Significado
To delay or procrastinate, avoiding doing something directly.
Contexto cultural
In Brazilian football, 'fazer cera' is often accompanied by players 'falling' and pretending to be injured to stop the clock. This is colloquially known as 'cai-cai'. In Portugal, the phrase is frequently used in political commentary to describe 'filibustering' or delaying parliamentary votes. The phrase is understood but less frequent than in Brazil or Portugal; 'demorar' or 'atrasar' are often preferred in daily speech. The phrase reflects a shared cultural understanding that time can be 'manipulated' through social performance, a key part of navigating bureaucracy.
Use with 'estar'
It's most natural to use it in the continuous form: 'Ele está fazendo cera'.
Not for candles
If you are actually making a candle, use 'produzir velas' or 'trabalhar com cera' to avoid confusion.
Significado
To delay or procrastinate, avoiding doing something directly.
Use with 'estar'
It's most natural to use it in the continuous form: 'Ele está fazendo cera'.
Not for candles
If you are actually making a candle, use 'produzir velas' or 'trabalhar com cera' to avoid confusion.
Sports context
If you're watching a game with Brazilians, shouting 'Para de fazer cera!' at the TV is a great way to sound native.
Regionality
In Brazil, 'enrolar' is more common in daily life, but 'fazer cera' is the king of the football stadium.
Ponte a prueba
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'fazer cera'.
O time visitante está ________ desde o primeiro tempo para segurar o 0 a 0.
The present continuous 'está fazendo cera' is needed to describe an ongoing action.
Which situation best describes 'fazer cera'?
Qual dessas situações é um exemplo de 'fazer cera'?
Stalling in sports is the classic example of 'fazer cera'.
Complete the dialogue.
Chefe: 'Você já enviou o e-mail?' Funcionário: 'Ainda não, estou conferindo os anexos...' Chefe: 'Pare de ________ e envie logo!'
After 'pare de', we use the infinitive 'fazer cera'.
Match the idiom to the context.
Match 'Fazer cera' with its best synonym in a Brazilian context.
'Enrolar' is the most common synonym for stalling in Brazil.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Fazer Cera vs. Procrastinar
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosO time visitante está ________ desde o primeiro tempo para segurar o 0 a 0.
The present continuous 'está fazendo cera' is needed to describe an ongoing action.
Qual dessas situações é um exemplo de 'fazer cera'?
Stalling in sports is the classic example of 'fazer cera'.
Chefe: 'Você já enviou o e-mail?' Funcionário: 'Ainda não, estou conferindo os anexos...' Chefe: 'Pare de ________ e envie logo!'
After 'pare de', we use the infinitive 'fazer cera'.
Match 'Fazer cera' with its best synonym in a Brazilian context.
'Enrolar' is the most common synonym for stalling in Brazil.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
14 preguntasIt's not a swear word, but it is a criticism. Calling someone out for 'fazer cera' implies they are being lazy or dishonest about their time.
No, it's too informal. Use 'procrastinar' or 'gestão de tempo' if you need to talk about delays.
Usually, yes. You wouldn't say a computer is 'fazendo cera' if it's slow; you'd say it's 'travando' or 'lento'.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but 'ir direto ao ponto' (go straight to the point) or 'ser ágil' (be agile) work well.
Yes, it is very common in Portugal, often used in the same contexts as in Brazil.
It comes from shoemakers who would spend too much time waxing thread to avoid harder work.
No, the idiom is fixed as 'fazer cera'. Adding 'a' changes the meaning to literal waxing.
It's an informal idiom, but it's widely accepted and not considered 'heavy' slang.
Only if they are late because they were stalling. If they just missed the bus, it's not 'fazer cera'.
Yes, especially in sports news or political opinion pieces.
Yes: 'Ele fez cera ontem'.
Not really. You don't say 'a cera dele foi longa'. You stay with the verb phrase.
No, that would be 'cometer um erro' or 'dar um vacilo'.
No, 'cera' (wax) and 'cerveja' (beer) are unrelated.
Frases relacionadas
Enrolar
synonymTo stall, procrastinate, or be vague.
Cozinhar o galo
similarTo stall for a long time.
Empurrar com a barriga
similarTo procrastinate on a problem.
Ganhar tempo
similarTo gain/buy time.
Pisar no freio
contrastTo slow down.
