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B1 verb #4,000 le plus courant 10 min de lecture

manchar

Top 4,000

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces manchar en 30 secondes

Explication manchar in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should learn 'manchar' as a simple action word related to clothes and food. It is used when you make a mistake while eating or playing. For example, if you spill juice on your white T-shirt, you 'mancha' the shirt. You will mostly use it in the present tense ('Eu mancho') or the simple past ('Eu manchei'). Think of it as a 'bad' version of 'sujar' (to dirty). At this stage, don't worry about the metaphorical meanings. Just focus on physical objects like shirts, pants, and tables. Use it with 'com' (with) to say what caused the mark: 'manchar com café' or 'manchar com chocolate'.

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At the A2 level, you start using 'manchar' in more descriptive ways and begin to see it in different contexts like health or cleaning. You can use it to describe why you need to wash something: 'Esta camisa está manchada' (This shirt is stained). You also learn the reflexive form 'manchar-se', which means you were the one who got the stain on yourself. You might hear it at a doctor's office when talking about 'manchas na pele' (spots on the skin). You should be able to conjugate it in the past, present, and future and understand it in simple instructions, like on a cleaning product label.

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At the B1 level, you should be comfortable using 'manchar' metaphorically. This is when you talk about 'manchar a reputação' (staining a reputation) or 'manchar o nome da família' (staining the family name). You understand that this verb implies a loss of purity or quality that is hard to fix. You can use it to express opinions about scandals or social behavior. You also begin to notice the difference between 'manchar' and 'sujar' more clearly, using 'manchar' for more permanent or serious marks. Your sentences become more complex, using 'manchar' in subordinate clauses like 'Espero que você não manche o meu tapete novo'.

At the B2 level, 'manchar' becomes a tool for nuanced discussion. You use it in professional and academic contexts to describe the impact of actions on history, politics, or professional records. You can use the passive voice effectively ('O seu histórico foi manchado por aquela decisão') and understand more sophisticated synonyms like 'macular' or 'denegrir' in certain contexts. You are also familiar with common idiomatic expressions like 'manchar o filme' in Brazilian Portuguese. You can discuss environmental issues, such as how pollution 'mancha' the landscape or the ocean, using more precise vocabulary and varied sentence structures.

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At the C1 level, your use of 'manchar' is precise and stylistically varied. You can use it in literary analysis to describe themes of guilt or corruption. You understand the subtle differences in tone when choosing 'manchar' over 'macular' or 'borrar'. You can use the verb in complex grammatical constructions, including the personal infinitive and the future subjunctive ('Se ele manchar a nossa honra, teremos que agir'). You are sensitive to the cultural weight the word carries in historical narratives, such as the 'manchas' of colonialism or slavery in a nation's past. Your vocabulary includes related words like 'imaculado' and 'mácula'.

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At the C2 level, you have a near-native command of 'manchar'. You use it effortlessly in high-level debates, legal contexts, and creative writing. You can play with the word's literal and figurative meanings simultaneously for rhetorical effect. You understand obscure or archaic uses of the word and its derivatives. You can discuss the etymology of the word and how it relates to concepts of purity and sin in Lusophone cultures. Your use of 'manchar' is not just about communication but about nuance, tone, and the subtle manipulation of meaning to convey authority and sophisticated insight into the Portuguese language.

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

manchar en 30 secondes

Manchar is a regular Portuguese verb meaning 'to stain' or 'to spoil with a mark', used for both physical objects and abstract concepts like reputation.
It is a first-conjugation verb (-ar), making it easy to conjugate in all tenses, and it frequently takes the preposition 'com' to indicate the staining agent.
The word is essential for daily life (cleaning, eating) and formal contexts (politics, law), often appearing in news headlines regarding scandals or environmental issues.
Common synonyms include 'sujar' for general dirtiness and 'macular' for formal tarnishing, while its antonyms focus on cleaning, purifying, or restoring integrity.

