At the A1 level, you can think of 'abalado' as a very strong version of 'triste' (sad). While you might not use it every day, you will see it in simple stories or news headlines. Remember that it ends in -o for men (abalado) and -a for women (abalada). It describes how someone feels after something bad happens, like losing a game or hearing bad news. Example: 'João está abalado' (João is shaken). It is helpful to learn this word to understand that not all sadness is the same in Portuguese; 'abalado' is for when you feel like you've been 'shaken' inside.
At the A2 level, you should start using 'abalado' with the verbs 'estar' and 'ficar'. You will use it to describe people's reactions to events. It's a key word for social interactions where you need to show empathy. For instance, if a friend tells you they had a car accident, you might say 'Você deve estar muito abalado' (You must be very shaken). This shows a higher level of vocabulary than just using 'mal' or 'triste'. You should also notice that 'abalado' is used for things like 'confiança' (confidence), as in 'Minha confiança ficou abalada'.
At the B1 level, you can use 'abalado' in more complex sentences involving 'por' or 'com' to explain the cause of the feeling. You can also start using it in a more metaphorical sense, such as describing a company's reputation or a person's health. You should be able to distinguish between 'abalado' and 'chocado'. 'Abalado' implies a lasting state of fragility, while 'chocado' is the immediate reaction. You might write a paragraph about a difficult time in your life and use 'fiquei profundamente abalado' to describe your emotional state during that period.
At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using 'abalado' in formal writing and debates. You might use it to discuss social issues, such as how a scandal 'abalou as estruturas da sociedade' (shook the structures of society). You should understand the nuances of adverbs that accompany it, like 'visivelmente', 'psicologicamente', or 'financeiramente'. At this level, you should also recognize the word in literature, where it might be used to describe a house that is 'abalada pelo tempo' (shaken/weakened by time).
At the C1 level, 'abalado' becomes a tool for precise expression. You will use it to describe subtle shifts in institutional stability or complex psychological states. You should be able to use it in the passive voice or within complex grammatical structures. For example, 'Abalada pelas sucessivas crises, a economia demorou a recuperar' (Shaken by successive crises, the economy took a long time to recover). You will also notice its use in legal or medical contexts where a 'estado emocional abalado' might be a mitigating factor in a case.
At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'abalado' and its etymological roots. You can use it with poetic flair or in highly technical academic writing. You might explore the philosophical implications of an 'existência abalada' (shaken existence) or use the word to critique the structural integrity of historical theories. You understand its place in the history of the Portuguese language and can use it in any register, from the most formal speech to the most nuanced literary prose, effortlessly shifting between its literal and metaphorical meanings.

abalado 30초 만에

  • Abalado is an adjective used to describe someone who is emotionally shaken or upset by a significant event.
  • It can also literally mean something physically shaken, like a building's foundation after a tremor.
  • It must agree in gender and number with the person or thing it describes (abalado, abalada, abalados, abaladas).
  • Commonly used with the verbs 'estar' (to be) or 'ficar' (to become/get) in emotional contexts.

The Portuguese word abalado is a powerful adjective that primarily describes a state of being emotionally shaken, disturbed, or deeply affected by a significant event. Derived from the verb abalar (to shake, to move, or to weaken), it captures the feeling of losing one's internal stability. While it can describe physical structures that have been weakened or shaken (like a building after an earthquake), its most frequent use in modern Portuguese is psychological. When someone says they are abalado, they aren't just 'sad'—they are experiencing a profound sense of shock that has disrupted their usual composure.

Emotional Shock
Used when someone receives bad news, witnesses an accident, or undergoes a traumatic experience. It implies a temporary loss of emotional balance.

Depois do acidente, o motorista parecia muito abalado e não conseguia falar.

(After the accident, the driver seemed very shaken and couldn't speak.)
Structural Weakness
In a literal sense, it describes something that has lost its solid foundation or has been physically moved from its place of stability.

As fundações do prédio ficaram abaladas após o tremor de terra.

(The building's foundations were shaken after the earth tremor.)

