bomba در ۳۰ ثانیه
- A mechanical device (pump) for fuel, water, or air.
- A dangerous explosive device used in weapons or construction.
- Informal slang for failing a test or academic grade.
- Metaphorical term for shocking news, scandals, or powerful soccer kicks.
The Portuguese word bomba is a fascinatingly versatile noun that every learner must master, as its meaning shifts dramatically depending on the context. At its most basic, physical level, a bomba refers to a mechanical device designed to move fluids—liquids or gases—from one place to another. This includes the bomba de combustível (gas pump) you find at a station, the bomba de água (water pump) in a building's plumbing system, or even the biological bomba cardíaca (the heart) that keeps us alive. In these contexts, the word is utilitarian and common in everyday technical and domestic life.
- Mechanical Utility
- Refers to devices like fuel dispensers, water siphons, or air pumps for bicycle tires.
However, the word takes a darker turn when referring to an explosive device. Just like in English, a bomba is a weapon designed to detonate. You will see this in news reports regarding ameaças de bomba (bomb threats) or historical accounts of wars. Interestingly, this 'explosive' quality transitions into the social and professional spheres. In Brazil and Portugal, if someone says 'Tenho uma bomba para te contar!', they are not literally carrying an explosive; they are about to drop a piece of shocking news or a major scandal. This metaphorical 'bomb' is something that will cause a massive reaction or 'explode' in a social circle.
A bomba de gasolina estava quebrada, então não pude abastecer o carro.
Furthermore, bomba has specific slang uses that can catch a student off guard. In an academic setting, particularly in Portugal and Brazil, levar bomba means to fail an exam or a course miserably. It implies a catastrophic failure that 'blows up' your academic progress. In the world of fitness and bodybuilding, bomba is a common slang term for anabolic steroids—substances that 'blow up' muscle size. Finally, in the culinary world, a bomba (or more specifically, a bomba de chocolate) is a delicious cream-filled pastry, similar to an éclair, which 'explodes' with flavor in your mouth.
- Academic Slang
- 'Levar bomba' is the common expression for failing a test or a grade level.
Ele tomou bomba na prova de matemática e terá que repetir o ano.
- Culinary Context
- In many bakeries, a 'bomba de chocolate' is the standard name for a chocolate éclair.
A padaria da esquina faz a melhor bomba de creme da cidade.
Using bomba correctly requires an understanding of the verbs that typically accompany it. When dealing with the mechanical sense, you will often use verbs like ligar (to turn on), desligar (to turn off), or consertar (to repair). For instance, 'O mecânico ligou a bomba para drenar a água' (The mechanic turned on the pump to drain the water). This is straightforward and follows standard Portuguese syntax for objects and tools.
- Fuel and Gas
- When at a gas station (posto de gasolina), you wait at the 'bomba' to 'abastecer' (refuel).
Pare o carro próximo à bomba número quatro, por favor.
In the context of explosives, the verbs armar (to set/arm), desarmar (to defuse), and explodir (to explode) are essential. Note that explodir can be used both transitively (someone explodes the bomb) and intransitively (the bomb explodes). For example: 'O esquadrão antibombas desarmou o dispositivo' (The bomb squad defused the device). This usage is very similar to English, making it relatively easy for English speakers to grasp the sentence structure.
A notícia da demissão do diretor caiu como uma bomba na empresa.
The metaphorical use regarding news often employs the verb soltar (to release/let go). To 'soltar uma bomba' is to reveal shocking news. Similarly, the expression cair como uma bomba (to fall like a bomb) describes the impact that news has on a group of people. If you are talking about academic failure, the verb is almost always levar (to take/carry) or tomar (to take/drink). 'Levar bomba' is the idiomatic way to say you failed. You wouldn't say 'eu falhei no teste' as often as you would say 'eu levei bomba'.
- News Disclosure
- 'Soltar uma bomba' means to announce something that will cause a stir.
O jornalista soltou uma bomba sobre a corrupção no governo.
- Health and Fitness
- 'Estar na bomba' or 'tomar bomba' refers to using performance-enhancing drugs.
Muitos atletas foram pegos no exame porque estavam tomando bomba.
In your daily life in a Portuguese-speaking country, you will encounter bomba in very specific locations. The most common is the posto de combustível. When you pull up to get gas, the attendant (frentista) might ask, 'Qual bomba?' referring to which pump you are parked at. You'll also see signs for bomba de ar near the service area where you can inflate your tires. It's a word embedded in the infrastructure of travel and transport.
- The Gas Station
- The 'bomba de gasolina' is the central point of interaction at any Brazilian or Portuguese 'posto'.
A bomba parou de funcionar antes de o tanque estar cheio.