The Portuguese verb manchar is a fundamental word that every intermediate learner should master, as it bridges the gap between everyday physical actions and complex abstract concepts. At its most basic level, manchar means to stain, soil, or mark something in a way that is usually unwanted and difficult to remove. Imagine spilling a glass of red wine on a pristine white sofa; that physical act of discoloration is exactly what manchar describes. However, the beauty of this verb lies in its versatility across different registers of the Portuguese language, moving from the laundry room to the courtroom and the history books.

Physical Discoloration: This is the most common usage. It refers to the accidental marking of fabrics, surfaces, or skin. Whether it is ink from a leaking pen, oil from a car engine, or juice from a ripe fruit, the resulting mark is a mancha (stain), and the action is manchar. It is frequently used in domestic contexts, discussions about cleaning, and personal hygiene.
Metaphorical Tarnish: Beyond the physical, manchar is a powerful tool for describing damage to one's reputation, honor, or legacy. Just as a physical stain ruins a garment, a scandal or a lie can manchar a reputação (stain the reputation) of a professional or a public figure. This usage is common in journalism, literature, and formal debates where integrity is discussed.
Environmental and Artistic Use: In environmental contexts, it can refer to pollution, such as an oil spill manchando the ocean. In art, it might describe a specific technique of applying color in broad, irregular strokes, though this is more technical and less common in daily speech.

Tenha cuidado para não manchar a toalha de mesa com o molho de tomate.

Translation: Be careful not to stain the tablecloth with the tomato sauce.

When using manchar, it is important to distinguish between the active verb and the reflexive form manchar-se. The reflexive form is used when someone stains their own clothes or themselves, or when something becomes stained through its own properties. For example, 'Eu me manchei com tinta' (I stained myself with ink). This distinction is vital for sounding natural in Portuguese conversation.

O escândalo acabou por manchar a carreira impecável do juiz.

Translation: The scandal ended up staining the judge's impeccable career.

In summary, manchar is a verb of consequence. It implies a change from a state of purity or cleanliness to a state of being marked or compromised. Whether you are talking about laundry or ethics, this word allows you to describe the permanent or semi-permanent impact of an action on a surface or a soul. Understanding its nuances will significantly enrich your descriptive capabilities in Portuguese.

Using manchar correctly requires an understanding of its grammatical patterns and the prepositions that typically follow it. As a regular -ar verb, its conjugation is predictable, but its application varies depending on whether the 'stainer' is a person, an object, or an abstract concept.

The 'With' Preposition: COM: When you specify the substance that caused the stain, you almost always use the preposition com (with). For example: 'Ele manchou o papel com café' (He stained the paper with coffee). This structure is consistent across all levels of formality.
Reflexive Usage for Personal Accidents: If you are the one who gets dirty, use manchar-se. 'Eu me manchei todo enquanto comia' (I got myself all stained while eating). In Brazil, the reflexive pronoun 'me' often comes before the verb, whereas in Portugal, it usually follows it: 'Manchei-me'.

A fruta madura pode manchar as suas mãos permanentemente.

Translation: The ripe fruit can stain your hands permanently.

In the figurative sense, the object of manchar is usually an abstract noun like reputação (reputation), honra (honor), currículo (resume/CV), or imagem (image). In these cases, the verb functions transitively, directly impacting the noun without a preposition. 'A mentira manchou sua imagem pública' (The lie stained his public image).

Não deixe que um erro pequeno manche todo o seu trabalho duro.

Translation: Don't let a small mistake stain all your hard work.

Another interesting usage is in the passive voice, often found in technical or descriptive writing. 'O tecido foi manchado durante o processo de tingimento' (The fabric was stained during the dyeing process). Here, manchado acts as a past participle. It can also function as an adjective: 'Uma camisa manchada' (A stained shirt).

Common Direct Objects

A roupa (clothes)
O tapete (the carpet)
A pele (the skin)
O nome da família (the family name)
A história do país (the country's history)

Finally, consider the intensity. You can use adverbs like completamente (completely) or profundamente (deeply) to modify manchar. 'A tinta manchou completamente a parede' (The ink completely stained the wall). This adds descriptive depth to your sentences and shows a higher level of fluency.

The word manchar is ubiquitous in Portuguese-speaking cultures, appearing in everything from laundry detergent commercials to intense political dramas. Knowing where you will encounter it helps you recognize the tone and intent of the speaker.