In political or social contexts, we often hear about 'instituições abaladas' (shaken institutions) or 'confiança abalada' (shaken confidence). This metaphorical use suggests that the core principles or the trust that holds a system together have been compromised. It is a versatile word that scales from personal grief to national crises, always maintaining the core concept of a foundation being disturbed. Whether it is a person’s mental state or the physical integrity of a wall, abalado signifies that things are no longer as firm as they once were. It is essential to remember the gender agreement: abalado (masculine), abalada (feminine), abalados (masculine plural), and abaladas (feminine plural).

Using abalado correctly requires understanding its role as an adjective and its relationship with auxiliary verbs like estar (to be - temporary state) and ficar (to become/get). Most commonly, we use ficar because being 'shaken' is usually a reaction to a specific event. For example, 'Ele ficou abalado com a notícia' (He got shaken by the news). If you use estar, you are describing the current state: 'Ela está abalada' (She is shaken). This distinction is crucial for learners to sound natural in Portuguese.

With Prepositions
The most common preposition used with 'abalado' is 'com' (with/by). You are shaken with something or by something.

O país inteiro ficou abalado com a tragédia nacional.

(The whole country was shaken by the national tragedy.)

Another common usage involves modifying the intensity. You can be muito abalado (very shaken), profundamente abalado (deeply shaken), or visivelmente abalado (visibly shaken). These adverbs help convey the depth of the emotion. In journalistic Portuguese, you will frequently see 'visivelmente abalado' used to describe public figures or victims of crimes during interviews.

Agreement Rules
Always match the adjective to the subject. 'As crianças estavam abaladas' (The children [plural feminine/mixed] were shaken).

Minha confiança nele está abalada desde a mentira.

(My confidence in him has been shaken since the lie.)

Finally, consider the context of 'health'. If a doctor says a patient's health is 'abalada', it means their physical condition is precarious or weakened. It is a formal and respectful way to describe a decline in well-being. This versatility—from structural to emotional to physical—makes it a high-frequency word in both formal writing and serious conversation.

You will encounter abalado in several distinct environments in Portuguese-speaking cultures. The most common is the news cycle. Journalists use it as a standard descriptor for victims of disasters, family members of deceased individuals, or witnesses to crimes. It provides a level of empathy and seriousness that words like 'triste' (sad) cannot convey. If you watch a news report in Lisbon or São Paulo about a fire, the reporter will almost certainly describe the survivors as 'profundamente abalados'.

In Literature and Soap Operas (Novelas)
Novelas are famous for high drama. Characters often find their worlds 'abalados' by a revelation of a secret or a betrayal. It is a staple of dramatic dialogue.

'Não me toque, estou abalada demais para conversar!'

(Don't touch me, I'm too shaken to talk! - typical dramatic line)

In professional settings, it appears when discussing market stability or company morale. A sudden drop in the stock market might leave investors 'abalados'. A scandal within a corporation can leave the company's reputation 'abalada'. It is also used in sports commentary; if a team loses a championship game unexpectedly, the players might be described as 'psicologicamente abalados', explaining their lack of focus in the following match.

Daily Conversations
While it is a 'big' word, it is used in daily life for serious matters. You wouldn't say you are 'abalado' because you lost your keys, but you would if you lost your job or had a major argument with a spouse.

In religious contexts, abalado is often used in sermons or spiritual texts to describe the testing of one's faith. A 'fé abalada' (shaken faith) is a common trope in spiritual growth narratives. This demonstrates how the word bridges the gap between the physical sensation of a tremor and the internal experience of doubt or grief.

For English speakers, the most frequent mistake is using abalado for minor inconveniences. In English, we might say 'I'm a bit shaken up' after a small scare, but in Portuguese, abalado carries a heavier weight. Using it for a triviality might make you sound overly dramatic or like you don't fully understand the word's gravity. Another common error is forgetting the gender and number agreement, which is a fundamental part of Portuguese grammar.

Mistake: Using 'Ser' instead of 'Estar/Ficar'
Saying 'Eu sou abalado' implies that being shaken is a permanent personality trait, which is incorrect. You should say 'Eu estou abalado' (I am currently shaken).

❌ Ele é abalado pela morte do gato há anos.

✅ Ele continua abalado pela morte do gato.

Another mistake is confusing abalado with chocado. While they are similar, chocado (shocked) usually refers to the immediate, split-second reaction to surprise or horror. Abalado refers to the state of emotional fragility that follows that shock. You are chocado the moment you hear the news, and you remain abalado for the rest of the day.

