In 15 Seconds
- Used when someone cheats or swindles you for personal gain.
- Literally means 'to pass the leg' or trip someone up.
- Common in financial, romantic, or professional betrayal contexts.
Meaning
This phrase is used when someone tricks or cheats you to get an advantage. It’s like someone literally tripped you up to get ahead in a race.
Key Examples
3 of 6Talking about a bad car deal
Aquele vendedor tentou passar a perna em mim com esse preço.
That salesman tried to trick me with this price.
Discussing office politics
O Marcos passou a perna na colega e ficou com a promoção.
Marcos cheated his colleague and got the promotion.
Texting a friend about a scam
Cuidado com esse site, eles passam a perna em todo mundo!
Be careful with this site, they scam everyone!
Cultural Background
The expression likely comes from wrestling or capoeira, where tripping an opponent is a tactical move. In Brazilian culture, it reflects a historical distrust of bureaucracy and a need to be 'esperto' (smart) to avoid being exploited. It became popular through samba lyrics and soap operas depicting social climbers.
The 'Em' Rule
Always remember to use 'em' after the phrase. You don't just 'passar a perna' someone; you 'passar a perna EM' someone.
Not for Pranks
If you just jump-scare a friend, don't use this. It implies a malicious gain or a financial loss.
In 15 Seconds
- Used when someone cheats or swindles you for personal gain.
- Literally means 'to pass the leg' or trip someone up.
- Common in financial, romantic, or professional betrayal contexts.
What It Means
Passar a perna is all about deception and betrayal. Imagine you are walking and someone sticks their leg out. You trip and they move ahead. That is the essence of this idiom. It describes being swindled, cheated, or outsmarted in a dishonest way. It is not just a small joke. It usually involves someone losing money, a job, or trust.
How To Use It
You use it like a regular verb. You can say someone passou a perna in you. Usually, we use the preposition em before the victim. For example: Ele passou a perna em mim. It works for big scams or small office betrayals. You will hear it often in news about corruption or gossip about friends.
When To Use It
Use this when you feel cheated. It is perfect for telling a story about a bad deal. Use it when a salesperson overcharges you. Use it when a colleague takes credit for your work. It adds a bit of drama to your story. It makes you sound like a local who knows the score.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for accidental mistakes. If a friend forgets to pay for coffee, that is not passar a perna. That is just a mistake. This phrase requires intent to deceive. Also, avoid it in very high-level legal documents. In a courtroom, use fraude or estelionato. Using this phrase there might sound a bit too colorful.
Cultural Background
Brazilians are generally very wary of the malandro figure. A malandro is a street-smart person who lives by their wits. Sometimes they are charming, but they often passam a perna on others. This phrase reflects a social reality where people have to watch their backs. It is deeply tied to the concept of the jeitinho brasileiro gone wrong.
Common Variations
You might hear dar uma rasteira. This is even more physical. It means to give someone a sweep-kick. Both mean the same thing: to trip someone up. Another variation is ser passado para trás. This means you were left behind because someone cheated you. Stick to passar a perna for the most common impact.
Usage Notes
The phrase is neutral to informal. It is very common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese. Be careful when using it in professional settings as it is a direct accusation of dishonesty.
The 'Em' Rule
Always remember to use 'em' after the phrase. You don't just 'passar a perna' someone; you 'passar a perna EM' someone.
Not for Pranks
If you just jump-scare a friend, don't use this. It implies a malicious gain or a financial loss.
The Malandro
In Brazil, being 'malandro' is a double-edged sword. People admire the wit but hate being the one who gets their leg passed!
Examples
6Aquele vendedor tentou passar a perna em mim com esse preço.
That salesman tried to trick me with this price.
Commonly used for overpricing or bad products.
O Marcos passou a perna na colega e ficou com a promoção.
Marcos cheated his colleague and got the promotion.
Used when someone steals an opportunity.
Cuidado com esse site, eles passam a perna em todo mundo!
Be careful with this site, they scam everyone!
Very common in digital safety warnings.
Não tenta passar a perna em mim, eu te conheço!
Don't try to pull a fast one on me, I know you!
Lighthearted use between close friends.
Eu confiei nele, mas ele me passou a perna.
I trusted him, but he betrayed me.
Focuses on the emotional sting of the trick.
O empresário é acusado de passar a perna nos investidores.
The businessman is accused of swindling the investors.
Even in news, it adds a descriptive, relatable tone.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence to say 'He cheated me'.
Ele ___ a perna em mim.
The verb 'passar' is the only one that completes this specific idiom.
Which preposition usually follows the phrase when mentioning the victim?
Eles passaram a perna ___ João.
We use 'em' (em + o = no) to indicate who was tricked.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of 'Passar a perna'
Very street-level
Me deram um migué
Daily conversations and stories
Passar a perna
Legal or serious business
Cometer uma fraude
When to say 'Passar a perna'
Bad Mechanic
Charging for parts not replaced
Office Rival
Stealing an idea for a project
Online Shopping
Buying a phone but getting a brick
Card Games
Hiding a card up the sleeve
Practice Bank
2 exercisesEle ___ a perna em mim.
The verb 'passar' is the only one that completes this specific idiom.
Eles passaram a perna ___ João.
We use 'em' (em + o = no) to indicate who was tricked.
🎉 Score: /2
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsUsually no. Passar a perna implies a real deception. For a harmless prank, use fazer uma pegadinha.
It's not a swear word, but it is an accusation. Use it when you are sure someone was dishonest, like Ele me passou a perna no troco.
Yes, but it's informal. In a meeting, you might say it to a trusted colleague about a competitor: Eles tentaram nos passar a perna.
Dar o golpe is more serious, often referring to professional scammers or gold-diggers. Passar a perna is more common for everyday betrayals.
You use the passive voice: Eu fui passado para trás or Me passaram a perna.
In some places, people say dar uma rasteira, which is even more aggressive and implies taking someone's position.
Absolutely. This is the most common use. O banco passou a perna nos clientes is a very natural sentence.
No, it can be an institution. A empresa passou a perna nos funcionários means the company cheated the workers.
Yes, it is widely understood and used in Portugal with the same meaning of deception.
There isn't a direct idiom, but jogar limpo (to play clean) is the conceptual opposite.
Related Phrases
Dar o golpe
To pull off a major scam or swindle.
Dar uma rasteira
To trip someone up (metaphorically) to take their place.
Ser passado para trás
To be outsmarted or left behind by a trick.
Mandar um migué
To tell a fake story to get out of something (slang).
