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A2 noun 13 Min. Lesezeit

vexame

Beispiele
Erklärung vexame in your Level:
At the A1 beginner level, the primary goal is to recognize the word 'vexame' as a noun that means something bad, specifically related to feeling embarrassed or doing something shameful in public. You do not need to master all its complex uses yet, but you should understand it when a native speaker exclaims 'Que vexame!' (What a shame/embarrassment!). You might hear this in movies or when someone makes a big mistake. At this stage, focus on associating the word with negative emotions and public mistakes. You can start practicing it in very simple sentences, such as 'É um vexame' (It is an embarrassment). Do not worry too much about the verbs that go with it yet; just focus on recognizing the word and its general meaning. It is a highly expressive word, so paying attention to the tone of voice people use when they say it will help you understand its emotional weight. It is often accompanied by a facepalm or a look of shock.
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At the A2 elementary level, you are expected to start using 'vexame' in basic sentences and understand its common collocations. You should know that it is a masculine noun ('o vexame') and learn the two most important verbs that pair with it: 'dar' and 'passar'. You need to understand the difference between 'dar um vexame' (to cause an embarrassment/make a scene) and 'passar um vexame' (to experience an embarrassing situation). You should be able to construct simple past tense sentences, such as 'Ele deu um vexame na festa' (He made a scene at the party) or 'Eu passei vexame ontem' (I was embarrassed yesterday). You should also be comfortable using it as an exclamation: 'Que vexame!'. At this level, you can start distinguishing it from 'vergonha' (shame), understanding that 'vexame' is more about the public event or spectacle, while 'vergonha' is the internal feeling.
At the B1 intermediate level, your use of 'vexame' should become more nuanced and descriptive. You should be able to use adjectives to modify the noun, creating phrases like 'um vexame terrível' (a terrible embarrassment) or 'o maior vexame' (the biggest embarrassment). You should be comfortable telling short anecdotes or stories about past embarrassing experiences, using 'vexame' naturally within the narrative structure. You can also start using it in different contexts, such as sports or politics, to describe a humiliating defeat or a public scandal (e.g., 'A derrota do time foi um vexame'). You should fully grasp the social and cultural weight of the word in Portuguese-speaking societies, understanding that it implies a loss of face or public dignity. You can also start recognizing synonymous slang, like 'pagar um mico', and know when to use the formal word 'vexame' versus the informal slang.
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At the B2 upper-intermediate level, you are expected to use 'vexame' fluidly in complex sentences and abstract discussions. You can discuss the social consequences of a 'vexame', analyzing how public embarrassment affects reputation and relationships. You should be able to use the word in conditional sentences and hypothetical scenarios, such as 'Se ele fizesse isso, seria um vexame inesquecível' (If he did that, it would be an unforgettable embarrassment). You can differentiate 'vexame' from closely related formal words like 'constrangimento' (awkwardness/embarrassment) and 'humilhação' (humiliation), choosing the exact right word for the specific tone you want to convey. Your understanding of the word extends to media consumption, where you can easily follow fast-paced news reports or satirical comedy routines that use 'vexame' to critique public figures or societal norms.
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At the C1 advanced level, 'vexame' is fully integrated into your active vocabulary, and you can deploy it with native-like intuition. You understand the subtle irony and rhetorical power of the word. You can use it in sophisticated arguments, essays, or formal debates to characterize gross incompetence or moral failures in public administration or corporate settings (e.g., 'A gestão da crise foi um vexame administrativo'). You are adept at using idiomatic expressions and complex prepositions surrounding the word. You understand the etymological roots and how the word has evolved in modern Portuguese. You can manipulate the intensity of the word using a wide range of adverbs and adjectives, and you can seamlessly switch between regional variations or slang equivalents depending on your audience and the conversational register required.
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At the C2 mastery level, your command of the word 'vexame' is indistinguishable from an educated native speaker. You can play with the word stylistically in creative writing, literature, or high-level academic discourse. You appreciate the deep cultural, psychological, and sociological implications of 'vexame' within the Lusophone world, understanding how the fear of public embarrassment shapes social behavior, political discourse, and interpersonal dynamics. You can deconstruct texts that use the word to analyze underlying themes of honor, shame, and societal expectations. You are capable of inventing new metaphors or rhetorical devices utilizing the concept of 'vexame', and you can effortlessly navigate the most obscure or archaic usages of the word if encountered in classical Portuguese literature, while maintaining perfect contemporary usage in everyday life.
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Beispiele
The Portuguese word vexame is a powerful and highly expressive noun that captures the essence of public embarrassment, deep shame, and humiliating situations. When you are learning Portuguese, understanding the emotional weight and the precise social contexts in which vexame is deployed is absolutely crucial for achieving fluency and cultural competence. Unlike a mild sense of feeling awkward, a vexame typically implies a scenario where someone's dignity is compromised in front of an audience, whether that audience consists of family members, friends, colleagues, or complete strangers. The word carries a heavy connotation of a spectacle, a scene, or a loss of composure that draws unwanted attention and judgment from others. In everyday conversational Portuguese, you will frequently hear this word when people are recounting stories of parties that went wrong, public arguments, or disastrous presentations.
Emotional Impact
The emotional impact of a vexame is profound. It goes beyond simple shyness and enters the territory of wishing the ground would swallow you whole. It is the acute awareness of having violated a social norm or expectation in a highly visible manner.