In the Home and Service Industry: If you are in a lavanderia (laundry shop) or talking to a dry cleaner, manchar is a keyword. You might hear: 'Cuidado, esse produto pode manchar tecidos delicados' (Careful, this product might stain delicate fabrics). It is a practical word used to discuss maintenance and care of possessions.
News and Media: Journalists frequently use manchar when reporting on scandals. Headlines like 'Escândalo de corrupção mancha a imagem do governo' (Corruption scandal stains the government's image) are very common. In this context, it carries a serious, critical connotation, suggesting a loss of prestige or trust.
In Literature and Poetry: Authors use manchar to create vivid imagery of guilt or irreversible damage. A character might be described as having 'as mãos manchadas de sangue' (hands stained with blood), a classic metaphor for guilt in many languages, including Portuguese. It evokes a sense of permanence and tragedy.

O óleo que vazou do navio começou a manchar as praias do Nordeste.

Translation: The oil that leaked from the ship began to stain the beaches of the Northeast.

In Brazil, you might hear it in social contexts regarding gossip. If someone says 'Isso vai manchar o seu filme', they are using a popular slang expression that literally means 'This will stain your movie', but figuratively means 'This will ruin your reputation' or 'This will make you look bad'. It is a very common way to warn a friend about their behavior.

Aquela atitude antidesportiva acabou por manchar a vitória do time.

Translation: That unsportsmanlike attitude ended up staining the team's victory.

You will also hear it in medical or dermatological contexts. A doctor might say: 'O sol pode manchar a sua pele se você não usar protetor' (The sun can stain/mark your skin if you don't use sunscreen). Here, it refers to pigmentation or sunspots, showing yet another practical application of the word.

While manchar is relatively straightforward, English speakers often make specific errors when translating thoughts from English to Portuguese. Awareness of these pitfalls will help you achieve a more natural sounding flow.

Confusing with 'Sujar' (To Dirty): A common mistake is using manchar when you simply mean 'to get dirty'. Sujar is the general term for making something dirty (like mud on shoes). Manchar specifically implies a mark that discolors the material and is often harder to clean. If you drop dry sand on a shirt, you sujou it. If you drop bleach on it, you manchou it.
Overusing the Passive Voice: English speakers often say 'The shirt got stained'. In Portuguese, while 'A camisa ficou manchada' is possible, it is much more common to use the reflexive: 'A camisa se manchou' or the active voice with an indefinite subject: 'Mancharam a camisa'. Avoid translating 'got' literally every time.

Errado: Eu manchei o meu sapato com lama. (Better: sujei)

Note: Mud usually 'dirties' (suja) rather than 'stains' (mancha) unless it leaves a permanent mark.

Another mistake involves the preposition. Some learners try to use de instead of com when describing the cause of the stain. While manchado de sangue (stained with blood) is a common fixed expression, for most everyday substances like coffee, wine, or ink, com is the preferred and more natural choice.

Correto: A caneta estourou e manchou o meu bolso.

Translation: The pen burst and stained my pocket.

Lastly, be careful with the word pintar (to paint). Sometimes learners use pintar when they mean a stain that looks like paint. Pintar is intentional and creative; manchar is usually accidental and destructive. If you accidentally get paint on your clothes, you manchou them with paint; you didn't pintou them.

To expand your vocabulary, it is helpful to look at words that share a semantic field with manchar. These alternatives allow for more precision depending on the context, whether you are talking about hygiene, reputation, or physical damage.

Sujar vs. Manchar: As mentioned before, sujar is the general verb for 'to dirty'. Use it for mud, dust, or general grime. Manchar is for specific, localized discolorations. You suja your car by driving on a dirt road, but you mancha the upholstery if you spill coffee on it.
Macular: This is a more formal, literary synonym for manchar, used almost exclusively in figurative contexts. It means to sully or blemish. You will hear it in religious or highly formal legal contexts: 'Macular a honra de alguém' (To sully someone's honor).
Borrar: This means 'to smudge' or 'to blur'. It is often used for ink, makeup, or paint that hasn't dried. If you rub your eyes while wearing mascara, you borra the makeup. If the mascara drips onto your shirt and leaves a mark, you mancha the shirt.

