This page in your language

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

Français

日本語

한국어

Português

中文

हिन्दी

B1 adjective 9 min read

desprezado

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips desprezado in 30 Seconds

Explanation desprezado in your Level:

At the A1 level, you can think of 'desprezado' as a way to say someone is 'not liked' or 'ignored' in a very sad way. It is like when a child feels sad because nobody wants to play with them. You might not use this word often yet, but you will see it in simple stories or songs. Remember that it ends in 'o' for a boy and 'a' for a girl. For example, 'O menino está desprezado' (The boy is neglected/scorned). It is a strong emotion word that helps you describe feelings beyond just 'triste' (sad). Focus on the idea that someone feels 'small' or 'unimportant' because of others.

At the A2 level, you can start using 'desprezado' to describe people and things that are ignored or treated poorly. It is useful for talking about personal experiences, like feeling 'desprezado' by a friend who didn't call back. You should also notice it used with objects, like an 'objeto desprezado' (an object no one wants). At this level, you should be careful with the plural forms: 'desprezados' and 'desprezadas'. You might hear it in basic movie dialogues where a character feels unloved. It is a step up from 'sozinho' (alone), as it implies that the loneliness is caused by someone else's lack of respect.

At the B1 level, 'desprezado' becomes a key word for expressing complex social and emotional situations. You can use it to talk about social issues, such as 'grupos desprezados' (marginalized groups), or professional setbacks, like having your 'ideias desprezadas' (ideas dismissed). You should understand the nuance that this word implies a judgment of value. People aren't just ignoring the thing; they think it is 'worthless'. You should also be able to use it with the verb 'sentir-se' to describe your own feelings in more formal or serious conversations. This is the level where you distinguish between 'desprezado' and 'ignorado'.

At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using 'desprezado' in abstract and figurative contexts. You might discuss how certain 'valores tradicionais' (traditional values) are 'desprezados' in modern society. You can also use it in the passive voice with the preposition 'por' (e.g., 'Ele foi desprezado por seus pares'). You should recognize the word in news articles about politics, sociology, and economics. At this stage, you should also be aware of its synonyms like 'menosprezado' and 'subestimado' and choose the one that fits the specific 'flavor' of rejection you want to describe.

At the C1 level, 'desprezado' is a tool for precise rhetorical expression. You can use it to analyze literature, where a 'personagem desprezada' often serves a specific narrative function. You should understand the historical and cultural weight the word carries, especially in Lusophone literature (like the works of Machado de Assis or Eça de Queirós). You can use it to describe subtle psychological states, such as the 'orgulho desprezado' (scorned pride). Your usage should be flawless in terms of agreement and placement, and you can use it to create sophisticated contrasts in your writing and speaking.

At the C2 level, 'desprezado' is part of a vast palette of synonyms for disdain and neglect. You understand its etymological roots and how it interacts with other words of the same family (desprezo, desprezar, desprezível). You can use it in highly formal academic papers or poetic contexts. You recognize when 'desprezado' is being used ironically or as a hyperbole. You are also aware of regional variations in how the word is perceived and can use it to evoke specific emotional responses in an audience. You can discuss the 'estética do desprezado' in art—things that are intentionally made to look neglected or worthless.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

desprezado in 30 Seconds

Desprezado means scorned, neglected, or undervalued in Portuguese.
It is the past participle of the verb 'desprezar' used as an adjective.
It must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
It is common in emotional, social, and literary contexts.

The Portuguese adjective desprezado is a deeply emotive word that carries the weight of being undervalued, ignored, or treated with contempt. At its core, it is the past participle of the verb desprezar (to despise or scorn), but when used as an adjective, it describes the state of a person, object, or idea that has been cast aside as worthless. In English, we often translate it as 'despised,' 'scorned,' 'neglected,' or 'unappreciated,' depending on the intensity of the situation. It is a word that appears frequently in literature, fado music, and daily conversations about social dynamics or personal relationships.

Emotional State: When a person feels desprezado, they feel that their presence or efforts are not just ignored, but actively devalued by others. This is common in romantic contexts where one partner feels the other no longer cares.

Ele sentiu-se desprezado pelos colegas de trabalho após a reunião.