Mistake: Confusing with 'Assustado'
'Assustado' means 'scared' or 'frightened'. If a dog barks at you, you are 'assustado', not 'abalado'. 'Abalado' requires a deeper disruption of your peace.

Lastly, be careful with the plural feminine form abaladas. It is easy to default to the masculine abalados when referring to a group of women, but Portuguese requires strict agreement. 'As irmãs ficaram abaladas' is the only correct way to describe sisters being shaken by news.

To truly master Portuguese, you need to know when to use abalado and when a different word might be more appropriate. Depending on the nuance of the emotion or the physical state, you have several alternatives. Understanding these comparisons will elevate your vocabulary from basic to advanced.

Abalado vs. Comovido
'Comovido' means 'moved' or 'touched' (often by something positive or bittersweet). If you cry at a wedding, you are 'comovido'. If you cry because of a disaster, you are 'abalado'.
Abalado vs. Perturbado
'Perturbado' means 'disturbed' or 'unsettled'. It often has a connotation of mental confusion or annoyance. Someone who is 'abalado' is fragile; someone who is 'perturbado' might be acting erratically.

Ele não estava apenas triste, estava destruído emocionalmente.

(He wasn't just sad, he was emotionally destroyed - a stronger alternative to abalado.)

If you want to describe a physical structure, you could use instável (unstable) or comprometido (compromised). For example, 'A estrutura da ponte está comprometida' (The bridge's structure is compromised). This is often more precise in technical reports than abalada, which sounds slightly more descriptive or literary.

Abalado vs. Fragilizado
'Fragilizado' means 'weakened' or 'made fragile'. It is often used for health or long-term emotional states. After a long illness, you might be 'fragilizado', whereas a sudden shock makes you 'abalado'.

In summary, choose abalado when you want to emphasize a deep disruption of stability, whether emotional or physical. Use comovido for being touched, perturbado for being unsettled, and fragilizado for general weakness. This nuanced approach will help you express yourself with much greater precision in Portuguese.

How Formal Is It?

격식체

""

중립

""

비격식체

""

Child friendly

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속어

""

재미있는 사실

The root 'ballare' is the same root for 'ballet' and 'ball'. So, being 'abalado' is etymologically related to the movement of a dance or a bouncing ball!

발음 가이드

UK /ə.bə.ˈlɑː.dʊ/
US /ɑ.bɑ.ˈlɑ.doʊ/
Second-to-last syllable (a-ba-LA-do).
라임이 맞는 단어
Cansado Ocupado Engraçado Passado Cuidado Gelado Pintado Quebrado
자주 하는 실수
  • Pronouncing the final 'o' as a strong 'OH' (it should be a soft 'u' in most dialects).
  • Stress on the first syllable (A-balado).
  • Making the 'L' too hard like in English 'bell'.
  • Confusing 'abalado' with 'abafado' (stuffy/suffocated).
  • Forgetting to change the ending for women (saying 'ela está abalado').

난이도

독해 2/5

Common in news and literature, easy to recognize.

쓰기 3/5

Requires remembering gender and number agreement.

말하기 3/5

Pronunciation of 'L' and nasal 'a' can be tricky.

듣기 2/5

Distinctive sound, usually clear in context.

다음에 무엇을 배울까

선수 학습

Triste Ficar Estar Notícia Com

다음에 배울 것

Inabalável Consternado Perturbado Estrutura Confiança

고급

Abalroar Instabilidade Traumatizado Vulnerável

알아야 할 문법

Gender Agreement

O homem abalado vs. A mulher abalada.

Number Agreement

Os prédios abalados vs. As casas abaladas.

Stative Verbs

Usa-se 'estar' ou 'ficar' para estados emocionais.

Preposition 'Com'

Abalado com a morte (Shaken by the death).

Preposition 'Por'

Abalado por problemas (Shaken by problems).

수준별 예문

1

Ele está muito abalado hoje.

He is very shaken today.

Uses 'estar' for a temporary state.

2

Maria ficou abalada com o filme.

Maria was shaken by the movie.

Feminine agreement: abalada.

3

O menino está abalado.

The boy is shaken.

Masculine singular.