A chuva borrou a tinta da carta, mas não chegou a manchar o papel.

Translation: The rain smudged the ink of the letter, but it didn't quite stain the paper.

In a professional context, you might use comprometer (to compromise). Instead of saying 'This will stain our reputation', you could say 'Isso vai comprometer nossa reputação'. This sounds more formal and emphasizes the risk involved rather than just the visual metaphor of the stain.

Nada pode macular a memória deste grande herói.

Translation: Nothing can sully the memory of this great hero.

Lastly, for something that is 'untouchable' or 'unstainable', the adjective is imaculado (immaculate), which literally means 'without a stain' (mácula). This is a beautiful word to use when describing someone's character or a perfectly clean environment.

How Formal Is It?

Le savais-tu ?

The word 'immaculate' (imaculado) comes from the same root; the prefix 'im-' means 'not', so it literally means 'not stained'.

Guide de prononciation

UK /mɐ̃ˈʃaɾ/

US /mɐ̃ˈʃaɻ/

The stress is on the last syllable: man-CHAR.

Rime avec

Achar Falar Andar Cantar Lugar Mar Olhar Pensar

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing the 'ch' like the 'ch' in 'church' (it should be 'sh').
Forgetting the nasalization of the 'a' in the first syllable.
Stress on the first syllable instead of the last.
Pronouncing the 'n' clearly as a separate consonant (it should just nasalize the vowel).
Over-enunciating the final 'r' in a way that sounds unnatural.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 3/5

Easy to recognize in context, as it looks a bit like 'stain' in concept and 'mancha' is similar to 'mark'.

Écriture 4/5

Requires knowledge of regular -ar conjugation and proper preposition use (com).

Expression orale 4/5

Nasalization of the first syllable can be tricky for English speakers.

Écoute 3/5

Clearly pronounced in most dialects, though the final 'r' varies.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

Sujar Roupa Limpar Com Nome

Apprends ensuite

Macular Imaculado Mácula Deteriorar Comprometer

Avancé

Enegrecer Vilipendiar Enodoar Conspurcar

Grammaire à connaître

Nasal Vowels

The 'an' in 'manchar' is a nasal vowel /ɐ̃/.

Regular -ar Verb Conjugation

Eu mancho, você mancha, nós manchamos.

Reflexive Pronouns

Eu me manchei vs. Ele se manchou.

Past Participle as Adjective

A camisa está manchada (agrees with gender).

Prepositional Use with 'Com'

Manchar com [substância].

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Exemples par niveau

Eu manchei minha camisa com suco.

I stained my shirt with juice.

Simple past tense (Pretérito Perfeito) of a regular -ar verb.

O café pode manchar a mesa.

Coffee can stain the table.

Use of 'pode' (can) followed by the infinitive.

Não manche o seu papel!

Don't stain your paper!

Negative imperative (don't do something).

A caneta manchou minha mão.

The pen stained my hand.

Third person singular past tense.

Você mancha a roupa quando come?

Do you stain your clothes when you eat?

Present tense question.

O chocolate mancha muito.

Chocolate stains a lot.

Using 'muito' as an adverb of intensity.

Ela manchou o vestido branco.

She stained the white dress.

Subject-Verb-Object structure.

Lave logo para não manchar.

Wash it right away so it doesn't stain.

Purpose clause with 'para não'.

Eu me manchei todo com a tinta da impressora.

I got myself all stained with the printer ink.

Reflexive construction 'me manchei'.

Cuidado, essa fruta mancha os dedos.

Careful, this fruit stains the fingers.

Imperative 'Cuidado' followed by a warning.

A camisa está manchada de vinho tinto.

The shirt is stained with red wine.

Passive state using 'estar' + past participle.

Como posso tirar essa mancha sem manchar o resto?

How can I remove this stain without staining the rest?

Using 'sem' followed by the infinitive.

O sol pode manchar a pele sensível.

The sun can stain/mark sensitive skin.