Beyond personal feelings, desprezado can describe physical things. An old building that has been left to decay is a prédio desprezado. A talent that goes unnoticed is a talento desprezado. The nuance here is that the 'value' is present, but the 'observer' fails to recognize or honor it. It implies a lack of 'preço' (value/price) or 'prezo' (esteem), which is the etymological root of the word.

Social Context: In sociology, it describes marginalized groups who are 'desprezados pela sociedade' (scorned by society). This highlights a systemic lack of respect or recognition.

Muitos artistas geniais morreram desprezados e na pobreza.

In political discourse, you might hear about 'votos desprezados' (ignored votes) or 'setores desprezados da economia.' This suggests that the government or the elite are looking down upon specific areas. It is a powerful word to use when you want to express indignation about how someone or something is being treated. It carries more weight than just 'ignorado' (ignored); it suggests a conscious choice to treat something as inferior.

Artistic Usage: In Portuguese Fado, the 'amante desprezado' (the scorned lover) is a classic trope, representing the profound sadness of unrequited or rejected love.

A herança cultural foi desprezada pelas novas gerações.

Using desprezado correctly requires understanding its role as an adjective that often follows linking verbs like ser (to be - permanent/inherent), estar (to be - temporary state), or sentir-se (to feel). Because it describes a state resulting from an action, it behaves much like a passive participle.

With 'Sentir-se' (To Feel): This is the most common way to express personal hurt. It focuses on the internal experience of the subject.

Ela sentiu-se desprezada quando ninguém a convidou para a festa.

When used with ser, it often describes a social status or a historical fact. For example, if a book was hated by critics when it was released, you would say it 'foi desprezado.' This implies an objective action taken by others against the object.

Agreement Rules: If the subject is feminine plural (e.g., 'as ideias'), the adjective must be 'desprezadas'. If it is masculine plural (e.g., 'os sentimentos'), it must be 'desprezados'.

Os conselhos do ancião foram desprezados pelos jovens guerreiros.

In more complex sentences, desprezado can act as a modifier directly before or after a noun. In 'Um olhar desprezado' (a scorned look), it adds a layer of rejection to the noun itself. It can also be modified by adverbs of degree like 'completamente' (completely), 'profundamente' (deeply), or 'injustamente' (unfairly).

Negative Constructions: You can use 'jamais' or 'nunca' to emphasize that something should never be undervalued.

O esforço dos voluntários nunca deve ser desprezado.

Consider the difference between 'ser desprezado' and 'ser ignorado.' If you are 'ignorado,' people simply don't see you. If you are 'desprezado,' they see you but decide you are not worth their time or respect. This distinction is vital for B1 learners to master to express subtle social nuances.

Aquele pequeno detalhe, embora desprezado inicialmente, era a chave do mistério.

You will encounter desprezado in various spheres of Lusophone life. In the news, it often appears in social commentary. Journalists might describe a 'bairro desprezado pelo governo' (a neighborhood neglected by the government), highlighting a lack of infrastructure or investment. In this context, it carries a political sting, suggesting that the residents are being treated as second-class citizens.

In Literature and Soap Operas: Portuguese and Brazilian 'telenovelas' thrive on the 'desprezado' trope. A character might be poor and scorned by a wealthy family, only to return later rich and powerful. The dialogue will often include lines like 'Você sempre me tratou como um ser desprezado!' (You always treated me like a despised being!).

No livro, o herói é um homem desprezado que busca justiça.

In the workplace, you might hear a colleague complain in a low voice: 'Sinto-me desprezada nesta empresa.' This indicates a deep dissatisfaction, likely meaning their ideas are being shot down or they are being passed over for promotions. It is a more serious word than 'chateado' (upset) or 'triste' (sad) because it implies a loss of dignity.

Historical Context: Historians use the term to describe groups or movements that were not given importance at the time but changed the course of history. 'O movimento foi inicialmente desprezado pelas elites.'

O antigo palácio real está agora desprezado e em ruínas.

In sports, a 'jogador desprezado' is a player who was released by a club because they thought he wasn't good enough, only for him to succeed elsewhere. Sports commentators love this narrative of the 'underdog' who was once scorned. It adds a layer of 'revenge' or 'redemption' to the story.

Daily Life: If you leave your food on the plate, a grandmother might jokingly say, 'Não deixe o meu arroz desprezado!' (Don't leave my rice neglected!). It's a lighthearted use of a heavy word.