Ele bebeu demais e deu o maior vexame no casamento da prima.

Furthermore, the concept of vexame is deeply tied to the cultural values of honor, reputation, and social standing in Portuguese-speaking societies. In Brazil, for example, social harmony and public perception are highly valued, meaning that causing a scene or losing one's temper in public is heavily stigmatized. This is where the word vexame truly shines as a descriptor of such breaches of etiquette.
Cultural Context
In Brazilian culture, saving face is important. A vexame is the ultimate loss of face, a moment that will likely be gossiped about and remembered by the community for a long time.

Foi um vexame total quando o cantor esqueceu a letra da própria música.

To fully grasp the utility of this noun, one must also consider its frequency in media, literature, and daily gossip. Telenovelas, which are a staple of Brazilian and Portuguese television, are built upon dramatic arcs that inevitably feature characters passing or giving a vexame. It is the dramatic climax of many social interactions.
Media Representation
Soap operas utilize the vexame as a plot device to expose secrets, humiliate villains, or create sympathy for protagonists who are unjustly embarrassed in front of high society.

A atriz evitou a imprensa para não passar vexame após o escândalo.

When people use this word, they are often recounting a narrative. The structure of these narratives usually involves a buildup of tension, a specific trigger event (like drinking too much, a misunderstanding, or a clumsy mistake), and the resulting vexame.

Nós rimos muito depois, mas na hora foi um vexame inesquecível.

It is also worth noting that while the word describes a negative experience, recounting a past vexame among close friends is often a source of great humor and bonding. People love to share stories of their own embarrassing moments once the initial sting of the humiliation has faded. Therefore, mastering the word vexame allows you to participate in one of the most common and enjoyable forms of social storytelling in the Portuguese language.

Que vexame meu Deus, eu queria sumir dali!

Using the word vexame correctly in Portuguese sentences requires an understanding of the specific verbs and prepositions that naturally collocate with it. Because vexame is a noun representing an event or a feeling of embarrassment, it cannot stand alone; it needs action verbs to bring it to life in a sentence. The most critical distinction you must learn is between the verbs dar (to give) and passar (to pass/experience). These two verbs change the entire perspective of the embarrassing situation.
Dar um vexame
This phrase means to cause a scene, to make a fool of oneself, or to be the active source of the embarrassment. When you 'dar um vexame', you are usually doing something actively embarrassing, like shouting in a restaurant or falling over while dancing.