Noun-Adjective agreement (pele sensível).

Eles mancharam o tapete novo da sala.

They stained the new living room carpet.

Third person plural past tense.

Se você usar água sanitária, vai manchar a cor.

If you use bleach, it will stain the color.

Conditional 'Se' + future construction 'vai manchar'.

A toalha ficou manchada depois do jantar.

The tablecloth became stained after dinner.

Using 'ficar' to describe a resulting state.

Aquele erro bobo manchou a reputação dele na empresa.

That silly mistake stained his reputation at the company.

Metaphorical use of the verb.

Ele não queria manchar o nome da família com mentiras.

He didn't want to stain the family name with lies.

Infinitive after 'queria' (wanted).

O escândalo manchou para sempre a carreira do político.

The scandal forever stained the politician's career.

Use of 'para sempre' (forever) to emphasize permanence.

Tenha cuidado para que o óleo não manche o piso de madeira.

Be careful so that the oil doesn't stain the wooden floor.

Present subjunctive 'manche' after 'para que'.

Ela se sentiu culpada por ter manchado a honra da amiga.

She felt guilty for having stained her friend's honor.

Compound infinitive 'ter manchado'.

A tinta guache mancha, mas sai com água e sabão.

Gouache paint stains, but it comes out with soap and water.

Contrast using 'mas' (but).

Não deixe que a inveja manche o seu sucesso.

Don't let envy stain your success.

Subjunctive 'manche' following 'não deixe que'.

O vazamento de óleo manchou quilômetros de costa.

The oil spill stained kilometers of coastline.

Environmental context.

A corrupção manchou a história daquela instituição centenária.

Corruption stained the history of that century-old institution.

Abstract usage in a historical context.

O autor foi acusado de manchar a imagem da cidade em seu livro.

The author was accused of staining the city's image in his book.

Passive construction 'foi acusado de'.

É difícil não manchar a roupa ao trabalhar com graxa.

It is difficult not to stain clothes when working with grease.

Impersonal 'É difícil' + infinitive.

O suor excessivo acabou por manchar as axilas da camisa social.

Excessive sweat ended up staining the armpits of the dress shirt.

Periphrastic construction 'acabou por' + infinitive.

Suas ações impensadas mancharam o brilho daquela conquista.

His thoughtless actions stained the brilliance of that achievement.

Poetic/metaphorical language.

A empresa tentou limpar sua imagem após manchar o meio ambiente.

The company tried to clean its image after staining the environment.

Contrast between 'limpar' (clean) and 'manchar' (stain).

O sangue manchou o asfalto frio após o acidente.

The blood stained the cold asphalt after the accident.

Journalistic/descriptive tone.

Não manche seu currículo com experiências irrelevantes ou falsas.

Don't stain your resume with irrelevant or false experiences.

Professional advice context.

A tragédia manchou de luto as páginas da literatura nacional.

The tragedy stained the pages of national literature with mourning.

Highly metaphorical/literary usage.

O depoimento falso manchou irremediavelmente a credibilidade da testemunha.

The false testimony irremediably stained the witness's credibility.

Use of the adverb 'irremediavelmente' for emphasis.

As injustiças do passado continuam a manchar o presente da nação.

The injustices of the past continue to stain the nation's present.

Continuous action 'continuam a manchar'.

O crítico argumentou que a obra manchava a estética do modernismo.

The critic argued that the work stained the aesthetics of modernism.

Academic/Artistic context.

Manchar a própria biografia é um preço alto por um momento de ganância.

Staining one's own biography is a high price for a moment of greed.

Gerund-like use of the infinitive as a subject.

O vinho derramado manchou o pergaminho antigo, tornando-o ilegível.

The spilled wine stained the ancient parchment, making it illegible.

Participle clause 'tornando-o ilegível'.

A traição manchou uma amizade que durava décadas.

The betrayal stained a friendship that had lasted for decades.

Use of 'durava' (imperfect) for long-term state.

O óleo de soja manchou o chão da cozinha de forma definitiva.

The soybean oil stained the kitchen floor permanently.

Adverbial phrase 'de forma definitiva'.

