En 15 segundos
- Used for unexpected face-to-face encounters with people or things.
- Commonly used with the preposition 'com' (e.g., dar de caras com).
- Perfect for storytelling and describing your daily adventures.
Significado
Imagine you're walking around a corner and suddenly—boom! You're face-to-face with someone you didn't expect to see. It's that moment of an unplanned, physical encounter with a person or even a surprising situation.
Ejemplos clave
3 de 6Running into an old friend at the mall
Ontem fui ao shopping e dei de caras com o João!
Yesterday I went to the mall and bumped into João!
Finding a closed shop unexpectedly
Cheguei à loja e dei de caras com a porta fechada.
I got to the shop and ran into a closed door.
A professional but surprising encounter
Ao entrar na sala, dei de caras com o Diretor Geral.
Upon entering the room, I ran straight into the General Director.
Contexto cultural
In Portugal, 'dar de caras' often happens in 'bairros' (neighborhoods) where life happens on the street. It's common to stop for a long chat after such an encounter. Brazilians use 'dar de cara' (singular). It is frequently used in 'novelas' (soap operas) to create dramatic tension when two characters meet unexpectedly. In Luanda, the phrase is used similarly to Portugal, often followed by 'mambo' (thing/situation) to describe encountering a problem. The phrase is understood and used in formal contexts, though local Kriolu has its own equivalents for chance meetings.
Use it for objects too!
Don't limit yourself to people. You can 'dar de caras' with a beautiful view or a lost set of keys.
Preposition Alert
Never forget the 'com'. Without it, the sentence feels incomplete.
En 15 segundos
- Used for unexpected face-to-face encounters with people or things.
- Commonly used with the preposition 'com' (e.g., dar de caras com).
- Perfect for storytelling and describing your daily adventures.
What It Means
Dar de caras is that classic 'oops' moment. It describes the act of running into someone unexpectedly. It’s not just about seeing them from across the street. It implies a close, face-to-face proximity. You were both in the same spot at the same time by pure chance. It’s the linguistic version of a surprise meeting.
How To Use It
You use it just like 'to bump into' or 'to run into' in English. In Portuguese, it is usually followed by the preposition com. So, you say dei de caras com (I bumped into). It works for people, but also for things. You can dar de caras with a closed door or a beautiful view. It’s very versatile for physical encounters.
When To Use It
Use it when telling stories about your day. It’s perfect for describing your trip to the supermarket. 'You won't believe who I ran into!' is a classic setup for this phrase. It’s great for casual chats, office water-cooler talk, or texting friends. It adds a bit of drama and movement to your storytelling. It makes the listener feel the surprise of the moment.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for scheduled meetings. If you have a calendar invite, you didn't dar de caras. It’s also a bit too physical for abstract concepts. You wouldn't usually dar de caras with a philosophical idea. Avoid it in extremely formal legal documents. It’s a bit too 'human' and descriptive for a cold, professional contract. Stick to encontrar if you want to sound strictly neutral.
Cultural Background
Portuguese culture is very social and walkable. In cities like Lisbon or Porto, the streets are narrow. You are constantly bumping into people you know. This phrase reflects that 'village' feel of Portuguese social life. It’s a culture where stopping for a spontaneous coffee is the norm. This expression captures the start of those unplanned social moments. It’s been a staple of the language for generations.
Common Variations
You might hear dar de caras or dar de frente. Both imply a head-on encounter. In Brazil, you are more likely to hear dar de cara (singular). In Portugal, the plural caras is very common. Sometimes people just say cruzar-se com. But dar de caras remains the most evocative way to describe that 'face-to-face' surprise.
Notas de uso
The phrase is highly versatile and fits almost any social situation that involves a surprise. In Portugal, the plural 'caras' is standard, while in Brazil, the singular 'cara' is preferred.
Use it for objects too!
Don't limit yourself to people. You can 'dar de caras' with a beautiful view or a lost set of keys.
Preposition Alert
Never forget the 'com'. Without it, the sentence feels incomplete.
The 'Caras' vs 'Cara' rule
Use plural in Lisbon, singular in Rio. You'll sound like a local!
Past Tense is King
90% of the time, you'll use this in the past (dei, deu, demos) because you're telling a story about what happened.
Ejemplos
6Ontem fui ao shopping e dei de caras com o João!
Yesterday I went to the mall and bumped into João!
A very common way to report a surprise encounter.
Cheguei à loja e dei de caras com a porta fechada.
I got to the shop and ran into a closed door.
Shows the phrase can be used for objects/situations, not just people.
Ao entrar na sala, dei de caras com o Diretor Geral.
Upon entering the room, I ran straight into the General Director.
Neutral enough for a professional setting if the encounter was literal.
Não vais acreditar, dei de caras com o Cristiano Ronaldo no restaurante!
You won't believe it, I ran into Cristiano Ronaldo at the restaurant!
Excited tone used in informal messaging.
Estava tão distraído que dei de caras com um poste.
I was so distracted that I walked straight into a post.
Literal physical impact, used humorously.
Coração acelerou quando dei de caras com o meu ex-namorado.
My heart raced when I bumped into my ex-boyfriend.
Captures the sudden shock of an emotional meeting.
Ponte a prueba
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom in the past tense.
Ontem, eu ________ (dar) de caras com o meu professor no cinema.
The subject is 'eu', so the verb 'dar' in the Pretérito Perfeito is 'dei'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly to describe a surprise encounter?
Escolha a opção correta:
The correct idiom is 'dar de caras com'.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: 'Como foi o teu dia?' B: 'Foi estranho. Eu ________ com a minha ex-namorada no café.'
This is the most natural way to describe an unexpected social encounter.
Match the situation to the correct phrase.
Situação: Estás a andar na rua e vês o teu cantor favorito à tua frente.
Seeing a celebrity unexpectedly is a perfect use for 'dar de caras'.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Dar de Caras vs. Dar a Cara
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosOntem, eu ________ (dar) de caras com o meu professor no cinema.
The subject is 'eu', so the verb 'dar' in the Pretérito Perfeito is 'dei'.
Escolha a opção correta:
The correct idiom is 'dar de caras com'.
A: 'Como foi o teu dia?' B: 'Foi estranho. Eu ________ com a minha ex-namorada no café.'
This is the most natural way to describe an unexpected social encounter.
Situação: Estás a andar na rua e vês o teu cantor favorito à tua frente.
Seeing a celebrity unexpectedly is a perfect use for 'dar de caras'.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
12 preguntasNo, it specifically implies that the meeting was a surprise or unplanned.
Not at all. It's informal and very common in friendly conversation.
'Encontrar' is neutral. 'Dar de caras' adds the emotion of surprise and the physical 'face-to-face' aspect.
No. If the person is implied, you can just say 'Dei de caras!'.
Yes, but usually as 'dar de cara' (singular).
Yes, you can 'dar de caras' with a problem or a difficult reality.
Yes, 'deparar-se com' is the formal equivalent.
No, that is not a standard idiom.
Eu dei de caras com ela.
No, though 'dar na cara' can mean to hit someone in the face.
Yes, e.g., 'Acho que vais dar de caras com ele'.
Yes, especially in modern Portuguese fiction to describe character encounters.
Frases relacionadas
dar a cara
similarTo take responsibility
topar com
synonymTo run into
cruzar-se com
synonymTo cross paths with
deparar-se com
similarTo encounter
bater de frente
contrastTo clash with