If you are a student or work in education, you will hear bomba during the época de exames (exam season). Students will nervously discuss the possibility of 'levando bomba' in difficult subjects like Physics or Mathematics. In this context, it carries a heavy emotional weight, representing the fear of failure. Teachers might also use it colloquially when discussing pass/fail rates in the teachers' lounge. It is the ultimate student nightmare summarized in a single word.
Se eu não estudar para a final, vou levar bomba com certeza.
The media is another place where bomba is ubiquitous. Sensationalist news programs and gossip magazines (revistas de fofoca) love this word. Headlines like 'A bomba do dia!' or 'Exclusivo: A bomba que vai mudar tudo!' are designed to grab attention. Here, bomba is synonymous with a scoop or a revelatory scandal. Similarly, in sports commentary, a powerful shot at the goal is often called a bomba or a canhão. When a player hits the ball with extreme force, the commentator might scream, 'Que bomba!', emphasizing the speed and power of the strike.
- Sports & Media
- A 'bomba' can be a powerful soccer kick or a sensationalist headline.
O atacante chutou uma bomba de fora da área e fez um golaço.
One of the most frequent errors English speakers make with bomba is misinterpreting its slang meanings based on English equivalents. For example, in English, if a movie 'bombs,' it means it was a commercial failure. In Portuguese, while 'bomba' can mean failure in an exam, you wouldn't typically say a movie 'levou bomba'. Instead, you might say it was a fracasso. Using bomba for a failing business or movie is less common than using it for a failing student.
- False Friend Trap
- Don't assume 'bomba' translates perfectly to 'bomb' in the sense of a 'bad performance' (like a bad play).
Another mistake is gender confusion. Because many mechanical tools in Portuguese can be masculine (like o motor, o compressor), learners sometimes say 'o bomba'. It is strictly a bomba. This is true even when referring to the masculine-associated world of bodybuilding or explosives. Always pair it with feminine articles and adjectives: a bomba potente, uma bomba perigosa.
Errado: O bomba de água quebrou.
Correto: A bomba de água quebrou.
There is also a risk of overusing the word in formal contexts. While bomba is the correct term for a pump, using it as slang for 'shocking news' in a formal business report would be inappropriate. In professional settings, use notícia impactante or revelação surpreendente. Using 'bomba' in a corporate meeting to describe a competitor's move might sound too informal or dramatic, depending on the company culture.
- Register & Formality
- Avoid 'bomba' in formal writing unless you are literally talking about pumps or explosives.
Na reunião, ele disse: 'Tenho uma bomba'. (Too informal for some boards).
- Confusion with 'Bombom'
- Do not confuse 'bomba' (pump/bomb/pastry) with 'bombom' (a chocolate candy/truffle).
Eu comprei uma bomba (pastry) vs. Eu comprei um bombom (small chocolate).
Depending on what you mean by bomba, several other Portuguese words might be more precise. If you are referring to the action of pumping, the verb bombear is your best friend. If you are looking for a synonym for an explosive in a technical sense, artefato explosivo is the term used by police and military. For a general 'explosion,' use explosão.
- Bomba vs. Explosivo
- 'Bomba' is the object; 'explosivo' is the substance or a more formal term for the device.
When talking about shocking news, alternatives include escândalo (scandal), fofoca (gossip), or novidade (news/novelty). If the news is specifically a 'scoop' in journalism, the word is furo. For example: 'O repórter conseguiu um furo de reportagem' (The reporter got a scoop). This is much more professional than saying they 'got a bomb.'
O escândalo político foi a grande bomba do ano.
In the context of the pastry, you might hear it called an éclair in more upscale or French-influenced bakeries in Brazil, though bomba remains the traditional name. In Portugal, you might also hear fartura or sonho for other types of fried/filled pastries, though they are technically different. For failing an exam, while levar bomba is common, the more formal term is reprovar. 'Eu reprovei em matemática' is what you would say to your parents if you wanted to sound more serious and less like you're using street slang.
- Bomba vs. Reprovação
- 'Levar bomba' is slang; 'reprovar' is the standard academic verb for failing.
Ele reprovou por falta, não por nota.
نکته جالب
The word originally described the sound of the explosion before it described the device itself. The mechanical 'pump' meaning came later, likely due to the rhythmic sound or the force associated with early pumps.
راهنمای تلفظ
- Pronouncing it like the English 'bomb' (ending with a silent 'b'). In Portuguese, you must pronounce the 'ba'.
- Opening the 'o' too much. It should be a closed, nasalized 'o' /õ/.
- Forgetting the nasal sound. The 'm' after the 'o' makes the vowel nasal.
- Misplacing the stress on the second syllable.
- Confusing it with 'bambú' (bamboo).
مثالها بر اساس سطح
A bomba de gasolina está ali.