Nenhuma retratação será capaz de desmanchar o que a calúnia manchou.

No retraction will be able to undo what the slander has stained.

Philosophical/Legal nuance.

O sangue dos inocentes mancha o solo sagrado desta pátria.

The blood of the innocent stains the sacred soil of this homeland.

Rhetorical/Political intensity.

A pátina do tempo manchou o bronze, conferindo-lhe uma beleza rústica.

The patina of time stained the bronze, giving it a rustic beauty.

Positive connotation of 'manchar' in an artistic/aging context.

A corrupção sistêmica mancha o tecido social de maneira quase irreversível.

Systemic corruption stains the social fabric in an almost irreversible way.

Sociological metaphor.

Ele agiu com tal desonra que manchou não apenas a si, mas a toda a sua linhagem.

He acted with such dishonor that he stained not only himself, but his entire lineage.

Correlative structure 'não apenas... mas a toda'.

O pigmento natural manchou as fibras do tecido de forma heterogênea.

The natural pigment stained the fabric fibers in a heterogeneous way.

Technical/Scientific register.

A mácula que mancha sua alma é visível em seu olhar sombrio.

The blemish that stains your soul is visible in your dark gaze.

Synonym 'mácula' used alongside 'manchar'.

O escrutínio público não deve manchar a presunção de inocência.

Public scrutiny must not stain the presumption of innocence.

Legal/Formal discourse.

Collocations courantes

Manchar a roupa

Manchar a reputação

Manchar o nome

Manchar a pele

Manchar com café

Manchar a imagem

Manchar a honra

Manchar o currículo

Manchar o tapete

Manchar a história

Phrases Courantes

Manchar o filme

— A Brazilian slang expression meaning to ruin one's reputation or look bad in front of others.

Se você chegar atrasado de novo, vai manchar o seu filme com o chefe.

Sair a mancha

— To successfully remove a stain.

Espero que essa mancha de vinho saia na lavagem.

Mancha de óleo

— An oil slick or oil stain, often used in environmental contexts.

A mancha de óleo se espalhou por toda a praia.

Roupa manchada

— Stained clothing, often used as a noun phrase.

Não use essa roupa manchada para a entrevista.

Pele manchada

— Skin with spots or discoloration.

Ela tem a pele manchada por causa do sol.

Manchar-se de sangue

— To become stained with blood, often used metaphorically for guilt.

O ditador se manchou de sangue durante a revolução.

Manchar a carreira

— To ruin one's professional path or record.

Um erro de ética pode manchar a carreira de um médico.

Deixar manchar

— To allow something to become stained by not acting quickly.

Você deixou o molho secar e agora vai manchar.

Manchar de tinta

— To stain with ink or paint.

A criança manchou a parede de tinta azul.

Manchar a memória

— To tarnish the memory of someone or something.

Não manche a memória de seu pai com essas atitudes.

Souvent confondu avec

manchar vs Sujar

Sujar is for general dirt; manchar is for specific, harder-to-remove marks.

manchar vs Borrar

Borrar is for smudging wet substances; manchar is for the resulting stain.

manchar vs Pintar

Pintar is intentional coloring; manchar is usually accidental staining.

Expressions idiomatiques

"Manchar as mãos de sangue"

— To be responsible for someone's death or a great injustice.

O general manchou as mãos de sangue naquela batalha.

Formal/Literary

"Manchar o filme"

— To ruin your reputation or 'street cred'.

Cara, não fala isso, você vai manchar o seu filme!

Slang (Brazil)

"Ficar com o nome manchado"

— To have a bad credit rating or a ruined reputation.

Ele não pagou as dívidas e ficou com o nome manchado no banco.

Neutral/Financial

"Manchar a farda"

— To bring dishonor to the military or police force.

O soldado foi expulso por manchar a farda.

Institutional

"Sem mácula"

— Without any stain; pure; perfect.

Sua conduta sempre foi imaculada, sem nenhuma mácula.

Formal

"Manchar a biografia"

— To do something that will be remembered negatively in one's life story.

O político manchou sua biografia com aquele ato de corrupção.

