In 15 Seconds
- Means to perform brilliantly or to make an embarrassing public scene.
- Use 'dar um show' for praise and 'dar show' for drama.
- Extremely common in sports, work, and social life across Brazil.
Meaning
Depending on the context, it means either to perform exceptionally well or to cause a scene and make an embarrassing spectacle of yourself.
Key Examples
3 of 6Praising a colleague's presentation
Você deu um show na reunião de hoje!
You killed it in today's meeting!
Watching a talented street musician
Aquele músico está dando um show na praça.
That musician is putting on an amazing performance in the square.
Complaining about a drunk friend at a party
O João bebeu demais e começou a dar show.
João drank too much and started making a scene.
Cultural Background
The expression reflects the Brazilian penchant for drama and excellence. It gained massive popularity through sports broadcasting and soap operas (telenovelas). In a culture where social harmony is valued, 'giving a show' in a negative sense is a common way to describe someone breaking social norms.
The 'Um' Secret
Adding 'um' usually makes it positive (`deu um show` = performed well), while omitting it often makes it negative (`deu show` = made a scene).
Show de Bola
If you want to be 100% positive, use 'Show de bola'. It's a soccer-inspired way to say 'awesome' and never implies a negative scene.
In 15 Seconds
- Means to perform brilliantly or to make an embarrassing public scene.
- Use 'dar um show' for praise and 'dar show' for drama.
- Extremely common in sports, work, and social life across Brazil.
What It Means
Dar show is a fascinating linguistic double-edged sword. On one hand, it describes someone who performs brilliantly. Think of a soccer player scoring a hat-trick. On the other hand, it describes someone making a scene. Imagine someone yelling at a waiter in a restaurant. It is all about the energy and the audience.
How To Use It
You use it as a verb phrase. If you want to praise someone, say they deram um show. If you are complaining about a dramatic friend, say they deram show. Context and tone of voice are your best friends here. A smile makes it a compliment. A facepalm makes it a critique.
When To Use It
Use it when someone exceeds expectations in a task. It is perfect for workplace presentations or sports. You can also use it when someone is being overly dramatic. If your friend starts crying loudly because the bar ran out of fries, they are dando show. It works great in texts to describe a wild night out.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid using it in very formal legal or academic writing. It is a bit too colorful for a PhD thesis. Do not use the negative version if you are unsure of the person's intent. You might accidentally insult a performer by implying they were being dramatic. Stick to clear contexts like sports, work, or social gatherings.
Cultural Background
Brazilians love passion and high-energy expressions. The phrase likely evolved from the literal theater world into everyday life. It reflects a culture that values both excellence and expressive social behavior. It captures the 'theatrical' nature of Brazilian social interactions. Whether good or bad, life in Brazil is rarely boring.
Common Variations
You will often hear dar um show for the positive meaning. For the negative, people might say dar um showzinho. Adding the diminutive -inho makes it sound more sarcastic and annoying. Sometimes people just say que show! to mean 'how cool!' or 'what a mess!' depending on the vibe.
Usage Notes
The phrase is highly dependent on prosody (tone of voice). In writing, clarify the meaning with context clues like 'infelizmente' (unfortunately) for negative scenes or 'parabéns' (congratulations) for good performances.
The 'Um' Secret
Adding 'um' usually makes it positive (`deu um show` = performed well), while omitting it often makes it negative (`deu show` = made a scene).
Show de Bola
If you want to be 100% positive, use 'Show de bola'. It's a soccer-inspired way to say 'awesome' and never implies a negative scene.
Watch the Tone
If you say 'Que show...' with a sigh and an eye roll, everyone knows you're annoyed, not impressed.
Examples
6Você deu um show na reunião de hoje!
You killed it in today's meeting!
Here it is a high compliment for professional excellence.
Aquele músico está dando um show na praça.
That musician is putting on an amazing performance in the square.
Used literally for a public performance that is impressive.
O João bebeu demais e começou a dar show.
João drank too much and started making a scene.
Negative use implying embarrassing behavior.
A janta deu show, todo mundo adorou!
The dinner was a hit, everyone loved it!
Used to describe a successful event or result.
Para de dar show e vamos logo para casa!
Stop making a scene and let's go home right now!
Commonly used for children throwing tantrums.
O time deu um show, mas infelizmente perdeu no final.
The team played brilliantly, but unfortunately lost at the end.
Expresses pride in effort despite the outcome.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct word to complete the compliment.
Nossa, você ___ um show na cozinha hoje! O jantar estava incrível.
The verb 'dar' is always used with 'show' in this idiomatic expression.
Identify the negative context.
Ele começou a gritar no meio da rua, que ___. Que vergonha!
In this context, 'dar show' refers to making an embarrassing public scene.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of 'Dar Show'
Slangy use with friends regarding drama.
Para de dar show, cara!
Common praise for a job well done.
Você deu um show na apresentação.
Rarely used; 'teve um excelente desempenho' is preferred.
N/A
When to say 'Dar Show'
Sports Match
Neymar deu um show em campo!
Public Argument
O casal deu show no shopping.
Great Cooking
Minha mãe deu show no almoço.
Work Success
A equipe deu um show de vendas.
Practice Bank
2 exercisesNossa, você ___ um show na cozinha hoje! O jantar estava incrível.
The verb 'dar' is always used with 'show' in this idiomatic expression.
Ele começou a gritar no meio da rua, que ___. Que vergonha!
In this context, 'dar show' refers to making an embarrassing public scene.
🎉 Score: /2
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it can be negative. While it often means a great performance, it also refers to making an embarrassing public scene like dar um vexame.
It's a bit too informal for an interview. Instead of saying you deu um show in your last job, say you teve um excelente desempenho.
Yes, usually dar um show is the positive version (a performance), while dar show (without 'um') leans toward the negative (a scene).
Yes, but it is much more common and versatile in Brazilian Portuguese. In Portugal, they might prefer dar espetáculo.
The negative version is the same phrase but used when someone is being loud, rude, or dramatic in public, like Ele deu show no bar.
Usually, it's for people, but you can use it for things that 'perform,' like a car or a computer: Esse celular dá um show!.
It's a variation that means 'great' or 'cool.' It is always positive and comes from soccer culture.
You can say Não dê show or Não precisa dar show. It's a common way to tell someone to calm down.
It's more of an informal idiom than heavy slang. Most age groups in Brazil use and understand it perfectly.
You can use arrasou or mandou bem. Both mean someone did a great job.
Related Phrases
Show de bola
Dar um vexame
Arrasar
Mandou bem
Fazer cena
