A1 Expression ニュートラル

É barato.

It's cheap.

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!
💰 + ⬇️ = É barato.

Explanation at your level:

In A1, 'É barato' is a basic tool. You use it to describe things you see while shopping. It uses the verb 'ser' and a simple adjective. You only need to remember to change the ending to 'a' for feminine things like 'casa' or 'comida'.
At the A2 level, you start comparing. You use 'mais barato que' (cheaper than). You also learn the difference between 'é barato' (always cheap) and 'está barato' (on sale today). You begin to use the diminutive 'baratinho' to sound more like a native speaker.
Intermediate learners use 'barato' in more complex sentences, such as 'Achei que seria mais barato' (I thought it would be cheaper). You also start to recognize the Brazilian slang where 'um barato' means something cool or an interesting experience, moving beyond just price.
At B2, you understand the nuance between 'barato' and its synonyms like 'acessível' or 'módico'. You can discuss economic trends using the word and understand when 'barato' is being used sarcastically to imply that something is of poor quality or 'tacky'.
Advanced learners explore the etymological roots and the 'barataria' (deception) history. You can use the word in idiomatic expressions and understand its role in literature or complex social commentary regarding consumerism and the 'cheapening' of culture or labor.
Near-native mastery involves using 'barato' with perfect prosody and register awareness. You can analyze the semantic shift of the word in different Lusophone dialects and use it to navigate high-level negotiations where the choice between 'barato' and 'econômico' carries subtle psychological weight.

意味

States that something has a low price.

🌍

文化的背景

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'.

意味

States that something has a low price.

🎯

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!

自分をテスト

Choose the correct form for: 'The house (a casa) is cheap.'

A casa ____.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: é barata

'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 _______.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: baratos

'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 ____ ______.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: está barato

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.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: Que barato essa música!

In Brazil, 'Que barato' is slang for 'How cool'.

🎉 スコア: /4

ビジュアル学習ツール

Ser vs Estar with Barato

É barato (Permanent)
A loja é barata The store is (always) cheap
Está barato (Temporary)
O arroz está barato The rice is cheap (today/on sale)

Gender Agreement

👨

Masculine (-o)

  • O carro
  • O livro
  • O pão
👩

Feminine (-a)

  • A casa
  • A blusa
  • A fruta

よくある質問

10 問

No, 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?'

関連フレーズ

🔄

Em conta

synonym

Affordable

🔗

Caro

contrast

Expensive

🔗

Pechincha

builds on

A bargain

🔗

De graça

specialized form

For free

🔄

Acessível

synonym

Accessible/Affordable

どこで使う?

🍎

At the Street Market

Vendedor: Três quilos de laranja por cinco reais!

Cliente: Nossa, é muito barato! Vou levar.

informal
👕

Shopping for Clothes

Amiga A: Gostou desta blusa?

Amiga B: Sim, e o preço é ótimo. É barata!

neutral
🏨

Booking a Hotel

Viajante: Este hostel é barato?

Recepcionista: Sim, é o mais barato da cidade.

neutral

Talking about Gas Prices

Motorista: A gasolina está barata hoje.

Passageiro: Verdade, vamos aproveitar para abastecer.

neutral
🤩

Reacting to a Cool Idea (Brazil)

Pedro: Vamos acampar na praia no fim de semana?

Lucas: Que barato! Eu topo.

informal
🍕

Ordering Food

Usuário: O frete deste app é barato?

Amigo: Sim, é apenas dois reais.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'BARGAIN' at a 'BAR' - 'BAR-ato'.

Visual Association

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!'

Word Web

preçodinheirocarocomprarvenderdescontopromoçãopechincha

チャレンジ

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.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Es barato

Virtually no difference in the primary sense.

French moderate

C'est bon marché

French uses a fixed phrase, Portuguese uses a flexible adjective.

German high

Es ist billig

German 'billig' has a stronger negative connotation.

Japanese high

安いです (Yasui desu)

Japanese adjectives have their own conjugations (past tense, negative), unlike Portuguese.

Arabic high

إنه رخيص (Innahu rakhees)

Sentence structure (VSO/SVO) differs significantly.

Chinese moderate

很便宜 (Hěn piányi)

Chinese lacks gender agreement and verb 'to be' in this context.

Korean high

싸요 (Ssayeyo)

Korean uses levels of politeness (honorifics) which Portuguese handles via 'você/senhor'.

Portuguese (PT-PT vs PT-BR) high

É barato / É em conta

The slang 'cool' meaning is specific to Brazil.

Easily Confused

É barato. Barata

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.

É barato. Baixo

Learners try to say 'preço baixo' as 'preço barato'.

The price is 'baixo' (low), but the object is 'barato' (cheap).

よくある質問 (10)

No, 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?'

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