Neutral

"Manchar o currículo"

— To have a negative mark on your professional record.

Aquela falha técnica acabou por manchar seu currículo.

Professional

"Manchar a imagem"

— To cause people to have a bad opinion of you or a brand.

A propaganda enganosa manchou a imagem da empresa.

Neutral

"Manchar o passado"

— To do something now that makes your past achievements look bad.

Ele manchou seu passado glorioso com escolhas erradas no fim da vida.

Literary

"Manchar a honra"

— To offend someone's dignity or moral standing.

O insulto manchou a honra da família.

Formal

Facile à confondre

manchar vs Mancar

Spelled similarly, only one letter difference.

Mancar means 'to limp', whereas manchar means 'to stain'.

Ele começou a mancar depois do jogo.

manchar vs Manusear

Both start with 'man-'.

Manusear means 'to handle' or 'to use with hands'.

Você deve manusear o livro com cuidado.

manchar vs Marchaar

Similar phonetic rhythm.

Marchar means 'to march' (like a soldier).

Os soldados começaram a marchar.

manchar vs Manjar

Spelled very similarly.

Manjar is a noun meaning 'delicacy/food' or a slang verb meaning 'to know/understand'.

Este doce é um verdadeiro manjar.

manchar vs Mascarar

Starts with 'ma-' and ends in '-ar'.

Mascarar means 'to mask' or 'to disguise'.

Ele tentou mascarar a verdade.

Structures de phrases

Eu manchei [objeto].

Eu manchei o papel.

[Objeto] está manchado de [substância].

O vestido está manchado de vinho.

Não manche [abstrato].

Não manche sua reputação.

Cuidado para não manchar.

Cuidado para não manchar o sofá.

[Ação] acabou por manchar [objeto].

O erro acabou por manchar sua carreira.

[Sujeito] foi acusado de manchar [objeto].

O autor foi acusado de manchar a imagem da empresa.

A mácula que mancha [objeto] é [adjetivo].

A mácula que mancha sua alma é profunda.

Any

Como tirar mancha de [substância]?

Como tirar mancha de café?

Famille de mots

Noms

Mancha (stain/spot)

Manchador (someone or something that stains)

Mácula (blemish/stain - formal)

Verbes

Manchar (to stain)

Desmanchar (to undo/un-stain/dismantle)

Remanchar (to stain again)

Adjectifs

Manchado (stained)

Imaculado (immaculate/stainless)

Manchável (stainable)

Apparenté

Sujidade

Sujeira

Limpeza

Lavagem

Corrupção

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Comment l'utiliser

frequency

High, especially in domestic and news contexts.

Erreurs courantes

Using 'manchar' for any kind of dirt. → Use 'sujar' for general dirt.
If you can just brush it off, it's 'sujar'. If it leaves a mark, it's 'manchar'.
Saying 'manchar de café'. → Say 'manchar com café'.
In standard Portuguese, 'com' is the preposition used for the agent of the stain.
Pronouncing 'ch' as 'tch'. → Pronounce it as 'sh'.
The Portuguese 'ch' is always soft, like 'sh' in English.
Forgetting the reflexive 'me' in 'Eu me manchei'. → Eu me manchei.
If you are the one who got stained, the verb must be reflexive.
Using 'manchar' for smearing ink. → Use 'borrar'.
If the ink is still wet and you spread it, the specific verb is 'borrar'.

Astuces

Check the Agreement

When using 'manchado' as an adjective, remember it must agree with the noun: 'camisa manchada' (feminine) vs 'casaco manchado' (masculine).

Use 'Com' for Substances

Always use 'com' when you want to say what caused the stain. 'Manchei com café' is the standard way to express this.

Learn 'Manchar o Filme'

If you are going to Brazil, this idiom is essential. It's used everywhere to talk about social reputation.

Environmental Use

In news about the ocean or nature, 'mancha' often refers to pollution. Look out for 'mancha de óleo' in headlines.

Formal Synonyms

In essays, try using 'macular' or 'comprometer' to sound more sophisticated than just using 'manchar'.