Por favor, não vá beber demais e dar vexame na frente dos meus pais.

On the other hand, we have the verb passar.
Passar vexame
This translates roughly to experiencing or suffering an embarrassment. It places the subject in a more passive role regarding the humiliation. You might 'passar vexame' because your credit card was declined at the supermarket, an event outside your direct active misbehavior but still deeply embarrassing.

Eu passei o maior vexame quando percebi que minha calça estava rasgada.

Beyond these two primary verbs, vexame is also frequently used as an exclamation of dismay or secondhand embarrassment. You can use it as an interjection.
Exclamatory Use
By saying 'Que vexame!', you are expressing shock or secondhand embarrassment at a situation you are witnessing or hearing about. It is equivalent to saying 'What a shame!' or 'How embarrassing!' in English.

Que vexame! Como eles puderam tratar os convidados daquela maneira?

Another important grammatical aspect is the use of adjectives to modify vexame. Since it is a masculine noun, all adjectives must agree in gender. Common adjectives include grande (big), terrível (terrible), público (public), and histórico (historic).

A derrota do time na final do campeonato foi um vexame histórico.

You can also use prepositions to specify where the embarrassment happened or who it affected. For example, 'vexame na frente de todos' (embarrassment in front of everyone) or 'vexame para a família' (embarrassment for the family). Mastering these combinations allows you to construct highly descriptive and emotionally resonant sentences that sound completely natural to a native Portuguese speaker.

Para evitar um vexame, ela decidiu ficar calada durante a reunião.

The word vexame is ubiquitous in Portuguese-speaking environments, precisely because social interactions and the maintenance of public image are central to the culture. You will encounter this word across a wide spectrum of daily life, from casual family gatherings to formal news broadcasts. One of the most common settings where vexame is heard is during post-event gossip. After a party, a wedding, a corporate event, or a family barbecue, people often gather to discuss what happened. If someone drank too much, started an argument, or behaved inappropriately, the word vexame will inevitably dominate the conversation.
Social Gatherings
In the context of parties and celebrations, a vexame is often associated with the loss of inhibitions, usually due to alcohol, leading to behavior that the person will regret the next day.

No churrasco de domingo, o tio João bebeu todas e deu o maior vexame.

Another prominent arena for this word is the world of sports, particularly football (soccer). In Brazil and Portugal, football is a matter of national pride and intense emotional investment. When a highly favored team loses spectacularly, or when a player makes a ridiculous mistake on the field, sports commentators and fans alike will describe the event as a vexame. It denotes a humiliating defeat that brings shame to the club and its supporters.
Sports Commentary
In sports journalism, vexame is used to describe a performance that falls drastically short of expectations, often resulting in a heavy defeat against a weaker opponent.

A eliminação na primeira fase da Copa foi um vexame para a seleção.

You will also hear vexame frequently in the context of politics and public administration. When a politician is caught in a scandalous corruption scheme, or when a public project fails miserably and publicly, the media and the public will label it a vexame. It reflects the collective embarrassment of the citizens regarding their leaders' actions.
Political Scandals
Citizens use the word to express their frustration and shame over the unethical or incompetent behavior of public figures, which reflects poorly on the nation as a whole.

O desvio de verbas da educação é um verdadeiro vexame nacional.

Furthermore, reality television shows thrive on situations that generate a vexame. Contestants arguing, making mistakes during challenges, or revealing embarrassing secrets are prime examples of television content designed to make the audience cringe and exclaim 'Que vexame!'. The word is deeply embedded in how Portuguese speakers process and discuss social transgressions, failures of decorum, and moments of acute public vulnerability.

Assistir àquele reality show é ver um vexame atrás do outro.

Ele não tem noção do vexame que causou na reunião de condomínio.

