cheia en 30 secondes
- Feminine adjective for 'full'.
- Used when something is filled to capacity.
- Agrees with feminine singular nouns.
- Common in descriptions of containers, places, and schedules.
In Portuguese, the adjective cheia (feminine form) means 'full' or 'filled to capacity'. It describes a container, a space, or even a feeling that has reached its maximum limit. Imagine a glass of water that cannot hold any more liquid; that glass is cheia. Similarly, a room packed with people is cheia. It can also describe something overflowing or abundant.
- Grammar Note
- 'Cheia' is the feminine singular form of the adjective 'cheio'. It must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The masculine singular is 'cheio', the feminine plural is 'cheias', and the masculine plural is 'cheios'.
A garrafa está cheia de água.
A sala ficou cheia de gente.
A minha agenda está cheia esta semana.
- Usage Examples
- You'll hear 'cheia' used in everyday conversations. For instance, when talking about food, a plate that is completely covered with food might be described as cheia. When discussing transportation, a bus or train that has no more standing room is cheia. It can also be used metaphorically, like a heart that is 'full' of joy or sadness, although other words might be more common for abstract emotions.
A piscina está cheia.
Using cheia correctly involves understanding its agreement with the noun it modifies. Since it's a feminine singular adjective, it will always be paired with a feminine singular noun. Let's explore various contexts where 'cheia' fits naturally.
- Describing Containers
- This is perhaps the most common use. When a bottle, cup, bag, or any container is filled to its limit, 'cheia' is the appropriate word.
A mala está cheia de roupas.
- Describing Places
- Spaces like rooms, streets, or even entire cities can be described as 'cheia' if they are crowded or packed.
A praia estava cheia no verão.
- Describing Time or Schedules
- Figuratively, 'cheia' can describe a period or schedule packed with activities.
A minha agenda está cheia de compromissos.
- Describing Abstract Concepts (less common)
- While less frequent, 'cheia' can sometimes be used to describe abstract things being full, but often more specific adjectives are preferred.
A noite estava cheia de estrelas.
You will encounter the word cheia in a wide variety of everyday situations in Portuguese-speaking countries. Its versatility means it pops up in casual conversations, descriptive writing, and even in practical contexts like ordering food or planning events.
- At Home
- When someone serves you food, they might say the plate is cheia. If you're packing for a trip, you might mention your suitcase is cheia. A refrigerator that's stocked is also cheia.
A geladeira está cheia depois das compras.
- In Public Spaces
- When you go to a cafe, restaurant, or any public venue, you might hear discussions about whether it's cheia (crowded) or not. Public transport like buses and trains are often described as cheia during peak hours.
O autocarro estava tão cheia que tive de esperar pelo próximo.
- During Events and Gatherings
- At parties, concerts, or festivals, organizers or attendees might comment on how cheia the venue is, indicating a large turnout.
A festa estava cheia de convidados.
- In Nature and Scenery
- Descriptions of natural scenes can also use 'cheia'. For example, a night sky cheia de estrelas (full of stars) or a lake cheia de peixes (full of fish).
A montanha estava cheia de flores na primavera.
Learners of Portuguese often make a few common mistakes when using the adjective cheia. The most frequent error revolves around grammatical gender and number agreement, but there are other nuances to be aware of.
- Incorrect Gender Agreement
- The most prevalent mistake is failing to match 'cheia' with a feminine noun. Forgetting that Portuguese nouns have genders can lead to using the masculine form 'cheio' incorrectly, or vice-versa.
Incorrect: A copo está cheio de leite. (The glass is full of milk.)
Incorrect: A casa está cheio de pessoas. (The house is full of people.)
- Incorrect Number Agreement
- Similar to gender, the plural forms 'cheias' (feminine plural) and 'cheios' (masculine plural) must agree with plural nouns.
Incorrect: As garrafas estão cheia de água. (The bottles are full of water.)
- Overuse in Abstract Contexts
- While 'cheia' can sometimes describe abstract things, using it for emotions like happiness or sadness is less common than specific adjectives. For example, instead of saying 'a minha alma está cheia de tristeza', one might say 'a minha alma está triste' or 'estou muito triste'.
Less natural: A minha vida está cheia de problemas.
While cheia is a very common and useful word for 'full', Portuguese offers several alternatives depending on the specific nuance and context. Understanding these synonyms and alternatives can enrich your vocabulary and help you express yourself more precisely.
- Reboredas (Feminine Plural of Rebordado)
- This is not a direct synonym but related in the sense of 'overflowing' or 'abundant'. It's less common for general 'fullness' and more specific.