4

Eles estão abalados.

They are shaken.

Masculine plural.

5

Você está abalada?

Are you shaken? (to a woman)

Question form.

6

Não fique abalado.

Don't be shaken.

Imperative negative.

7

A notícia foi ruim, eu estou abalado.

The news was bad, I am shaken.

Cause and effect.

8

Ela não está abalada.

She is not shaken.

Negative sentence.

1

A família ficou abalada com a notícia.

The family was shaken by the news.

Collective noun 'família' takes singular 'abalada'.

2

O prédio ficou abalado após o vento forte.

The building was shaken after the strong wind.

Literal physical usage.

3

Sua saúde está um pouco abalada.

Your health is a bit shaken/weakened.

Health context.

4

Ficamos abalados com o resultado do jogo.

We were shaken by the game's result.

First person plural.

5

Ela parece abalada, vamos conversar com ela?

She seems shaken, shall we talk to her?

Verb 'parecer' (to seem).

6

O motorista saiu do carro muito abalado.

The driver got out of the car very shaken.

Adverbial use of adjective.

7

Minha confiança nele ficou abalada.

My confidence in him was shaken.

Metaphorical usage (confidence).

8

As estruturas da casa estão abaladas.

The house's structures are shaken.

Feminine plural agreement.

1

O mercado financeiro ficou abalado com a crise.

The financial market was shaken by the crisis.

Abstract noun usage.

2

Ele foi profundamente abalado pela perda do emprego.

He was deeply shaken by the loss of his job.

Passive voice with 'ser' + past participle.

3

Apesar de abalada, ela continuou a trabalhar.

Despite being shaken, she continued to work.

Concessive clause.

4

O escândalo deixou a reputação da empresa abalada.

The scandal left the company's reputation shaken.

Verb 'deixar' (to leave/make).

5

Sinto-me abalado com tudo o que aconteceu.

I feel shaken by everything that happened.

Reflexive verb 'sentir-se'.

6

A notícia abalou o país, deixando todos abalados.

The news shook the country, leaving everyone shaken.

Verb 'abalar' vs adjective 'abalado'.

7

Ela ainda está abalada, não a pressione.

She is still shaken, don't pressure her.

Adverb 'ainda' (still).

8

O terremoto deixou muitas construções abaladas.

The earthquake left many constructions shaken.

Plural agreement.

1

A estabilidade política foi abalada pelos protestos.

Political stability was shaken by the protests.

Abstract concept agreement.

2

O testemunho da vítima deixou os jurados abalados.

The victim's testimony left the jurors shaken.

Plural masculine agreement.

3

Ele está visivelmente abalado, não consegue nem falar.

He is visibly shaken, he can't even speak.

Adverb 'visivelmente'.

4

A fé de muitos foi abalada após a tragédia.

The faith of many was shaken after the tragedy.

Religious context.

5

O sistema de saúde está abalado pela falta de recursos.

The health system is shaken by the lack of resources.

Institutional context.

6

Sua integridade moral nunca foi abalada.

His moral integrity was never shaken.

Negative 'nunca'.

7

O divórcio deixou os filhos profundamente abalados.

The divorce left the children deeply shaken.

Deep emotional impact.

8

As fundações da democracia parecem abaladas ultimamente.

The foundations of democracy seem shaken lately.

Metaphorical plural.

1

Abalado em suas convicções, ele decidiu renunciar.

Shaken in his convictions, he decided to resign.

Adjective at the start of a sentence.

2

A economia global permanece abalada pelas tensões geopolíticas.

The global economy remains shaken by geopolitical tensions.

Verb 'permanecer'.

3

O silêncio dela revelava o quanto estava abalada.

Her silence revealed how much she was shaken.

Indirect question 'o quanto'.

4

Nenhuma crítica conseguiu deixar o autor abalado.

No criticism managed to leave the author shaken.

Resilience context.

5

Abalados pela dor, os sobreviventes buscaram conforto mútua.

Shaken by pain, the survivors sought mutual comfort.

Participle clause.

6

A credibilidade do governo está seriamente abalada.

The government's credibility is seriously shaken.

Adverb 'seriamente'.

7

O projeto foi abalado por sucessivos cortes no orçamento.

The project was shaken by successive budget cuts.