When English speakers learn the word vexame, they often encounter a few specific stumbling blocks related to grammar, collocation, and nuance. The most prevalent mistake is confusing vexame with the word vergonha. While both relate to shame or embarrassment, their usage is distinctly different. Vergonha is a broader term that encompasses the internal feeling of shame, shyness, or disgrace. You can feel vergonha completely alone. Vexame, however, almost exclusively refers to a public event, a spectacle of embarrassment.
Vergonha vs. Vexame
Do not say 'Eu tenho vexame de falar em público' (I have vexame of speaking in public). The correct phrase is 'Eu tenho vergonha de falar em público'. Vexame is the event that happens if you mess up the speech, not the internal feeling of shyness beforehand.

Se eu tropeçar no palco, vai ser um vexame.

Another common grammatical mistake involves the choice of verbs. English speakers often try to translate 'to make an embarrassment' literally, leading them to use the verb 'fazer' (to make or do). However, in Portuguese, you do not 'fazer um vexame'. The correct collocations are 'dar um vexame' (to cause/give an embarrassment) or 'passar um vexame' (to experience an embarrassment).
Verb Choice
Incorrect: Ele fez um vexame na festa. Correct: Ele deu um vexame na festa. Always use 'dar' for actively causing the scene and 'passar' for being the victim of the embarrassing situation.

Eu não acredito que você me fez passar esse vexame.

Gender agreement is another area where learners slip up. Because vexame ends in 'e', its gender isn't immediately obvious to beginners, who might mistakenly assume it is feminine. It is strictly a masculine noun: o vexame. Therefore, any adjectives attached to it must also be masculine.
Gender Agreement
You must say 'um vexame terrível' or 'o maior vexame', never 'uma vexame' or 'a maior vexame'. Consistently practicing the word with its masculine article 'o' or 'um' will help cement this in your memory.

Foi o vexame mais engraçado que eu já vi.

Finally, learners sometimes overuse the word in situations that are only mildly awkward. Vexame is a strong word. If you drop your pen in class, that is not a vexame. If you trip and fall face-first into a wedding cake in front of 200 guests, that is a vexame. Reserving the word for truly noteworthy, public embarrassments ensures that you sound natural and understand the dramatic weight the word carries in Portuguese.

Ele chorou no meio do shopping, que vexame.

Esquecer o nome do chefe na reunião foi um vexame indescritível.

Expanding your vocabulary around the concept of embarrassment in Portuguese allows you to express different shades of humiliation and awkwardness with precision. While vexame is excellent for describing a public spectacle of shame, there are several other words that native speakers use depending on the severity, formality, and context of the situation. The most direct alternative, as previously discussed, is vergonha.
Vergonha vs. Vexame
Vergonha is the overarching term for shame or shyness. You can say 'Que vergonha!' (How embarrassing!) in almost any situation where you might say 'Que vexame!', but vergonha is more versatile as it also covers internal feelings of inadequacy or bashfulness.

Foi um vexame, eu morri de vergonha na hora.

Another highly formal and intense synonym is humilhação (humiliation). This word carries a much darker and more serious tone than vexame. A vexame can sometimes be laughed about later; a humilhação usually involves a deliberate attempt to degrade someone, or a situation so devastating that it causes lasting psychological distress.
Humilhação
Use humilhação when the embarrassment crosses the line into degradation, bullying, or profound loss of dignity. It lacks the theatrical, sometimes comedic undertone that vexame can occasionally have.

Ser demitido na frente de todos não foi apenas um vexame, foi uma humilhação.

For more formal or mild situations of awkwardness, you can use constrangimento. This translates directly to 'embarrassment' or 'awkwardness' and is often used in professional or polite contexts where vexame might sound too dramatic or colloquial. If you ask a sensitive question and make someone slightly uncomfortable, you have caused a constrangimento, not a vexame.
Constrangimento
This is the perfect word for formal apologies. 'Peço desculpas pelo constrangimento' (I apologize for the embarrassment/inconvenience) is a standard professional phrase.

A piada inadequada gerou um grande constrangimento, quase um vexame.