Aquele cachorro de rua parecia desprezado por todos os passantes.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make is confusing desprezado with desprezível. While they share the same root, they have very different meanings. Desprezado is a state (the person who was scorned), whereas desprezível is a quality (someone who deserves to be scorned; despicable).

Desprezado vs. Desprezível: If you say 'Ele é desprezado,' you mean people don't like him. If you say 'Ele é desprezível,' you mean he is a horrible person who does bad things.

Erro comum: 'O vilão é desprezado' (when you mean he is 'despicable').

Another mistake involves gender and number agreement. Since it functions as an adjective, it must match the noun. Beginners often default to the masculine singular 'desprezado' even when talking about women or plural objects. This is a tell-tale sign of a non-native speaker.

Agreement Errors: Incorrect: 'As meninas sentiram-se desprezado.' Correct: 'As meninas sentiram-se desprezadas.'

As opiniões dela foram totalmente desprezadas pelo grupo.

A subtle mistake is using desprezado when you simply mean 'ignored' in a neutral sense. For instance, if you didn't see a sign on the road, you wouldn't say the sign was 'desprezado' (which implies you saw it and hated it), but rather 'ignorado' or 'passou despercebido' (went unnoticed). Use desprezado only when there is a sense of value or emotion involved.

Misuse of Intensity: Don't use it for trivial things unless for comedic effect. Saying your 'pão' (bread) is 'desprezado' because you didn't eat it is very dramatic.

Finally, watch out for the preposition. We are 'desprezados por' someone (the agent). Using 'de' or 'com' here is a common error. Always associate the passive adjective with 'por' or its contractions (pelo, pela, pelos, pelas).

Ele foi desprezado pela crítica, mas amado pelo público.

To enrich your vocabulary, it's important to know words that orbit desprezado. Depending on the context—whether it's social, emotional, or physical—you might choose a more specific term.

Menosprezado: This is the closest synonym. It literally means 'under-prized.' It is often used in professional contexts where someone's skills are underestimated. While 'desprezado' is more emotional, 'menosprezado' is more about evaluation.
Rejeitado: This means 'rejected.' It is more active. If you are 'desprezado,' people look down on you. If you are 'rejeitado,' you were explicitly told 'no' or 'go away.'

O projeto foi menosprezado pela diretoria, mas provou ser lucrativo.

If you want to describe something that is just ignored without necessarily being hated, use ignorado. If something is left behind or forgotten (like a house), abandonado or negligenciado are better choices. Negligenciado implies a lack of care that was actually required by duty.

Humilhado: This is a stronger word. Being 'desprezado' is a form of 'humilhação,' but 'humilhado' (humiliated) usually involves a public or more aggressive act of shaming.

Sentir-se ignorado é ruim, mas sentir-se desprezado é devastador.

On the opposite side, the antonyms of desprezado are valorizado (valued), apreciado (appreciated), respeitado (respected), and estimado (esteemed). In a healthy relationship or workplace, one should feel 'valorizado' rather than 'desprezado.'

Estimado: Used in formal letters ('Estimado Senhor'), it is the direct opposite of the social exclusion implied by 'desprezado.'

Ele passou de um funcionário desprezado a um consultor valorizado.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word 'prezado' (esteemed) is the direct positive counterpart, used often in formal letters like 'Prezado Senhor'.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /dɨʃ.pɾɨ.ˈza.ðu/

US /des.pɾe.ˈza.du/

The stress is on the penultimate syllable 'za'.

Rhymes With

cansado amado pintado quebrado esperado passado gelado sonhado

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 's' as 'z' in the first syllable.
Making the 'z' sound like 'ts'.
Stressing the first syllable instead of the second-to-last.
In Brazil, the final 'o' is often pronounced like a soft 'u'.
Confusing the 'e' sounds (open vs closed).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize in texts due to its Latin root.

Writing 4/5

Requires correct gender/number agreement.

Speaking 4/5

The 's' and 'z' sounds can be tricky for beginners.

Listening 3/5

Clear pronunciation in most dialects.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

prezar valor triste sentir ignorar

Learn Next

menosprezar desprezível humilhação valorização indiferença

Advanced

vilipendiar menoscabar relegar postergar preterir

Grammar to Know

Adjective Agreement

As casas (f.p.) estão desprezadas (f.p.).

