fazer choradinho

Grammatically, it is quite simple. You 'make' (fazer) the 'little cry' (choradinho). You can say ele fez um choradinho (he made a little cry) or ela está fazendo choradinho (she is making a little cry). Often, you add the person who is being targeted: fazer choradinho para o chefe (to whine to the boss). It functions as a noun phrase. You can also use it to describe a general state of complaining: Para de fazer choradinho! (Stop whining!). Notice that we don't usually say fazer um choro—that sounds like you're actually crying. The -inho is mandatory for that 'whiny/manipulative' nuance. If you leave it out, people might think you're actually upset, and then things get awkward when they try to offer you a tissue instead of the discount you wanted.

Speaker A: Vais mesmo pedir ao professor para entregar o trabalho amanhã? (Are you really going to ask the teacher to hand in the work tomorrow?)

Speaker B: Sim, vou fazer um choradinho e dizer que a minha internet caiu. (Yes, I'm going to put on a poor-me act and say my internet went down.)

Speaker A: O meu namorado fez o maior choradinho para eu não ir ao ginásio. (My boyfriend made a huge whiny scene so I wouldn't go to the gym.)

Speaker B: E resultou? (And did it work?)

Speaker A: Claro. Acabamos a ver Netflix e a comer gelado. (Of course. We ended up watching Netflix and eating ice cream.)

This is your go-to phrase for casual, everyday social engineering. It fits perfectly in the 'friend zone' or when talking about family dynamics. Use it when you're texting in the group chat about how you convinced your parents to let you borrow the car. It's great for describing that one coworker who always gets the best shifts by complaining about their 'difficult life' to the manager. It’s also very common in the world of customer service—if you’re trying to get a refund from an airline or a discount on your phone bill, you might tell your friends you’re going to fazer um choradinho to the agent. It’s a very human, very relatable way of admitting that we all use a little bit of emotional leverage sometimes.

Avoid this phrase in truly tragic or serious situations. If someone's dog actually died, do not say they are fazendo choradinho. That would make you look like a sociopath. It implies the sadness is fake or calculated. Also, steer clear of it in extremely formal business writing or legal documents. You wouldn't write in a formal email to a CEO: I will do a little cry for a raise. Keep it for the breakroom or the WhatsApp chat. If you use it with someone you don't know well, they might think you're accusing them of being manipulative, so use it with caution unless you're clearly joking. It’s a 'low stakes' phrase for 'low stakes' whining.

If fazer choradinho feels a bit too specific, you can try fazer fita. This means 'to put on a show' or 'to act out', usually for attention. Another one is fazer drama, which is exactly what it sounds like: being a drama queen. If someone is just complaining without the 'sad' act, you might use reclamar (to complain) or resmungar (to grumble). For children, we often use fazer birra (to have a tantrum). However, none of these quite capture the 'pathetic-on-purpose' energy of fazer choradinho. It occupies a very special place in the heart of Portuguese speakers who know exactly how to use a few fake sniffles to get a free dessert at a restaurant.

While the phrase is fairly stable, you might hear choradeira, which refers to a persistent, annoying session of complaining or crying. You might also hear the verb choramingar, which means 'to whimper' or 'to whine' in a more literal sense. In some regions, you might hear fazer uma cena (to make a scene), though that is usually louder and more public than the subtle art of the choradinho. Sometimes people just use the word mimimi (especially on social media) to mock someone who is fazendo choradinho. It's the sound of a tiny violin playing just for them.

Is fazer choradinho insulting? It can be, but usually, it's used jokingly between friends. It implies the person is being a bit of a baby or being manipulative. Can I use it at work? Only with work friends. Don't say it to your boss about their boss unless you want to find a new job. Is it only for men or women? It’s completely gender-neutral. Everyone is capable of a strategic pout. Does it mean actually crying? Rarely. It’s 90% acting and 10% watery eyes at most. If there are real snot and real heaving sobs, it’s no longer a choradinho; it’s a full-on crise de choro.