'Pagar um mico' is extremely common among younger generations and in informal speech. It is slightly lighter than a vexame; a 'mico' is a funny, embarrassing blunder, whereas a vexame can be a more serious public scandal. Another slang term is 'fazer um papelão' (to make a big cardboard), which means to behave ridiculously or shamefully in public, very synonymous with 'dar um vexame'. Understanding these nuances allows you to navigate the rich emotional landscape of the Portuguese language, choosing exactly the right word for the level of embarrassment you wish to convey.

Em vez de dar vexame, ele apenas pagou um mico de leve.

Que papelão! Isso foi um verdadeiro vexame para a nossa família.

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Beispiele nach Niveau

1

Que vexame!

What an embarrassment/shame!

Used as an exclamation. 'Que' + noun.

2

É um vexame.

It is an embarrassment.

Simple present tense 'É' (It is) + indefinite article 'um' + noun.

3

O vexame foi grande.

The embarrassment was big.

Noun with definite article 'O' and adjective 'grande'.

4

Eu não quero vexame.

I don't want an embarrassment.

Basic negation with verb 'querer' (to want).

5

Isso é vexame.

That is an embarrassment.

Demonstrative pronoun 'Isso' + verb 'ser'.

6

Muito vexame.

A lot of embarrassment.

Adverb 'Muito' used to quantify the noun.

7

Fim do vexame.

End of the embarrassment.

Noun phrase indicating the conclusion of an event.

8

Um vexame total.

A total embarrassment.

Noun modified by the adjective 'total'.

1

Ele deu um vexame na festa.

He made a scene/embarrassment at the party.

Uses the key collocation 'dar um vexame' in the past tense.

2

Eu passei vexame no restaurante.

I was embarrassed at the restaurant.

Uses the key collocation 'passar vexame' in the past tense.

3

Não dê vexame amanhã.

Don't make a scene tomorrow.

Negative imperative form of 'dar'.

4

Foi o maior vexame da minha vida.

It was the biggest embarrassment of my life.

Superlative construction 'o maior vexame'.

5

Ela chorou depois do vexame.

She cried after the embarrassment.

Preposition 'depois de' (after) + definite article 'o' = 'do'.

6

Nós evitamos um grande vexame.

We avoided a big embarrassment.

Verb 'evitar' (to avoid) paired with the noun.

7

Você passou vexame hoje?

Did you experience an embarrassment today?

Question structure using past tense of 'passar'.

8

O cachorro deu vexame no parque.

The dog caused an embarrassment at the park.

Applying the phrase to an animal's behavior.

1

Para não passar vexame, eu estudei muito para a apresentação.

In order not to be embarrassed, I studied a lot for the presentation.

Infinitive clause 'Para não passar' showing purpose.

2

O cantor esqueceu a letra e foi um vexame terrível.

The singer forgot the lyrics and it was a terrible embarrassment.

Compound sentence connecting an event to the noun.

3

Eles deram o maior vexame brigando no meio da rua.

They caused the biggest scene fighting in the middle of the street.

Gerund 'brigando' explaining how the embarrassment occurred.

4

A derrota de sete a um foi um vexame histórico para o Brasil.

The seven to one defeat was a historic embarrassment for Brazil.

Using the noun in a sports context with 'histórico'.

5

Eu morro de medo de dar vexame em público.

I am terrified of making a fool of myself in public.

Idiomatic expression 'morrer de medo de' + infinitive.

6

Apesar do vexame, ela continuou a falar com calma.

Despite the embarrassment, she continued to speak calmly.

Concession clause using 'Apesar de' + 'o' = 'do'.

7

O político tentou esconder o vexame da corrupção.

The politician tried to hide the embarrassment of the corruption.

Using the noun in a political/scandal context.

8

Se você beber assim, vai passar vexame.

If you drink like that, you are going to embarrass yourself.

Future structure 'vai passar' in a conditional context.

1

A falha no sistema durante a transmissão ao vivo foi um vexame sem precedentes para a emissora.

