrossava o caldo.

Neutral

Leicht verwechselbar

engrossar vs Engordar

Both relate to getting 'bigger'.

Engordar is about body fat (gordura). Engrossar is about thickness (grosso).

O porco engordou (got fat). O tronco engrossou (got thick).

engrossar vs Aumentar

Both mean to grow.

Aumentar is general. Engrossar implies adding density or volume to a mass.

Aumentar o preço. Engrossar a fila.

engrossar vs Complicar

The English 'the plot thickens' translates to 'o enredo se complica'.

Engrossar is rarely used for abstract complexity in Portuguese.

A situação se complicou (not engrossou).

engrossar vs Dilatar

Both involve expanding.

Dilatar is to expand in all directions (like pupils). Engrossar is to become thicker.

As pupilas dilataram. O pescoço engrossou.

engrossar vs Adensar

They are synonyms in technical contexts.

Adensar is more formal/scientific. Engrossar is more common/everyday.

A névoa se adensou. O caldo engrossou.

Satzmuster

Eu engrosso o [food].

Eu engrosso o caldo.

O [subject] engrossou com [agent].

O molho engrossou com a farinha.

A voz de [person] está engrossando.

A voz do Pedro está engrossando.

Para engrossar, você deve [action].

Para engrossar, você deve mexer bem.

[Group] veio engrossar o [collective].

Os alunos vieram engrossar o protesto.

O bicho vai engrossar se [condition].

O bicho vai engrossar se você não sair.

A medida visa engrossar o [abstract noun].

A medida visa engrossar o debate público.

O silêncio engrossou até [consequence].

O silêncio engrossou até se tornar insuportável.

Wortfamilie

Substantive

engrossamento (thickening)

grossura (thickness)

grosseria (rudeness/coarseness)

Verben

engrossar (to thicken)

Adjektive

grosso (thick/coarse)

engrossado (thickened)

grossista (wholesaler)

Verwandt

engordar

encorpar

espessura

grossidão

grosseiro

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So verwendest du es

frequency

High in culinary and journalistic contexts.

Häufige Fehler

Eu engordei o molho. → Eu engrossei o molho.
You don't make a sauce 'fat'; you make it 'thick'.
A voz dele afinou na puberdade. → A voz dele engrossou na puberdade.
Voices get deeper (thicker), not thinner, during puberty for boys.
O enredo engrossou. → O enredo se complicou.
'The plot thickens' is an English idiom that doesn't translate literally with 'engrossar'.
Engrossar o preço. → Aumentar o preço.
Prices are abstract numbers; they don't have 'thickness'.
Eu engroso o caldo. → Eu engrosso o caldo.
Spelling mistake: always use double 'ss' for the voiceless 's' sound between vowels.

Tipps

Conjugation

Remember it's a regular -ar verb. Focus on the 'ss' in writing.

Kitchen Essential

If you like cooking, this is a top 100 verb for you.

The Nasal Start

Don't forget to vibrate your nose slightly for the 'en' sound.

Slang Master

Use 'o bicho vai engrossar' to sound like a local in Brazil.

Writing Power

Use 'engrossar as fileiras' in essays about history or politics.

Hair Care

Look for 'engrossador' on shampoo bottles if you want more volume.

Engrossar vs Encorpar

Engrossar is the physical act; encorpar is the culinary result.

Afinhar

Always keep 'afinhar' in mind as its direct logical partner.

Storm Warning

If the rain 'engrossa', it's time to find cover!

Density

Think of 'engrossar' as adding 'weight' to anything, whether a sauce or a debate.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'EN-GROSS-AR'. If you want to make something 'GROSS' (in the old sense of 'big' or 'thick'), you 'EN-GROSS-AR' it.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a chef stirring a pot and adding a big spoonful of flour, watching the liquid turn from watery to thick and creamy.

Word Web

grosso sopa molho voz multidão farinha tronco chuva

Herausforderung

Try to use 'engrossar' in three different ways today: once for food, once for the weather, and once for a group of people.

Wortherkunft

Derived from the Latin word 'grossus', meaning thick or coarse. The Portuguese word was formed by adding the prefix 'en-' (to put into/cause) and the verbal suffix '-ar'.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: To make something thick or coarse.

Romance (Latin root)

Kultureller Kontext

Be careful when using 'grosso' or 'engrossar' regarding people's bodies, as it can be interpreted as a comment on weight or lack of refinement.

English speakers often use 'thicken' for food but 'deepen' for voice. Remember that Portuguese uses 'engrossar' for both.

Used in many Brazilian 'Moda de Viola' songs to describe the deepening voice of a young man. Commonly found in the culinary books of Dona Benta. Appears in news reports regarding the 'Diretas Já' movement in Brazil.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Cooking

Engrossar o caldo
Engrossar com farinha
Deixar engrossar no fogo
Como engrossar o molho?

Human Development

A voz está engrossando
Engrossar os músculos
Engrossar o pescoço
Engrossar os cabelos

Social/Political

Engrossar a manifestação
Engrossar o coro
Engrossar as fileiras
Engrossar o movimento

Weather

A chuva engrossou
A neblina está engrossando
O gelo engrossou no lago
As nuvens engrossaram

Idiomatic/Slang

O bicho vai engrossar
Não engrosse comigo
Engrossar o caldo (problem)
Engrossar a vista

Gesprächseinstiege

"Como você costuma engrossar o molho do macarrão?"

"Você acha que a chuva vai engrossar mais tarde?"

"Você já ouviu a expressão 'o bicho vai engrossar'?"

"Com que idade a voz dos meninos começa a engrossar?"

"Você usa algum produto para engrossar o cabelo?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Descreva uma receita que você gosta e explique como engrossar o caldo.

Escreva sobre uma situação em que 'o bicho engrossou' para você.

Como o clima muda na sua cidade? A chuva costuma engrossar rápido?

Você acha que é importante engrossar o debate sobre o meio ambiente?

Descreva o processo de crescimento de uma árvore usando o verbo engrossar.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

No, you should use 'engordar'. 'Engrossar' would only be used if you are talking about specific parts of the body getting wider, like 'engrossar as pernas' (thickening legs) through exercise.

Yes, it is a perfectly regular -ar verb. You conjugate it like 'falar' or 'amar'.

You don't use 'engrossar'. You say 'O enredo se complica' or 'A coisa está ficando séria'.

In Brazil and Portugal, people commonly use 'amido de milho' (cornstarch) or 'farinha de trigo' (wheat flour).

Yes, it's very common in beauty contexts to say 'engrossar os fios' (to thicken the hair strands).

It means a situation is about to get very difficult, intense, or even dangerous. It's a very common Brazilian slang.

Yes, but specifically for the pitch becoming deeper or the sound becoming 'heavier'. 'A voz dele engrossou'.

Yes, it is used in all Portuguese-speaking countries with the same primary meanings.

The most common opposite is 'afinhar' (to thin out) or 'diluir' (to dilute).

It's unusual. Usually, you would say 'fazer um café mais forte' or 'mais concentrado', unless you are literally adding something to make it thick like syrup.

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