Passive Voice with 'Ser'

O projeto foi desprezado pelos diretores.

Reflexive Verbs with Adjectives

Ele se sente desprezado.

Preposition 'Por' in Passive Constructions

Desprezado por todos.

Adverb Placement

Ele foi totalmente desprezado.

Examples by Level

O brinquedo velho está desprezado no canto.

The old toy is neglected in the corner.

Masculine singular agreement with 'brinquedo'.

Ela se sente desprezada pelos amigos.

She feels scorned by her friends.

Feminine singular agreement with 'ela'.

Não seja um aluno desprezado.

Don't be a neglected student.

Used as an adjective after the noun.

O gato desprezado encontrou uma casa.

The scorned cat found a home.

Adjective modifying 'gato'.

Eles estão desprezados na escola.

They are neglected at school.

Masculine plural agreement.

A comida foi desprezada pela criança.

The food was rejected by the child.

Passive construction with 'pela'.

Eu não gosto de me sentir desprezado.

I don't like to feel scorned.

Reflexive verb 'sentir-se'.

As flores desprezadas morreram.

The neglected flowers died.

Feminine plural agreement.

O artista morreu pobre e desprezado.

The artist died poor and scorned.

Common literary trope.

Suas palavras foram desprezadas pelo chefe.

His words were dismissed by the boss.

Feminine plural agreement with 'palavras'.

Um livro desprezado pode ser um tesouro.

A neglected book can be a treasure.

Adjective placement after the noun.

Ela ficou desprezada após a briga.

She was left scorned after the fight.

Verb 'ficar' showing a resulting state.

Os sentimentos dele foram desprezados.

His feelings were scorned.

Masculine plural agreement.

O bairro está desprezado pela prefeitura.

The neighborhood is neglected by the city hall.

Social/Political context.

Ninguém gosta de ser desprezado.

Nobody likes to be scorned.

Infinitive passive voice.

As opiniões desprezadas eram as melhores.

The dismissed opinions were the best ones.

Feminine plural.

O talento dele foi injustamente desprezado pela mídia.

His talent was unfairly scorned by the media.

Use of adverb 'injustamente'.

Sentir-se desprezado é uma dor profunda.

Feeling scorned is a deep pain.

Gerund phrase as subject.

O patrimônio histórico não pode ficar desprezado.

The historical heritage cannot remain neglected.

Modal verb 'poder' + 'ficar'.

Ela sentia-se a pessoa mais desprezada do mundo.

She felt like the most scorned person in the world.

Superlative construction.

Muitos inventores foram desprezados em sua época.

Many inventors were scorned in their time.

Historical context.

O amor desprezado é o tema de muitos fados.

Scorned love is the theme of many fados.

Cultural reference.

O aviso foi desprezado, e o acidente aconteceu.

The warning was ignored/scorned, and the accident happened.

Causal relationship.

Eles vivem em um prédio desprezado e escuro.

They live in a neglected and dark building.

Descriptive adjectives.

Aquele setor da economia tem sido desprezado pelo governo.

That sector of the economy has been neglected by the government.

Present perfect passive.

O conhecimento científico não deve ser desprezado.

Scientific knowledge should not be scorned.

Formal prohibition.

Ela lidava com o desprezo sentindo-se cada vez mais desprezada.

She dealt with the contempt feeling more and more scorned.

Noun 'desprezo' and adjective 'desprezada' contrast.

O autor, outrora desprezado, hoje é um clássico.

The author, once scorned, is today a classic.

Adverb 'outrora' (once/formerly).

As minorias sentem-se frequentemente desprezadas pela maioria.

Minorities often feel scorned by the majority.

Social commentary.

Um olhar desprezado pode esconder um grande potencial.

A scorned look can hide great potential.

Abstract usage.

Os avisos ambientais foram desprezados por décadas.

Environmental warnings were scorned for decades.

Time duration.

O projeto foi desprezado por falta de visão dos investidores.

The project was scorned due to the investors' lack of vision.

Reasoning with 'por falta de'.

A herança clássica foi paulatinamente desprezada pelo modernismo.

The classical heritage was gradually scorned by modernism.

Adverb 'paulatinamente' (gradually).

O filósofo vivia como um pária, desprezado pela elite intelectual.

The philosopher lived as a pariah, scorned by the intellectual elite.

