Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'É barato' to point out that an item or service has a low, affordable price.
- Means: It is cheap / It's inexpensive.
- Used in: Markets, stores, and when comparing costs with friends.
- Don't confuse: 'Barato' (cheap) with 'Barata' (cockroach) unless describing a feminine noun!
Explication à ton niveau :
Signification
States that something has a low price.
Contexte culturel
Bargaining (pechinchar) is an art form. Even if something 'é barato', a Brazilian might still ask for a discount just for the social interaction. The phrase 'bom e barato' is a gold standard for restaurants (tascas). Finding a place that is 'barato' but has high-quality food is a point of pride. In Luanda, where the cost of living can be very high, finding something that 'é barato' is rare and often discussed with excitement. Similar to other Lusophone African countries, 'barato' is used in informal markets (dumbanengues) where price negotiation is key.
Use the Diminutive
Use 'baratinho' when you want to sound more friendly and enthusiastic about a deal.
Gender Agreement
Always check if the noun is feminine (ending in -a) to change 'barato' to 'barata'.
Use the Diminutive
Use 'baratinho' when you want to sound more friendly and enthusiastic about a deal.
Gender Agreement
Always check if the noun is feminine (ending in -a) to change 'barato' to 'barata'.
The Slang Factor
If a Brazilian says 'Que barato!', they aren't talking about money. They think something is cool!
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form for: 'The house (a casa) is cheap.'
A casa ____.
'Casa' is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'barata'.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'barato'.
Os livros nesta loja são muito _______.
'Livros' is masculine plural.
What would you say if a price is low only for today?
Vendedor: Hoje o arroz está em promoção! Você: Que bom! Hoje o arroz ____ ______.
Use 'estar' for temporary states like sales.
Match the phrase to the context.
Context: You are in a Brazilian club and hear a great song.
In Brazil, 'Que barato' is slang for 'How cool'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Ser vs Estar with Barato
Gender Agreement
Masculine (-o)
- • O carro
- • O livro
- • O pão
Feminine (-a)
- • A casa
- • A blusa
- • A fruta
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesA casa ____.
'Casa' is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'barata'.
Os livros nesta loja são muito _______.
'Livros' is masculine plural.
Vendedor: Hoje o arroz está em promoção! Você: Que bom! Hoje o arroz ____ ______.
Use 'estar' for temporary states like sales.
Context: You are in a Brazilian club and hear a great song.
In Brazil, 'Que barato' is slang for 'How cool'.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it's insulting. It implies the person has low morals or is 'easy'.
'Em conta' is slightly more formal and polite, often used in business or by older people.
Not necessarily, but the proverb 'O barato sai caro' suggests that sometimes it does.
Use 'mais barato'. For example: 'Este é mais barato'.
Yes, it is used exactly the same way for prices in Portugal.
The opposite is 'caro' (expensive).
Yes, it means 'very cheap'.
It's a diminutive that makes the phrase sound more casual, cute, or emphasizes the low price.
As a noun, yes. As an adjective, it just means 'cheap' for a feminine object.
Just change your intonation: 'É barato?'
Expressions liées
Em conta
synonymAffordable
Caro
contrastExpensive
Pechincha
builds onA bargain
De graça
specialized formFor free
Acessível
synonymAccessible/Affordable
Où l'utiliser
At the Street Market
Vendedor: Três quilos de laranja por cinco reais!
Cliente: Nossa, é muito barato! Vou levar.
Shopping for Clothes
Amiga A: Gostou desta blusa?
Amiga B: Sim, e o preço é ótimo. É barata!
Booking a Hotel
Viajante: Este hostel é barato?
Recepcionista: Sim, é o mais barato da cidade.
Talking about Gas Prices
Motorista: A gasolina está barata hoje.
Passageiro: Verdade, vamos aproveitar para abastecer.
Reacting to a Cool Idea (Brazil)
Pedro: Vamos acampar na praia no fim de semana?
Lucas: Que barato! Eu topo.
Ordering Food
Usuário: O frete deste app é barato?
Amigo: Sim, é apenas dois reais.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of a 'BARGAIN' at a 'BAR' - 'BAR-ato'.
Association visuelle
Imagine a bright yellow price tag with a very small number on it, sitting on top of a loaf of bread.
Rhyme
Se é barato, eu coloco no prato! (If it's cheap, I put it on my plate!)