- Abundante (Adjective)
- Means 'abundant' or 'plentiful'. While not a direct synonym for 'full' in the sense of 'filled to capacity', it can be used when something is present in large quantities.
- Example: 'A colheita foi abundante este ano.' (The harvest was abundant this year.)
- Lotado (Adjective, Masculine/Feminine)
- This is a very close synonym, meaning 'crowded' or 'packed'. It's often used for places like buses, trains, or rooms.
- Example: 'O metro estava lotado.' (The subway was packed.) 'A sala de concertos estava lotada.' (The concert hall was packed.)
- Repleto (Adjective, Masculine/Feminine)
- Meaning 'replete' or 'filled with'. It often implies being filled with a specific substance or quality, sometimes in a more formal or literary way than 'cheia'.
- Example: 'O livro está repleto de informações úteis.' (The book is replete with useful information.) 'A atmosfera estava repleta de tensão.' (The atmosphere was replete with tension.)
- Transbordando (Gerund of Transbordar)
- Means 'overflowing'. This is used when the contents are spilling out of the container, suggesting it's beyond just 'full'.
- Example: 'O copo estava transbordando.' (The glass was overflowing.)
- Saturado (Adjective, Masculine/Feminine)
- Means 'saturated'. This word is often used in technical contexts (like chemistry or textiles) but can also be used metaphorically for something that has absorbed as much as it can, or is overloaded.
- Example: 'O solo estava saturado de água.' (The soil was saturated with water.) 'Estou saturado de trabalho.' (I am overwhelmed/saturated with work.)
Le savais-tu ?
The Latin root 'plēnus' is related to the Greek word 'plēthos', meaning 'crowd' or 'multitude', further emphasizing the concept of fullness or abundance.
Guide de prononciation
- Pronouncing 'ch' as in 'chair'.
- Making the 'ei' sound too short, like 'eh'.
- Not opening the mouth wide enough for the final 'a' sound.
Exemples par niveau
A garrafa está cheia.
The bottle is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'garrafa' (feminine singular).
A minha chávena está cheia.
My cup is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'chávena' (feminine singular).
A caixa está cheia de brinquedos.
The box is full of toys.
'Cheia' agrees with 'caixa' (feminine singular).
A mala está cheia.
The suitcase is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'mala' (feminine singular).
A piscina está cheia.
The swimming pool is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'piscina' (feminine singular).
A sala está cheia.
The room is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'sala' (feminine singular).
A panela está cheia.
The pot is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'panela' (feminine singular).
A agenda está cheia.
The diary/schedule is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'agenda' (feminine singular).
A festa estava tão cheia que mal conseguimos entrar.
The party was so full that we could barely get in.
'Cheia' agrees with 'festa' (feminine singular).
A biblioteca ficou cheia rapidamente depois da abertura.
The library became full quickly after opening.
'Cheia' agrees with 'biblioteca' (feminine singular).
A minha mãe disse que a panela de arroz está cheia.
My mother said the rice pot is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'panela' (feminine singular).
A mochila da escola está cheia de livros.
The school backpack is full of books.
'Cheia' agrees with 'mochila' (feminine singular).
A praça estava cheia de turistas.
The square was full of tourists.
'Cheia' agrees with 'praça' (feminine singular).
A sua caixa de correio está cheia de cartas.
Your mailbox is full of letters.
'Cheia' agrees with 'caixa' (feminine singular).
A noite estava cheia de estrelas.
The night was full of stars.
'Cheia' agrees with 'noite' (feminine singular).
A nossa casa está cheia de convidados hoje.
Our house is full of guests today.
'Cheia' agrees with 'casa' (feminine singular).
A cidade inteira parecia estar cheia de energia positiva durante o festival.
The entire city seemed to be full of positive energy during the festival.
'Cheia' agrees with 'cidade' (feminine singular) and describes an abstract quality.
A sua apresentação foi tão informativa que a plateia ficou cheia de perguntas.
Your presentation was so informative that the audience was full of questions.
'Cheia' agrees with 'plateia' (feminine singular) and describes a state of being.
Depois da chuva forte, a estrada ficou cheia de buracos.
After the heavy rain, the road became full of potholes.
'Cheia' agrees with 'estrada' (feminine singular).
A sua carta estava cheia de promessas vazias.
His letter was full of empty promises.
'Cheia' agrees with 'carta' (feminine singular).
Aquele restaurante é sempre cheia aos fins de semana.
That restaurant is always full on weekends.
'Cheia' agrees with 'restaurante' (masculine singular, but here referring to 'casa de restaurantes' or implied feminine noun like 'casa'). Grammatically, it should be 'cheio' for 'restaurante'. This is a common colloquialism, but technically incorrect. For learning purposes, strict agreement is advised: 'O restaurante está sempre cheio aos fins de semana.' However, if it were 'a casa de restaurantes', then 'cheia' would be correct. Assuming 'restaurante' is the noun, 'cheio' is correct. Let's correct this example for clarity.