The gas pump is over there.
Simple subject-verb-adverb structure.
Eu preciso de uma bomba para a bicicleta.
I need a pump for the bicycle.
Use of 'precisar de' with 'bomba'.
A bomba de água é nova.
The water pump is new.
Feminine agreement: 'a bomba' and 'nova'.
Onde está a bomba?
Where is the pump?
Standard 'onde está' question.
A bomba parou.
The pump stopped.
Simple past tense of 'parar'.
Esta bomba é para diesel.
This pump is for diesel.
Demonstrative 'esta' matching feminine 'bomba'.
A bomba é azul.
The pump is blue.
Basic color adjective agreement.
Eu vejo a bomba.
I see the pump.
Simple transitive verb 'ver'.
Eu comprei uma bomba de chocolate.
I bought a chocolate éclair.
Culinary use of 'bomba'.
O bombeiro usa a bomba de água.
The firefighter uses the water pump.
Noun 'bombeiro' is related to 'bomba'.
A notícia da bomba estava no jornal.
The news of the bomb was in the newspaper.
Literal explosive meaning.
A bomba do pneu quebrou.
The tire pump broke.
Genitive 'do pneu' (of the tire).
Eles encontraram uma bomba antiga.
They found an old bomb.
Adjective 'antiga' following the noun.
A bomba de ar é manual.
The air pump is manual.
Classification 'de ar' (of air).
O coração é uma bomba natural.
The heart is a natural pump.
Metaphorical but biological usage.
Não fume perto da bomba.
Don't smoke near the pump.
Imperative 'não fume'.
João levou bomba na prova de história.
João failed the history test.
Slang 'levar bomba' meaning to fail.
Ela soltou uma bomba durante o jantar.
She dropped a bombshell during dinner.
Idiom 'soltar uma bomba'.
A bomba de vácuo é essencial para este processo.
The vacuum pump is essential for this process.
Technical term 'bomba de vácuo'.
O escândalo foi uma bomba para a carreira dele.
The scandal was a bomb for his career.
Metaphor for career destruction.
Preciso consertar a bomba do poço.
I need to fix the well pump.
Infinitive 'consertar' after 'preciso'.
Ninguém esperava aquela bomba política.
No one expected that political bombshell.
Adjective 'política' modifying 'bomba'.
A bomba explodiu à meia-noite.
The bomb exploded at midnight.
Past tense 'explodiu'.
O pneu está vazio, cadê a bomba?
The tire is flat, where is the pump?
Colloquial 'cadê' for 'where is'.
O jogador chutou uma bomba e marcou o gol.
The player kicked a 'bomb' (powerful shot) and scored the goal.
Sports slang for a powerful kick.
Dizem que ele toma bomba para ficar forte.
They say he takes steroids to get strong.
Slang 'tomar bomba' for steroids.
A bomba de infusão controla a medicação.
The infusion pump controls the medication.
Medical terminology.
A notícia caiu como uma bomba na vizinhança.
The news hit the neighborhood like a bombshell.
Simile 'cair como uma bomba'.
A polícia desarmou a bomba a tempo.
The police defused the bomb in time.
Verb 'desarmar' (to defuse).
A bomba de calor é uma opção sustentável.
The heat pump is a sustainable option.
Environmental/technical term.
Ele foi reprovado, levou bomba em três matérias.
He failed; he flunked three subjects.
Combining 'reprovado' and 'levar bomba'.
A bomba atômica mudou a história do mundo.
The atomic bomb changed world history.
Specific historical term.
O editorial do jornal foi uma verdadeira bomba contra o governo.
The newspaper editorial was a real bombshell against the government.
Metaphorical use in political discourse.
A bomba hidráulica falhou devido à falta de manutenção.
The hydraulic pump failed due to lack of maintenance.
Technical engineering context.
O autor utiliza a 'bomba' como metáfora para a repressão.
The author uses the 'bomb' as a metaphor for repression.
Literary analysis context.
Houve uma ameaça de bomba no aeroporto internacional.
There was a bomb threat at the international airport.
Compound noun 'ameaça de bomba'.
A inflação é uma bomba relógio para a economia.
Inflation is a ticking time bomb for the economy.
Idiomatic 'bomba relógio' (time bomb).
Eles instalaram uma bomba de recalque no edifício.
They installed a booster pump in the building.
Specific technical term 'bomba de recalque'.
O anúncio da fusão das empresas foi a bomba do setor financeiro.
The announcement of the company merger was the bombshell of the financial sector.
Sector-specific slang.
A bomba de sódio-potássio é vital para o funcionamento celular.
The sodium-potassium pump is vital for cellular function.
Scientific/Biological term.
A retórica bombástica do palestrante ocultava a falta de conteúdo.
