A1 Idiom خنثی

Estar na ponta da língua.

Be on the tip of one's tongue.

معنی

To almost remember something but not quite recall it.

🌍

زمینه فرهنگی

Brazilians often accompany this phrase with a physical gesture: tapping their chin or actually pointing to their tongue to emphasize the physical frustration. In Portugal, the phrase is used identically, but the pronunciation of 'ponta' has a more closed 'o' sound compared to the open Brazilian 'o'. In Luanda, you might hear this in 'Musseques' (neighborhoods) mixed with local slang, but the core idiom remains a pillar of formal and informal Portuguese. In Cape Verdean Portuguese, the idiom is often used in the context of storytelling (tradition of 'stórias'), where a narrator might 'lose' a word to build suspense.

💡

Buy Time

Use this phrase to avoid 'um' and 'uh' sounds. It makes you sound more fluent even when you forget words.

⚠️

Don't say 'no'

Remember: 'na ponta' (feminine). 'No ponta' is a common gender error.

معنی

To almost remember something but not quite recall it.

💡

Buy Time

Use this phrase to avoid 'um' and 'uh' sounds. It makes you sound more fluent even when you forget words.

⚠️

Don't say 'no'

Remember: 'na ponta' (feminine). 'No ponta' is a common gender error.

خودت رو بسنج

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'estar' and the preposition.

O nome do professor ___ ___ ponta da língua.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: está na

We use 'está' for temporary states and 'na' because 'ponta' is feminine.

Which sentence means you ALMOST remember something?

Qual frase está correta?

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: A palavra está na ponta da língua.

This is the idiomatic way to say you almost remember.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Como se chama aquele café? B: Hum... ____!

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Está na ponta da língua

This is the natural response when you can't recall a name immediately.

Match the phrase to the situation.

Situation: You are in an interview and forget a technical term.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Estar na ponta da língua

It describes the temporary lapse of memory.

🎉 امتیاز: /4

ابزارهای بصری یادگیری

بانک تمرین

4 تمرین‌ها
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'estar' and the preposition. جای خالی A1

O nome do professor ___ ___ ponta da língua.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: está na

We use 'está' for temporary states and 'na' because 'ponta' is feminine.

Which sentence means you ALMOST remember something? Choose A1

Qual frase está correta?

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: A palavra está na ponta da língua.

This is the idiomatic way to say you almost remember.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion A2

A: Como se chama aquele café? B: Hum... ____!

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Está na ponta da língua

This is the natural response when you can't recall a name immediately.

Match the phrase to the situation. situation_matching B1

Situation: You are in an interview and forget a technical term.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Estar na ponta da língua

It describes the temporary lapse of memory.

🎉 امتیاز: /4

سوالات متداول

10 سوال

Yes, it is most commonly used for names and specific nouns.

It is 'na', which is the contraction of 'em' (in/on) + 'a' (the).

Yes, it is perfectly polite and used in all social circles.

'Estar' is for the word being stuck; 'Ter' is for the person being ready to speak.

Yes, it is 100% common in Portugal as well.

No, 'língua' is feminine, so it would be 'da minha língua', but usually we just say 'da língua'.

In Brazil, people just say 'Tá na ponta!' for short.

Usually, it's for a word or a short idea, not a long speech.

No, it implies you will remember very soon.

Yes, to explain a temporary lapse in a presentation.

عبارات مرتبط

🔗

Saber de cor

contrast

To know by heart.

🔗

Dar um branco

similar

To have a mind blank.

🔗

Ter a língua afiada

specialized form

To be sarcastic or sharp-tongued.

🔗

Falar pelos cotovelos

similar

To talk a lot (through the elbows).

مفید بود؟
هنوز نظری وجود ندارد. اولین نفری باشید که افکار خود را به اشتراک می‌گذارد!