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A2 verb #4,000 most common 8 min read

sumir

Top 4,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips sumir in 30 Seconds

Explanation sumir in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'sumir' is introduced as a simple way to talk about objects that are not where they should be. You will use it mostly in the past tense ('sumiu') to describe things like lost keys, a missing pen, or a dog that ran away. It is an essential 'problem-solving' word. At this stage, focus on the third person singular 'sumiu' (it disappeared) and the first person singular 'eu sumi com...' (I lost...). It helps you communicate basic needs and frustrations in daily life. You might also hear 'Você sumiu!' as a friendly greeting, which you should recognize as 'I haven't seen you in a while!' rather than a literal disappearance.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'sumir' in more varied tenses and social contexts. You can use the future tense ('vai sumir') to give warnings or the present tense to describe recurring events, like the sun vanishing behind clouds. You also start to understand the social nuances, such as 'dar um sumiço' (to disappear for a bit). You should be able to conjugate it relatively well in the present and past. This level also involves distinguishing 'sumir' from 'perder'. You learn that 'sumir' focuses on the object being gone, while 'perder' focuses on your role in losing it. It's a key word for describing small mysteries in your daily routine.

By B1, you are comfortable using 'sumir' in abstract ways. You might talk about your stress 'sumindo' after a vacation or your interest in a hobby 'sumindo' over time. You start to use 'fazer sumir' (to make disappear) to describe actions of magicians or even deleting files on a computer. You also encounter the word in more complex sentence structures, such as 'espero que ele não suma' (I hope he doesn't disappear), using the subjunctive mood. Your understanding of the word expands to include idiomatic expressions like 'sumir do mapa' (to disappear from the map/face of the earth).

At the B2 level, 'sumir' is used with nuance in professional and narrative contexts. You can use it to describe market trends (money vanishing from the market) or in more formal storytelling. You understand the difference between 'sumir' and more formal synonyms like 'desaparecer' or 'extinguir-se'. You are also familiar with the reflexive 'sumir-se' used in literature. You can discuss social phenomena like 'ghosting' using 'sumir' and describe complex situations where things or people go missing under suspicious circumstances. Your vocabulary is rich enough to use 'sumir' to add flavor to your descriptions.

At the C1 level, you use 'sumir' with the precision of a native speaker. You understand its use in regional slangs across different Lusophone countries. You can use it in highly formal writing by choosing its more sophisticated synonyms or in extremely informal settings using colorful idioms like 'se escafeder'. You are sensitive to the rhythmic and poetic uses of the word in Portuguese literature and music. You can explain the etymological roots and how it differs from 'desvanecer' or 'esvair-se'. Your usage is effortless, and you can use the word to convey subtle emotional states or complex abstract disappearances.

At the C2 level, 'sumir' is just one tool in a vast arsenal of verbs for disappearance. You can use it to critique literature, discuss philosophical concepts of 'being and nothingness', and navigate the most complex social interactions. You understand its historical development from Latin and its relationship to other Romance languages. You can use it in wordplay, puns, and high-level rhetoric. For a C2 learner, 'sumir' is a word whose every connotation—from the disappearance of an ancient civilization to the vanishing of a digital footprint—is fully understood and masterfully applied.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

sumir in 30 Seconds

Sumir is a versatile Portuguese verb primarily meaning 'to disappear' or 'to vanish' in both physical and social contexts.
It is a regular -ir verb, though the first person singular present is 'eu sumo'.
Commonly used to describe lost objects or friends who haven't been in touch for a while.
Can be used transitively with 'com' (sumir com algo) to mean 'to lose something' or 'to make something go missing'.

The Portuguese verb sumir is a dynamic and essential word that primarily translates to "to disappear," "to vanish," or "to go missing." While it shares a synonym in desaparecer, sumir often carries a more informal, sudden, or absolute tone. It is used in a vast array of contexts, ranging from the mundane frustration of losing your house keys to the social phenomenon of someone not being seen for a long time. In Brazilian culture specifically, the word is deeply embedded in social etiquette. When you haven't seen a friend in weeks or months, the common greeting is "Quanto tempo! Você sumiu!" (Long time no see! You vanished!). This usage highlights the word's versatility in describing both physical absence and social withdrawal.

Physical Disappearance: Used when objects or people are no longer visible or their location is unknown. It implies a sense of mystery or suddenness.
Social Context: Used to describe someone who has stopped attending social gatherings or responding to messages. It is the Portuguese equivalent of 'ghosting' or simply being out of touch.
Abstract Vanishing: Used for feelings, opportunities, or problems that cease to exist or fade away completely.

Minhas chaves acabaram de sumir da mesa, eu não consigo encontrá-las em lugar nenhum.

Beyond the physical, sumir can also be used in more aggressive or imperative contexts. If someone is bothering you, you might tell them to "Suma daqui!" (Get out of here! / Vanish!). This shows the range of the verb from a neutral observation to a strong command. It is also frequently used in the passive sense with the verb estar, as in "Ele está sumido," which means "He has been missing/absent for a while." This flexibility makes it one of the most high-frequency verbs in the Portuguese language, especially in spoken Brazilian Portuguese. Understanding its nuances requires paying attention to the emotional weight behind the disappearance—whether it is an accident, a choice, or a magical event.

O sol costuma sumir atrás das montanhas por volta das seis da tarde.

In literature and music, sumir is often used to evoke feelings of loss and nostalgia. A love that vanishes, a childhood that disappears, or a dream that fades away—all these use sumir to emphasize the total and often irreversible nature of the disappearance. It is a word that captures the ephemeral nature of life. When you use sumir, you are often pointing to a void that was once filled, making it a powerful tool for expression in both daily conversation and creative writing.