Appositive phrase.

Nada é mais doloroso do que o silêncio desprezado de um ente querido.

Nothing is more painful than the scornful silence of a loved one.

Comparative 'mais... do que'.

As tradições orais, embora desprezadas pelos acadêmicos, são vitais.

Oral traditions, although scorned by academics, are vital.

Concessive clause with 'embora'.

O estilo barroco foi desprezado durante o iluminismo.

The Baroque style was scorned during the Enlightenment.

Art history context.

Ele carregava consigo a mágoa de ter sido um filho desprezado.

He carried with him the sorrow of having been a scorned son.

Perfect infinitive 'ter sido'.

A beleza do cotidiano é muitas vezes desprezada em busca do extraordinário.

The beauty of the everyday is often scorned in search of the extraordinary.

Philosophical statement.

Sua contribuição, embora marginal, não deve ser desprezada.

His contribution, although marginal, should not be scorned.

Nuanced evaluation.

O léxico arcaico, hoje desprezado, outrora conferia nobreza ao texto.

The archaic lexicon, now scorned, once lent nobility to the text.

Complex sentence structure.

A condição humana, em sua crueza, é frequentemente desprezada pela metafísica.

The human condition, in its rawness, is frequently scorned by metaphysics.

High-level academic register.

O autor destila seu veneno contra uma sociedade que o manteve desprezado.

The author distills his venom against a society that kept him scorned.

Metaphorical language.

A finitude da vida é um fato desprezado pela arrogância juvenil.

The finitude of life is a fact scorned by youthful arrogance.

Abstract noun phrase.

As nuances do vernáculo são desprezadas na tradução automática.

The nuances of the vernacular are scorned in machine translation.

Technical/Linguistic context.

O território, desprezado por sua aridez, revelou-se rico em minérios.

The territory, scorned for its aridity, proved to be rich in minerals.

Geographical/Economic context.

A ética foi desprezada em prol de um lucro imediato e efêmero.

Ethics were scorned in favor of immediate and ephemeral profit.

Formal criticism.

O herói trágico é aquele que, mesmo desprezado pelos deuses, mantém sua dignidade.

The tragic hero is he who, even scorned by the gods, maintains his dignity.

Literary analysis.

Synonyms

menosprezado rejeitado ignorado detestado negligenciado humilhado esnobado vilipendiado

Antonyms

valorizado amado apreciado respeitado

Common Collocations

sentir-se desprezado

ser desprezado por

completamente desprezado

olhar desprezado

talento desprezado

amor desprezado

voto desprezado

setor desprezado

injustamente desprezado

ficar desprezado

Common Phrases

Um ser desprezado

— A person who is generally looked down upon by everyone.

Ele vivia como um ser desprezado na periferia.

Desprezado pela sorte

— Unlucky; as if luck itself has scorned the person.

O pobre homem parecia desprezado pela sorte.

Sentimento desprezado

— A feeling (usually love) that was not reciprocated or valued.

Ele sofria por um sentimento desprezado.

Trabalho desprezado

— Work that is not given the recognition it deserves.

O trabalho doméstico é muitas vezes desprezado.

Lugar desprezado

— A place that is neglected or abandoned.

Aquele parque é um lugar desprezado pela cidade.

Conhecimento desprezado

— Wisdom or facts that people choose to ignore.

O conhecimento dos antigos foi desprezado pela ciência moderna.

Aviso desprezado

— A warning that was not taken seriously.

O aviso de tempestade foi desprezado pelos pescadores.

Povo desprezado

— A group of people marginalized by society.

A história é escrita pelos vencedores, não pelo povo desprezado.

Grito desprezado

— A plea for help that was ignored.

O seu grito de socorro foi desprezado pela multidão.

Objeto desprezado

— A thing that no one wants or uses anymore.

A velha máquina de escrever era um objeto desprezado.

Often Confused With

desprezado vs desprezível

Desprezível means despicable/contemptible (deserving scorn), while desprezado means scorned (the one receiving it).

desprezado vs despercebido

Despercebido means unnoticed. If something is desprezado, it was noticed but treated as worthless.

desprezado vs despreocupado

Despreocupado means unconcerned or carefree, which sounds similar but has a positive/neutral meaning.

Idioms & Expressions

"Jogar para o desprezo"

— To treat something with total indifference or to throw it away as worthless.