Story
You walk into a store in Lisbon. You see a beautiful shirt. You look at the tag and it says 5 Euros. You smile and tell the clerk, 'É barato!'
In Other Languages
In Spanish, it is exactly the same: 'Es barato'. In Italian, it is 'È economico' or 'A buon mercato'.
Word Web
Défi
Go to an online Brazilian or Portuguese supermarket website (like Pão de Açúcar or Continente) and find 5 items that you think are 'baratos'. Say the phrase out loud for each.
Review this every time you look at a price tag today.
Prononciation
Open 'e' sound, like 'met' in English.
Standard 'ba' sound.
Tapped 'r', like the 'tt' in 'better' (American English).
In most dialects, the final 'o' sounds like a soft 'u'.
Spectre de formalité
O valor é bastante acessível. (General pricing)
É barato. (General pricing)
É baratinho. (General pricing)
É de graça! / É uma pechincha! (General pricing)
From the Spanish 'barato', which comes from the verb 'baratar' (to exchange, to cheat), originating from Vulgar Latin 'barattare'.
Le savais-tu ?
The word 'barrister' in English and 'barataria' in Spanish share a distant ancestor related to the 'deception' side of this word's history!
Notes culturelles
Bargaining (pechinchar) is an art form. Even if something 'é barato', a Brazilian might still ask for a discount just for the social interaction.
“Está barato, mas faz por dez reais?”
The phrase 'bom e barato' is a gold standard for restaurants (tascas). Finding a place that is 'barato' but has high-quality food is a point of pride.
“Aquela tasca é boa e barata.”
In Luanda, where the cost of living can be very high, finding something that 'é barato' is rare and often discussed with excitement.
“No mercado do Roque Santeiro era mais barato.”
Similar to other Lusophone African countries, 'barato' is used in informal markets (dumbanengues) where price negotiation is key.
“Este peixe é barato e fresco.”
Amorces de conversation
Você acha que viajar para o Brasil é barato?
Onde você compra roupas baratas?
Qual foi a última pechincha que você encontrou?
Você concorda que 'o barato sai caro'?
Erreurs courantes
O maçã é barato.
A maçã é barata.
L1 Interference
Eu sou barato.
O preço é barato.
L1 Interference
É barata.
É barato.
L1 Interference
Está barato.
É barato.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Es barato
Virtually no difference in the primary sense.
C'est bon marché
French uses a fixed phrase, Portuguese uses a flexible adjective.
Es ist billig
German 'billig' has a stronger negative connotation.
安いです (Yasui desu)
Japanese adjectives have their own conjugations (past tense, negative), unlike Portuguese.
إنه رخيص (Innahu rakhees)
Sentence structure (VSO/SVO) differs significantly.
很便宜 (Hěn piányi)
Chinese lacks gender agreement and verb 'to be' in this context.
싸요 (Ssayeyo)
Korean uses levels of politeness (honorifics) which Portuguese handles via 'você/senhor'.
É barato / É em conta
The slang 'cool' meaning is specific to Brazil.
Spotted in the Real World
“A gente fomos comer um feijão...”
A famous Brazilian song about a cheap, fun date in a Brasília (car).
“Quer pagar quanto?”
A massive retail chain in Brazil famous for low prices.
“Isso é muito barato!”
The character Julius is obsessed with prices and finding things that are 'barato'.
Facile à confondre
Learners confuse the feminine adjective with the noun 'barata' (cockroach).
Context is key! If you are in a restaurant and say 'A sopa é barata', you are talking about the price. If you point and scream 'Uma barata!', you found a bug.
Learners try to say 'preço baixo' as 'preço barato'.
The price is 'baixo' (low), but the object is 'barato' (cheap).
Questions fréquentes (10)
No, it's insulting. It implies the person has low morals or is 'easy'.
common mistakes'Em conta' is slightly more formal and polite, often used in business or by older people.
comparisonsNot necessarily, but the proverb 'O barato sai caro' suggests that sometimes it does.
basic understandingUse 'mais barato'. For example: 'Este é mais barato'.
grammar mechanicsYes, it is used exactly the same way for prices in Portugal.
cultural usageThe opposite is 'caro' (expensive).
basic understandingYes, it means 'very cheap'.
grammar mechanicsIt's a diminutive that makes the phrase sound more casual, cute, or emphasizes the low price.
practical tipsAs a noun, yes. As an adjective, it just means 'cheap' for a feminine object.
common mistakesJust change your intonation: 'É barato?'
practical tips