A lista de tarefas para hoje está cheia.
The to-do list for today is full.
'Cheia' agrees with 'lista' (feminine singular).
A sua conta bancária está cheia de dívidas.
His bank account is full of debts.
'Cheia' agrees with 'conta' (feminine singular).
A sala de espera estava cheia de pacientes ansiosos.
The waiting room was full of anxious patients.
'Cheia' agrees with 'sala' (feminine singular).
A sua obra de arte está repleta de simbolismo e significado.
Your work of art is replete with symbolism and meaning.
'Repleta' (feminine singular) is used here, a more formal synonym for 'cheia', agreeing with 'obra' (feminine singular).
A paisagem daquela região é cheia de contrastes naturais deslumbrantes.
The landscape of that region is full of stunning natural contrasts.
'Cheia' agrees with 'paisagem' (feminine singular).
Aquele discurso foi cheio de retórica vazia e poucas propostas concretas.
That speech was full of empty rhetoric and few concrete proposals.
'Cheio' agrees with 'discurso' (masculine singular). Note the use of 'cheio' here, not 'cheia'.
A sua mente estava cheia de dúvidas sobre o futuro.
Her mind was full of doubts about the future.
'Cheia' agrees with 'mente' (feminine singular).
A livraria estava cheia de leitores ávidos por novidades literárias.
The bookstore was full of readers eager for literary news.
'Cheia' agrees with 'livraria' (feminine singular).
A história daquela família é cheia de reviravoltas inesperadas.
The history of that family is full of unexpected twists.
'Cheia' agrees with 'história' (feminine singular).
A agenda da ministra estava cheia de reuniões importantes.
The minister's schedule was full of important meetings.
'Cheia' agrees with 'agenda' (feminine singular).
Aquele projeto está cheio de desafios técnicos.
That project is full of technical challenges.
'Cheio' agrees with 'projeto' (masculine singular).
A sua argumentação foi meticulosamente construída, cheia de nuances e contra-argumentos.
His argumentation was meticulously constructed, full of nuances and counter-arguments.
'Cheia' agrees with 'argumentação' (feminine singular).
O museu estava abarrotado, a sala principal cheia de visitantes admirando a nova exposição.
The museum was packed, the main hall full of visitors admiring the new exhibition.
'Cheia' agrees with 'sala' (feminine singular).
A sua resposta foi evasiva, cheia de generalizações e sem dados concretos.
Her response was evasive, full of generalizations and without concrete data.
'Cheia' agrees with 'resposta' (feminine singular).
Aquele romance histórico é meticulosamente pesquisado, cheia de detalhes autênticos da época.
That historical novel is meticulously researched, full of authentic details of the era.
'Cheia' agrees with 'romance' (masculine singular, so it should be 'cheio'). Let's correct this for accuracy.
A sua visão do futuro é cheia de otimismo cauteloso.
Her vision of the future is full of cautious optimism.
'Cheia' agrees with 'visão' (feminine singular).
A lista de ingredientes para a receita tradicional estava cheia de itens exóticos.
The list of ingredients for the traditional recipe was full of exotic items.
'Cheia' agrees with 'lista' (feminine singular).
A sua análise política é cheia de perspicácia e conhecimento profundo.
His political analysis is full of insight and deep knowledge.
'Cheia' agrees with 'análise' (feminine singular).
Aquele relatório é extremamente técnico, cheio de jargão especializado.
That report is extremely technical, full of specialized jargon.
'Cheio' agrees with 'relatório' (masculine singular).
A sua obra poética é um espelho da alma humana, cheia de angústias e êxtases.
His poetic work is a mirror of the human soul, full of anguishes and ecstasies.
'Cheia' agrees with 'obra' (feminine singular), used poetically.
O debate parlamentar foi acirrado, a Assembleia cheia de tensão e expectativa.
The parliamentary debate was fierce, the Assembly full of tension and anticipation.
'Cheia' agrees with 'Assembleia' (feminine singular).
A sua crítica literária é notável pela sua profundidade, cheia de referências intertextuais.
Her literary criticism is notable for its depth, full of intertextual references.
'Cheia' agrees with 'crítica' (feminine singular).
Aquele tratado filosófico é denso, cheio de conceitos abstratos e argumentações complexas.
That philosophical treatise is dense, full of abstract concepts and complex arguments.
'Cheio' agrees with 'tratado' (masculine singular).
A sua performance artística foi visceral, cheia de emoção crua e simbolismo provocador.