Ele jogou todos os meus conselhos para o desprezo.

informal

"Cair no desprezo"

— To lose respect or to become ignored by others.

A política dele caiu no desprezo público.

neutral

"Viver ao desprezo"

— To live in a state of neglect or without any care.

Aquelas crianças viviam ao desprezo das autoridades.

literary

"Tratar com desprezo"

— To treat someone as if they are beneath notice.

Não trate os seus subordinados com desprezo.

neutral

"Fazer pouco de"

— To belittle or scorn something (related to the feeling of being desprezado).

Ele fez pouco do meu novo carro.

informal

"Dar um gelo"

— To give someone the cold shoulder (making them feel desprezado).

Ela me deu um gelo e me senti desprezado.

slang

"Virar as costas"

— To turn one's back on someone, leaving them feeling desprezado.

A família virou as costas para ele.

informal

"Deixar ao léu"

— To leave something neglected or exposed.

O prédio foi deixado ao léu, totalmente desprezado.

informal

"Pisar em cima"

— To trample on someone's feelings, making them feel desprezado.

Ele pisou em cima da minha dignidade.

informal

"Não dar a mínima"

— To not care at all, leading to the other person feeling desprezado.

Eu contei meu segredo e ele não deu a mínima.

informal

Easily Confused

desprezado vs ignorado

Both imply a lack of attention.

Ignorado is neutral (not seen); desprezado is negative (seen and rejected).

O erro passou ignorado (unseen). O mendigo foi desprezado (scorned).

desprezado vs abandonado

Both can describe neglected places.

Abandonado implies being left alone; desprezado implies being left because it's considered worthless.

O carro abandonado. O prédio desprezado pela elite.

desprezado vs rejeitado

Both involve exclusion.

Rejeitado is a specific act of saying no; desprezado is a general state of being unvalued.

Ele foi rejeitado no teste. Ele vive desprezado pela sociedade.

desprezado vs subestimado

Both involve low valuation.

Subestimado is about logic/estimation; desprezado is more emotional/social.

O custo foi subestimado. O gênio foi desprezado.

desprezado vs esquecido

Both imply not being in mind.

Esquecido is an accident of memory; desprezado is a choice of status.

Esqueci a chave. Ele sente-se desprezado e esquecido.

Sentence Patterns

O/A [noun] está desprezado(a).

O livro está desprezado.

Eu me sinto desprezado(a).

Eu me sinto desprezada hoje.

Ele foi desprezado por [person/group].

Ele foi desprezado pelos colegas.

Apesar de ser desprezado, [positive outcome].

Apesar de ser desprezado, o plano funcionou.

O [noun], outrora desprezado, agora é [status].

O autor, outrora desprezado, agora é famoso.

É um fato desprezado que [complex idea].

É um fato desprezado que a economia depende da cultura.

Nunca deixe seu [noun] desprezado.

Nunca deixe seu talento desprezado.

Sentir-se desprezado é pior que ser [alternative].

Sentir-se desprezado é pior que ser odiado.

Word Family

Nouns

desprezo (contempt/scorn)

desprezador (one who scorns)

Verbs

desprezar (to scorn/despise)

Adjectives

desprezado (scorned)

desprezível (despicable)

desprezador (scornful)

prezar

apreço

menosprezo

prezável

prezado

How to Use It

frequency

Common in written Portuguese and emotive spoken Portuguese.

Common Mistakes

Using 'desprezado' to mean 'despicable'. → desprezível
Desprezado is the one who is scorned; desprezível is the one who deserves to be scorned.
Eu me sinto desprezado (said by a woman). → Eu me sinto desprezada.
Adjectives must agree with the gender of the speaker when referring to themselves.
O livro foi desprezado para o crítico. → O livro foi desprezado pelo crítico.
The agent of a passive action is introduced by 'por' (pelo/pela), not 'para'.
Eles estão desprezado. → Eles estão desprezados.
Plural subjects require plural adjectives.
Eu desprezado você. → Eu desprezo você.
Don't confuse the adjective 'desprezado' with the conjugated verb 'desprezo'.

Tips

Agreement is Key

Always match the ending (-o, -a, -os, -as) to the noun. This is the most common mistake for learners.

Know the Root

Linking it to 'preço' (price) helps you remember that it means something has 'no price' or 'no value' in someone's eyes.