Nasalize the 'A'

The 'man' in 'manchar' should sound like the 'mã' in 'mãe'. Practice the nasal sound to sound more native.

Laundry Labels

Look for this word on Brazilian or Portuguese cleaning products. 'Não mancha' means 'safe for colors'.

Family Honor

Understand that 'manchar o nome da família' is a very strong expression in Portuguese-speaking cultures.

Artistic Nuance

In art, 'manchar' can describe a style of painting with broad strokes. It's one of the few neutral/positive uses.

Sun Safety

When talking about skin care, 'manchar' is the verb for getting sunspots. 'O sol vai manchar seu rosto'.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of a MAN with a CHARcoal stick. If he touches anything, he will MAN-CHAR (stain) it.

Association visuelle

Visualize a drop of red wine falling onto a white silk tie. See the stain spreading. That is 'manchar'.

Word Web

Roupa Vinho Café Reputação Honra Limpar Sabão Escândalo

Défi

Try to use 'manchar' in three different sentences today: one about laundry, one about your skin, and one about a famous person's reputation.

Origine du mot

From the Latin 'maculare', which means 'to spot' or 'to stain'.

Sens originel : To mark with spots or to make something physically dirty.

Romance (Latin-derived).

Contexte culturel

Be careful when using 'denegrir' as a synonym for 'manchar', as it has etymological roots that some find offensive in modern discourse.

English speakers use 'stain' or 'tarnish' similarly, but 'manchar' is more frequently used in daily life for small things like ink on fingers.

The 'Mancha de Óleo' environmental disaster in Brazil (2019). Religious hymns referring to an 'alma manchada' (stained soul). Political speeches regarding 'manchar a democracia'.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Laundry and Clothing

Como tirar mancha?
Isso mancha na lavagem?
Manchei de vinho.
Sabão tira mancha.

Reputation and Career

Manchar a carreira.
Manchar a imagem.
Nome manchado.
Manchar a honra.

Health and Body

Manchas na pele.
O sol mancha.
Manchar os dentes.
Creme para manchas.

Environment

Mancha de óleo.
Manchar o oceano.
Contaminação.
Vazamento.

Art and Craft

Manchar o papel.
Técnica de mancha.
Manchar de tinta.
Efeito manchado.

Amorces de conversation

"Você já manchou uma roupa favorita e não conseguiu limpar?"

"O que você acha que pode manchar a reputação de um político para sempre?"

"Você usa algum produto especial quando mancha o tapete?"

"Você tem medo de manchar sua pele no sol do verão?"

"Como você reage quando alguém mancha algo seu por acidente?"

Sujets d'écriture

Descreva uma vez que você manchou algo importante e como se sentiu.

Escreva sobre um escândalo que manchou a história do seu país.

Pense em uma metáfora sobre como os erros podem manchar nossa vida.

Como você cuida de suas roupas para evitar que elas manchem?

Reflita sobre a expressão 'manchar o filme'. Você já passou por isso?

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, while it is very common for clothes, it applies to any surface (floors, skin, paper) and abstract concepts like reputation or honor.

'Sujar' is more general and usually refers to surface dirt like dust or mud. 'Manchar' refers to a mark that discolors the material and is typically harder to remove.

Eu mancho, tu manchas, ele/ela/você mancha, nós manchamos, vós manchais, eles/elas/vocês mancham.

Yes, it is very common to say 'O sol mancha a pele' or refer to 'manchas senis' (age spots).

Usually, it is negative. However, in art, 'manchar' can refer to a specific technique of applying color that might be desired, or the 'patina' on old objects.

It is a Brazilian idiom meaning to ruin one's reputation or to make a bad impression.

Most often 'com' (with), as in 'manchar com vinho'. For blood, 'de' is also common: 'manchado de sangue'.

Yes, it is a perfectly regular -ar verb.

Yes, you can say 'A água manchou o teto' (The water stained the ceiling).

Words like 'dignificar', 'honrar', or 'limpar' (as in 'limpar o nome') are used as opposites.

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Teste-toi 200 questions

writing

Escreva uma frase sobre manchar uma camisa com café.

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Ensures the student can use the verb and the preposition correctly.