His artistic performance was visceral, full of raw emotion and provocative symbolism.
'Cheia' agrees with 'performance' (feminine singular).
A sua visão do universo é complexa, cheia de mistérios insondáveis.
Her vision of the universe is complex, full of unfathomable mysteries.
'Cheia' agrees with 'visão' (feminine singular).
A sua proposta de reforma é ambiciosa, cheia de inovações disruptivas.
His reform proposal is ambitious, full of disruptive innovations.
'Cheia' agrees with 'proposta' (feminine singular).
Aquele concerto foi uma experiência transcendental, a sala cheia de uma energia coletiva palpável.
That concert was a transcendental experience, the hall full of a palpable collective energy.
'Cheia' agrees with 'sala' (feminine singular).
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
Expressions idiomatiques
— To be arrogant, conceited, or full of oneself. It implies an inflated sense of self-importance.
Ele não aceita críticas porque está muito cheio de si.
Informal— Literally, to have a full stomach (after eating). Figuratively, it can sometimes imply being satisfied or having had enough of something, often in a negative way if implying gluttony or overindulgence.
Depois de tanta comida, ele tinha a barriga cheia e não queria mais nada.
Neutral/Informal— A life full of experiences, events, or accomplishments; a life well-lived.
Ela dedicou a sua vida à arte e diz que teve uma vida cheia.
Neutral— To be completely right or justified in one's opinion or actions.
Quando ele disse que precisávamos de mais tempo, estava cheio de razão.
Neutral— To have many guests or family members present in the house.
No Natal, temos sempre a casa cheia.
Neutral— A less common, regional expression implying being full of nonsense or foolishness.
Não ligues ao que ele diz, está cheio de nouça.
Regional/Informal— An intensified version of 'estar cheio de si', emphasizing extreme arrogance.
Ele é insuportável, está cheio de si até à garganta.
Informal— Literally means 'full of holes', often used for worn-out clothes or objects. Figuratively, it can mean something is flawed or has many inconsistencies.
Aquele argumento está cheio de buracos.
Neutral— To have good intentions, often used when actions don't match the intentions, or when the intentions are not enough.
Ele prometeu ajudar, mas estava apenas cheio de boas intenções.
NeutralFamille de mots
Noms
Verbes
Adjectifs
Apparenté
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Imagine a 'chain' (sounds like 'cheia') around a bucket that is so full of water, it's about to overflow. The chain is holding it back, but it's still 'cheia'.
Association visuelle
Picture a glass of water that is filled right up to the brim, with a single drop about to spill over. The glass is 'cheia'.
Word Web
Défi
For the next day, try to identify at least five feminine singular nouns you encounter and think if they could be described as 'cheia'. Use them in simple sentences.
Origine du mot
The Portuguese word 'cheia' comes from the Latin word 'plēna', which is the feminine form of 'plēnus', meaning 'full'. This Latin root is also the origin of English words like 'plenary' and 'plenty'.
Sens originel : Full, filled.
Indo-European > Italic > Latin > Romance > PortugueseContexte culturel
While English uses 'full' for both masculine and feminine contexts, Portuguese requires gender agreement. This is a key difference for English speakers learning Portuguese.
Summary
The Portuguese word 'cheia' is the feminine singular form of the adjective 'cheio', meaning 'full'. It's crucial to use 'cheia' when referring to feminine singular nouns that are filled to their maximum capacity, such as 'a garrafa está cheia' (the bottle is full).
- Feminine adjective for 'full'.
- Used when something is filled to capacity.
- Agrees with feminine singular nouns.
- Common in descriptions of containers, places, and schedules.
Exemple
A garrafa está cheia de água.
Contenu associé
Expressions liées
Plus de mots sur general
a cerca de
B1Cela signifie 'à environ' ou 'à peu près' en parlant de distance ou de temps futur.
à direita
A2À droite. Utilisé pour indiquer une direction ou un emplacement.
à esquerda
A2À gauche. Utilisé pour indiquer une direction ou un emplacement.
a fim de
A2Afin de; avoir envie de. 'Il étudie afin de réussir.' / 'J'ai envie d'une glace.'
à frente
A2En face de; devant. 'Il est assis à frente de moi.'
a frente
A2À l'avant; devant.
À frente de
A2Devant ou à la tête de. 'La voiture est à frente de la maison' (La voiture est devant la maison).
a tempo
A2À temps, ponctuellement. Utilisé pour indiquer qu'une action se produit avant qu'il ne soit trop tard.
à volta de
A2Autour de. Utilisé pour l'espace (autour de la table) ou les estimations (environ dix euros).
abaixo
A1En dessous de; plus bas que.