Listen to Fado

Listen for this word in Portuguese Fado music to understand its deep emotional resonance.

Passive Voice

Practice using it with 'foi' and 'foram' to describe how things were treated in the past.

Empathy

Use 'desprezado' when you want to show empathy for someone who is being treated unfairly.

Desprezado vs Desprezível

Remember: Desprezado = victim of scorn; Desprezível = cause of scorn (bad person).

Literary Flair

Use it in your writing to describe abandoned buildings or forgotten dreams to sound more poetic.

Social Justice

In discussions about society, use 'setores desprezados' to refer to marginalized areas.

The Soft Z

Make sure the 'z' is vibrating. If it sounds like 'ss', it's incorrect.

Context Matters

Don't use it for a missed bus. Use 'perdi o ônibus'. Use 'desprezado' for people and values.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'des-' as 'down' and 'prezado' as 'prized'. If something is 'des-prezado', it has been 'down-prized' or devalued.

Visual Association

Imagine a shiny gold coin (prezado) being thrown into a trash can and becoming dirty and ignored (desprezado).

Word Web

rejeição solidão tristeza valor preço indiferença orgulho esquecimento

Challenge

Try to use 'desprezado' in a sentence about a historical building in your city that needs repairs.

Word Origin

From the Latin 'depretiare', which is composed of 'de-' (expressing reversal or removal) and 'pretium' (price/value).

Original meaning: To lower the price or value of something; to devalue.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

Be careful when using this to describe people, as it can sound very pitying or insulting depending on the tone.

In English, we might use 'snubbed' for social situations, but 'desprezado' is more formal and poetic.

The 'amante desprezado' in classical Portuguese poetry. Socialist literature in Brazil often features 'o trabalhador desprezado'. Religious texts often mention 'os desprezados da terra' (the lowly of the earth).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Romantic Rejection

amor desprezado
sentir-se desprezada
coração desprezado
amante desprezado

Social Marginalization

povo desprezado
setor desprezado
minorias desprezadas
direitos desprezados

Artistic Criticism

obra desprezada
artista desprezado
estilo desprezado
talento desprezado

Physical Neglect

prédio desprezado
jardim desprezado
objeto desprezado
patrimônio desprezado

Intellectual Dismissal

ideia desprezada
opinião desprezada
conselho desprezado
aviso desprezado

Conversation Starters

"Você já se sentiu desprezado em alguma situação social?"

"Por que você acha que alguns artistas são desprezados em sua própria época?"

"O que você faz quando sente que suas ideias estão sendo desprezadas?"

"Você conhece algum lugar na cidade que esteja desprezado pelo governo?"

"Como lidar com o sentimento de ser desprezado por alguém que amamos?"

Journal Prompts

Escreva sobre uma vez que você viu um objeto desprezado que ainda tinha valor.

Reflita sobre como a sociedade trata os grupos que são frequentemente desprezados.

Descreva um personagem de um livro que começou desprezado e terminou vitorioso.

Como você diferencia o sentimento de ser 'ignorado' do de ser 'desprezado'?

Escreva um diálogo entre duas pessoas onde uma se sente desprezada pela outra.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Usually, you use it to describe how that person is *treated* by others. If you don't like them, you might say they are 'desprezível' (despicable). If you treat them poorly, they are 'desprezados' by you.

Yes, it is very common, although in very informal social settings, Brazilians might use 'esnobado' (snubbed) or 'deixado de lado' (left aside).

Not necessarily. It can mean 'neglected' or 'undervalued'. It's more about a lack of respect than active, violent hatred.

The feminine plural is 'desprezadas'. For example: 'As propostas foram desprezadas'.

Yes, if you want to be dramatic. 'O jantar ficou desprezado na mesa' means no one touched the food.

They are very similar. 'Menosprezado' is slightly more formal and often used for skills or values, while 'desprezado' is more common for people and emotions.

Yes, it carries significant emotional weight. It's not a word you use lightly to describe a minor inconvenience.

You say 'Eu me sinto desprezado' (if you are male) or 'Eu me sinto desprezada' (if you are female).

You can use it to describe a neglected project or sector, but be careful as it sounds quite strong. 'Menosprezado' might be safer.

The most direct opposites are 'valorizado' (valued) or 'estimado' (esteemed).