Significado
To be extremely happy and excited.
Contexto cultural
In Brazil, this phrase is often accompanied by expansive physical gestures—wide smiles, hugs, and even jumping. It aligns with the 'cordial man' archetype (homem cordial), where emotions are worn on the sleeve. In Portugal, while the expression is the same, the 'contente' part might be expressed more through a deep, quiet glow of satisfaction, reflecting a more reserved but equally intense emotional life. In African Lusophone countries, the phrase is used in formal education and literature to describe the joy of independence or community achievements. Classic authors like Machado de Assis used this phrase to describe the internal psychological states of their characters, often with a touch of irony.
Use with 'Si'
Always remember that 'si' is the most common form because we usually describe others with this idiom, but 'mim' is essential for personal stories.
Irregular Verb Alert
Don't say 'cabo'. It's 'caibo'. This is a classic mistake even for some native children.
Significado
To be extremely happy and excited.
Use with 'Si'
Always remember that 'si' is the most common form because we usually describe others with this idiom, but 'mim' is essential for personal stories.
Irregular Verb Alert
Don't say 'cabo'. It's 'caibo'. This is a classic mistake even for some native children.
Social Media Ready
This is one of the best idioms for Instagram captions. It sounds more heartfelt and 'premium' than just saying 'muito feliz'.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb 'caber' in the present tense.
Eu não _______ em mim de contente com o meu novo carro!
The first person singular of 'caber' is 'caibo'.
Choose the correct reflexive pronoun to complete the sentence.
Eles não cabem em _______ de contente.
The reflexive pronoun for the third person (singular or plural) is 'si'.
Complete the dialogue with the most appropriate phrase.
A: 'A Maria ganhou a bolsa de estudos!' B: 'Que maravilha! Ela não deve estar _______.'
The gerund 'cabendo' fits the continuous state, and the full idiom requires 'em si de'.
Match the situation to the correct use of the idiom.
Which situation best fits 'Não caber em si de contente'?
The idiom is reserved for major, high-intensity moments of joy.
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'caber' in the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito).
Ontem, quando recebi a notícia, eu não _______ em mim de contente.
'Coube' is the irregular preterite form for 'eu' and 'ele/ela'.
🎉 Puntuación: /5
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
5 ejerciciosEu não _______ em mim de contente com o meu novo carro!
The first person singular of 'caber' is 'caibo'.
Eles não cabem em _______ de contente.
The reflexive pronoun for the third person (singular or plural) is 'si'.
A: 'A Maria ganhou a bolsa de estudos!' B: 'Que maravilha! Ela não deve estar _______.'
The gerund 'cabendo' fits the continuous state, and the full idiom requires 'em si de'.
Which situation best fits 'Não caber em si de contente'?
The idiom is reserved for major, high-intensity moments of joy.
Ontem, quando recebi a notícia, eu não _______ em mim de contente.
'Coube' is the irregular preterite form for 'eu' and 'ele/ela'.
🎉 Puntuación: /5
Preguntas frecuentes
4 preguntasTechnically possible but very rare. Usually, we use 'não caber em si de dor' or 'desespero' in very dramatic literature. For sadness, it's better to use 'estar inconsolável'.
'Contente' is often seen as a temporary state of satisfaction, while 'feliz' is deeper. However, in this idiom, 'contente' is elevated to mean extreme joy.
It would be 'Nós não cabemos em nós de contente', but it sounds a bit clunky. Natives often say 'Nós estamos que não cabemos em nós'.
Not at all. It is timeless. You will find it in 19th-century novels and in today's Twitter posts.
Frases relacionadas
Estar nas nuvens
synonymTo be in the clouds (extremely happy/distracted by joy).
Estar radiante
similarTo be radiant.
Pular de alegria
similarTo jump for joy.
Estar com o rei na barriga
contrastTo think one is very important (arrogant).