The speaker's bombastic rhetoric hid the lack of content.
Use of the derived adjective 'bombástico'.
O bombardeio mediático influenciou a opinião pública.
The media bombardment influenced public opinion.
Related noun 'bombardeio'.
A desativação da bomba exige uma precisão quase cirúrgica.
The deactivation of the bomb requires almost surgical precision.
High-level vocabulary 'desativação' and 'cirúrgica'.
A descoberta de corrupção foi a bomba que implodiu a coalizão.
The discovery of corruption was the bomb that imploded the coalition.
Advanced metaphor using 'implodir'.
O sistema de arrefecimento depende de uma bomba centrífuga.
The cooling system depends on a centrifugal pump.
Highly technical 'bomba centrífuga'.
O escândalo da 'bomba' de esteroides manchou a imagem do clube.
The steroid 'bomb' scandal tarnished the club's image.
Nuanced use of slang in a formal sentence.
A poesia dele é uma bomba de sentimentos contraditórios.
His poetry is a bomb of contradictory feelings.
Abstract literary use.
A falha na bomba de combustível causou a queda do caça.
The failure in the fuel pump caused the fighter jet to crash.
Technical/Aviation context.
ترکیبهای رایج
عبارات رایج
— Stun grenade or flashbang; also used metaphorically for a warning.
A polícia usou bombas de efeito moral.
— To have a huge, usually negative, impact.
A notícia da falência caiu como uma bomba.
— To give a powerful kick (sports) or to fail someone (teacher to student).
O professor deu uma bomba em metade da turma.
اصطلاحات و عبارات
— To reveal a shocking or scandalous secret.
O diretor soltou uma bomba na reunião.
Informal— To be received with great shock or surprise.
A demissão caiu como uma bomba.
Neutral— A situation that is bound to become dangerous or explosive soon.
Aquele prédio velho é uma bomba relógio.
Neutral— To be taking anabolic steroids.
Ele cresceu muito rápido, deve estar na bomba.
Slang— To fail a student (used by teachers).
Aquele professor dá bomba em todo mundo.
Informal— To stay behind (fail) in school.
Ele ficou na bomba este ano.
Informal (Portugal)— To kick a ball with extreme force.
O atacante chutou uma bomba de longe.
Informal/Sportsخانواده کلمه
اسمها
فعلها
صفتها
مرتبط
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Think of a 'BOMba' as something that makes a 'BOOM'. Whether it's a gas pump filling a tank or a bomb exploding, there's always pressure and sound.
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a gas station pump shaped like a giant chocolate éclair (bomba de chocolate). It helps you link the mechanical and culinary meanings.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Try to use 'bomba' in three different ways today: once for a machine, once for news, and once for food.
ریشه کلمه
Derived from the Latin 'bombus' and the Greek 'bombos', which originally meant a booming, humming, or buzzing sound.
معنای اصلی: A loud, booming noise.
Indo-European (Hellenic/Italic roots).بافت فرهنگی
English speakers often use 'bomb' for a failure (a movie bombs), but in Portuguese, 'bomba' is specifically for failing an exam or being shocking news.
Summary
The word 'bomba' is highly contextual; it can be a tool at a gas station, a weapon, a delicious pastry, or slang for failing school. Always look at where you are to know which 'bomba' people mean.
- A mechanical device (pump) for fuel, water, or air.
- A dangerous explosive device used in weapons or construction.
- Informal slang for failing a test or academic grade.
- Metaphorical term for shocking news, scandals, or powerful soccer kicks.
محتوای مرتبط
این کلمه در زبانهای دیگر
واژههای بیشتر travel
a aterragem
A2The act of an aircraft descending to the ground; landing.
a conta, por favor
A2The bill, please.
a pé
A2من هر روز پیاده به مدرسه می روم. پیاده رفتن بهتر است.
abarrotado
A2پر شده تا ظرفیت؛ شلوغ یا پر. برای مکانها، وسایل نقلیه یا ظروف که دیگر فضایی ندارند استفاده میشود.
abastecer
A2تأمین کردن مایحتاج، مانند بنزین زدن به خودرو.
abertura
A2گشایش؛ عمل شروع کردن یا باز کردن چیزی. همچنین به معنای شکاف است.
acertado
A2این یک تصمیم بسیار درست (acertada) بود.
acessórios
A2Additional items, typically small, that complement something else.
acidente
A2تصادف یک رویداد غیرمنتظره و ناگوار است که اغلب باعث آسیب یا خسارت می شود. این کلمه در بسیاری از زمینه ها، از تصادفات رانندگی گرفته تا حوادث کاری، استفاده می شود.
acolá
A2آنجا، در آن دوردست. 'کوه در آنجا (acolá) است.'