The system failure during the live broadcast was an unprecedented embarrassment for the network.

Complex noun phrase 'vexame sem precedentes'.

2

Teria sido um vexame se os convidados percebessem que a comida estava estragada.

It would have been an embarrassment if the guests had noticed the food was spoiled.

Conditional perfect 'Teria sido' with imperfect subjunctive 'percebessem'.

3

Ele tentou justificar o injustificável, o que só aumentou o tamanho do vexame.

He tried to justify the unjustifiable, which only increased the size of the embarrassment.

Relative clause 'o que' referring back to the whole previous action.

4

O escândalo financeiro expôs a empresa a um vexame internacional.

The financial scandal exposed the company to an international embarrassment.

Verb 'expor' (to expose) + preposition 'a' + noun.

5

Muitos consideram um vexame que a obra pública ainda não tenha sido concluída após dez anos.

Many consider it an embarrassment that the public work has not yet been completed after ten years.

Subjunctive mood 'tenha sido' triggered by an expression of opinion.

6

Para poupar a família de um novo vexame, ele decidiu renunciar ao cargo.

To spare the family from a new embarrassment, he decided to resign from his position.

Verb 'poupar' (to spare) + preposition 'de' + noun.

7

O comportamento inadequado do diretor gerou um clima de vexame generalizado na reunião.

The director's inappropriate behavior generated an atmosphere of generalized embarrassment in the meeting.

Descriptive phrase 'clima de vexame generalizado'.

8

Ela lidou com o vexame com tanta elegância que todos acabaram esquecendo o incidente rapidamente.

She handled the embarrassment with such elegance that everyone ended up forgetting the incident quickly.

Consecutive clause 'com tanta... que' (with such... that).

1

A condução desastrosa da política externa culminou em um vexame diplomático de proporções alarmantes.

The disastrous handling of foreign policy culminated in a diplomatic embarrassment of alarming proportions.

Advanced vocabulary and formal structure ('culminou em').

2

Por mais que tentassem abafar o caso, o vexame já estava consumado e a reputação da instituição, manchada.

As much as they tried to cover up the case, the embarrassment was already consummated and the institution's reputation, stained.

Concessive structure 'Por mais que' + imperfect subjunctive 'tentassem'.

3

É imperativo que evitemos qualquer atitude que possa nos expor ao vexame do escrutínio público desnecessário.

It is imperative that we avoid any attitude that might expose us to the embarrassment of unnecessary public scrutiny.

Impersonal expression 'É imperativo que' + present subjunctive 'evitemos'.

4

O autor descreve com maestria a espiral de degradação que leva o protagonista ao vexame final.

The author masterfully describes the spiral of degradation that leads the protagonist to the final embarrassment.

Literary analysis vocabulary ('espiral de degradação').

5

Longe de ser um mero contratempo, a falência do projeto representou um vexame estrutural para a engenharia nacional.

Far from being a mere setback, the project's bankruptcy represented a structural embarrassment for national engineering.

Contrastive phrase 'Longe de ser' (Far from being).

6

A tentativa de censurar a imprensa revelou-se um tiro pela culatra, resultando num vexame ainda mais retumbante.

The attempt to censor the press proved to be a backfire, resulting in an even more resounding embarrassment.

Idiom 'tiro pela culatra' (backfire) and adjective 'retumbante' (resounding).

7

Submeter-se àquela sabatina desprovido de argumentos sólidos foi o prelúdio de um vexame inevitável.

Subjecting oneself to that grilling devoid of solid arguments was the prelude to an inevitable embarrassment.

Infinitive phrase as subject 'Submeter-se' and advanced vocabulary ('sabatina', 'desprovido').

8

A arrogância intelectual do palestrante converteu o debate num vexame, alienando completamente o auditório.

The speaker's intellectual arrogance converted the debate into an embarrassment, completely alienating the auditorium.

Verb 'converter' + preposition 'em' + noun ('num' = em + um).

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