Professional context.

8

Abalada emocionalmente, ela buscou ajuda profissional.

Emotionally shaken, she sought professional help.

Adverbial focus.

1

Abalar-se-ia o mais forte dos homens diante de tal cena.

Even the strongest of men would be shaken before such a scene.

Mesoclisis (literary future conditional).

2

Sua postura inabalável contrastava com o público abalado.

His unwavering posture contrasted with the shaken public.

Contrast with antonym 'inabalável'.

3

O cerne da questão reside na confiança abalada entre as partes.

The core of the issue lies in the shaken trust between the parties.

Formal philosophical structure.

4

Abalada a confiança, o contrato torna-se nulo de espírito.

Once trust is shaken, the contract becomes void in spirit.

Absolute construction.

5

Restam apenas as ruínas de uma civilização abalada pela guerra.

Only the ruins of a civilization shaken by war remain.

Poetic/Historical context.

6

O espírito humano, embora abalado, possui uma resiliência atávica.

The human spirit, though shaken, possesses an ancestral resilience.

Philosophical tone.

7

Abalados os alicerces, toda a superestrutura corre perigo.

With the foundations shaken, the whole superstructure is in danger.

Metaphor for systems.

8

Sentia-se abalada, não por medo, mas por uma súbita epifania.

She felt shaken, not by fear, but by a sudden epiphany.

Existential context.

자주 쓰는 조합

Visivelmente abalado
Profundamente abalado
Psicologicamente abalado
Confiança abalada
Saúde abalada
Estrutura abalada
Emocionalmente abalado
Abalado com a notícia
Fé abalada
Mercado abalado

자주 쓰는 구문

Ficar abalado

— To become shaken or upset by something.

Ele ficou abalado com o susto.

Estar abalado

— To be currently in a shaken state.

Ela está abalada desde ontem.

Deixar abalado

— To cause someone to feel shaken.

A crítica deixou o artista abalado.

Sair abalado

— To come out of an experience feeling shaken.

Saímos abalados daquela reunião.

Sentir-se abalado

— To feel shaken within oneself.

Sinto-me abalado com a situação.

Parecer abalado

— To appear or look shaken to others.

Você parece um pouco abalado hoje.

Continuar abalado

— To remain in a shaken state over time.

Ele continua abalado pela separação.

Nada o deixa abalado

— Nothing makes him shaken (he is very strong).

Ele é um herói, nada o deixa abalado.

Abalado emocionalmente

— Specifically identifying the emotional nature of the shock.

O paciente está abalado emocionalmente.

Ver-se abalado

— To find oneself in a shaken position.

Vi-me abalado por dúvidas repentinas.

자주 혼동되는 단어

abalado vs Abafado

Means 'stuffy' or 'muffled'. Sounds similar but unrelated.

abalado vs Abalroado

Means 'crashed into' (usually ships or cars). Same root 'abalar' but different meaning.

abalado vs Acabado

Means 'finished' or 'worn out'. Often confused by beginners.

관용어 및 표현

"Abalar as estruturas"

— To shake things up significantly or cause a major disruption.

A nova lei vai abalar as estruturas do país.

Neutral/Informal
"Não se abalar"

— To stay cool and collected even in tough situations.

Ele não se abala por qualquer bobagem.

Neutral
"Abalar Bangu"

— A Brazilian slang meaning to impress everyone or make a big impact (literally: to shake the Bangu neighborhood).

Ela chegou na festa para abalar Bangu!

Slang (Brazil)
"Deixar alguém de queixo caído e abalado"

— To leave someone jaw-dropped and emotionally affected.

A revelação deixou todos de queixo caído e abalados.

Informal
"Abalar o coreto"

— To mess up someone's plans or cause a stir in a small group/setting.

A notícia chegou para abalar o coreto da vila.

Informal/Old-fashioned
"Ficar com as pernas abaladas"

— To be so shaken that your legs feel weak (similar to 'weak in the knees').

Fiquei com as pernas abaladas depois do susto.

Colloquial
"Abalar o mundo de alguém"

— To completely change or disrupt someone's life.

O nascimento do filho abalou o mundo dele.

Metaphorical
"Ter a saúde abalada"

— To have one's health take a serious turn for the worse.

Ele teve a saúde abalada após anos de trabalho duro.

Formal
"Abalado até os ossos"

— Shaken to the core/bones.

O frio e o medo deixaram-no abalado até os ossos.

Literary
"Abalar a poeira"

— Similar to 'shake off the dust', usually to start moving after a shock.

Temos que abalar a poeira e seguir em frente.

Informal

혼동하기 쉬운

abalado vs Chocado

Both mean 'shocked'.

Chocado is the instant surprise; Abalado is the lasting emotional fragility.

Fiquei chocado com o grito, mas estou abalado com a notícia.

abalado vs Assustado

Both involve a reaction to something negative.

Assustado is fear/scared; Abalado is emotiona

문장 패턴

A1

[Subject] + estar + abalado.

Eu estou abalado.

A2

[Subject] + ficar + abalado + com + [Noun].

Ela ficou abalada com o susto.

B1

[Subject] + ser + profundamente + abalado + por + [Noun].

Ele foi profundamente abalado pela notícia.

B2

Deixar + [Object] + abalado.

O filme deixou os espectadores abalados.

C1

Abalado(a) por [Cause], [Subject] + [Verb].

Abalada pela dor, Maria não falou nada.

C2

Não obstante estar abalado, [Subject]...

Não obstante estar abalado, ele manteve a calma.

B1

Ter + a + [Noun] + abalada.

Ele teve a confiança abalada.

A2

Parecer + abalado.

Você parece abalada hoje.

어휘 가족

명사

동사

형용사

관련

사용법

frequency

Very high in news, high in emotional conversations, medium in physical descriptions.

암기하기

기억법

Think of a 'ball' (from the root ballare). If you hit a 'ball' hard, it 'shakes' and moves away. 'A-BAL-ado' is when you feel like that ball—shaken and moved from your center.

시각적 연상

Imagine a tall building swaying during an earthquake. Now imagine a person's face reflecting that same internal instability.

Word Web

Shock Earthquake Grief Instability News Structure Fragile Health

챌린지

Write three sentences about a time you felt 'abalado', ensuring you use the correct gender agreement for yourself.

어원

From the Portuguese verb 'abalar', which comes from the Latin 'ad' (to) + 'ballare' (to dance/shake).

원래 의미: The original sense was to move something from its place or to cause it to vibrate/shake.

Romance (Latin root).

문화적 맥락

Use with care; it implies a serious level of distress. Don't use it for minor things like 'I'm shaken because they were out of coffee'.

English speakers often use 'shaken' or 'rattled'. 'Abalado' is slightly more formal and heavy than 'rattled'.

Commonly used in 'Jornal Nacional' (Brazil) headlines. Appears in Fado lyrics to describe a heart shaken by 'saudade'. Used in Portuguese translations of the Bible to describe 'shaken foundations'.

실생활에서 연습하기

실제 사용 상황

News/Journalism

  • Vítimas abaladas
  • População abalada
  • Visivelmente abalado
  • Profundamente abalado

Personal Relationships

  • Fiquei abalado com você
  • Não me deixe abalado
  • Estou abalada emocionalmente
  • Confiança abalada

Architecture/Engineering

  • Estrutura abalada
  • Alicerce abalado
  • Paredes abaladas
  • Abalado pelo terremoto

Health

  • Saúde abalada
  • Estado abalado
  • Sistema nervoso abalado
  • Fisicamente abalado

Finance/Economy

  • Mercado abalado
  • Economia abalada
  • Setor abalado
  • Bolsa abalada

대화 시작하기

"Você já ficou muito abalado com alguma notícia de jornal?"

"O que te deixa mais abalado: problemas no trabalho ou na família?"

"Como você ajuda um amigo que está visivelmente abalado?"

"Você acha que a economia do seu país está abalada ultimamente?"

"Qual filme deixou você mais abalada emocionalmente?"

일기 주제

Descreva uma situação em que você ficou abalado e como você superou esse sentimento.

Escreva sobre uma notícia recente que deixou a sua cidade ou país abalado.

Como a confiança abalada em um relacionamento pode ser recuperada?

Reflita sobre a diferença entre estar triste e estar abalado.

Descreva um lugar (prédio ou monumento) que parece ter a estrutura abalada pelo tempo.

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