Using the verb sumir correctly involves understanding its conjugation and the typical prepositions that accompany it. As a regular verb ending in -ir, it follows the standard pattern for the third conjugation, though it has a minor spelling change in the first person singular of the present indicative (eu sumo) to maintain the sound. It is primarily an intransitive verb, meaning it does not usually require a direct object. You don't "sumir something"; rather, something "sume." If you want to say you made something disappear, you would typically use fazer sumir.

Intransitive Use: The subject simply disappears. Example: 'A neblina sumiu.' (The fog vanished.)
Causative Use (Fazer Sumir): To make something disappear. Example: 'O mágico fez o coelho sumir.' (The magician made the rabbit disappear.)
Prepositional Usage: Often used with 'de' (from) or 'em' (in/into). Example: 'Ela sumiu de vista.' (She vanished from sight.)

Se você não cuidar do seu dinheiro, ele vai sumir rapidinho.

In terms of tense, the past tense (pretérito perfeito) is extremely common because disappearance is usually viewed as a completed action. "Onde ele está? Sumiu!" (Where is he? He's gone/vanished!). In the future tense, it's often used to express a warning or a prediction about something being lost. The imperative form "Suma!" is used in movies and dramatic situations to tell someone to go away forever. When talking about people who haven't been seen for a while, the past participle sumido acts as an adjective: "Você está muito sumido ultimamente."

Espero que esses problemas sumam logo da minha vida.

It is also worth noting the difference between sumir and sumir-se. The reflexive form sumir-se is more common in European Portuguese and in formal literature, often implying a more gradual or deliberate act of vanishing into something, like "sumir-se na multidão" (to vanish into the crowd). In daily Brazilian speech, however, the simple form sumir is almost always preferred regardless of the nuance.

You will encounter sumir in nearly every facet of Portuguese-speaking life. In a household setting, it is the go-to verb for missing socks, remote controls, and documents. Parents might ask their children, "Para onde sumiu o seu casaco?" (Where did your jacket vanish to?). In the workplace, it might be used when a file is missing or when a colleague isn't at their desk: "O Carlos sumiu da mesa dele."

On Social Media: If an influencer stops posting, followers might comment, 'Por que você sumiu?' This is a very common way to express that someone's digital presence has ceased.
In News and Media: News reports use 'sumir' or 'desaparecer' when talking about missing persons or stolen goods. 'O dinheiro sumiu dos cofres públicos' (The money vanished from public coffers) is a common headline in political reporting.
In Romantic Contexts: When someone stops responding to a romantic interest, friends will say, 'Ele sumiu' or 'Ela deu um sumiço'.

O suspeito sumiu antes que a polícia pudesse chegar ao local.

The word also appears frequently in Brazilian music, especially in Samba and Pagode, where lyrics often deal with a lover who disappeared (sumiu no mundo) or a joy that has vanished. It carries a certain rhythmic quality that fits well into melodic structures. In daily slang, "dar um sumiço" is a common phrase meaning to hide something or to disappear on purpose for a while to avoid someone or something.

Depois daquela briga, ele sumiu e nunca mais mandou notícias.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is confusing sumir with consumir (to consume). Because they sound similar, learners might accidentally say they "vanished" a burger when they meant they ate it. Another common error is using sumir as a transitive verb directly. In English, you can say "The magician vanished the rabbit," but in Portuguese, you cannot say "O mágico sumiu o coelho." You must use the causative construction "O mágico FEZ o coelho sumir."

Transitive vs. Intransitive: Mistake: 'Eu sumi as chaves.' Correct: 'Eu sumi COM as chaves' or 'As chaves sumiram.'
Preposition Confusion: Learners often forget the 'com' when they are the ones responsible for the disappearance. 'Sumi com meu passaporte' means 'I lost/misplaced my passport.'
Spelling in Present Tense: Mistake: 'Eu sumo' (meaning 'I consume'). Wait, 'sumo' is actually the correct conjugation for 'sumir', but it is also the noun for 'juice' in Portugal (suco in Brazil). Context is key.

Cuidado para não sumir com os documentos importantes da empresa.

Another nuance is the difference between sumir and perder (to lose). If you say "Eu perdi meu celular," it means you don't know where it is. If you say "Meu celular sumiu," it emphasizes that the phone itself has vanished, perhaps implying it was stolen or mysteriously disappeared. Using sumir often places the focus on the object's state of being gone rather than your action of losing it.

Não deixe a sua esperança sumir diante das dificuldades.

While sumir is incredibly common, Portuguese offers several alternatives depending on the level of formality and the specific context of the disappearance. The most direct synonym is desaparecer, which is slightly more formal and used in all the same contexts. However, there are more colorful options as well.

Desaparecer: The standard, more formal alternative. 'O avião desapareceu dos radares' is more likely than 'sumiu' in a technical report.
Escafeder-se: A very informal, almost humorous slang meaning to slip away or bolt quickly, usually to avoid trouble.
Eclipsar-se: A literary way to say someone vanished, often used when someone leaves a social scene to avoid being the center of attention.
Evaporar: Literally 'to evaporate,' used figuratively for things that disappear very quickly, like money or a crowd.

Assim que a conta chegou, ele tratou de se escafeder do restaurante.

When comparing sumir to these alternatives, consider the 'why' and 'how'. If something vanishes naturally, desaparecer or sumir are best. If someone is running away from a debt or a boring conversation, escafeder-se or dar no pé (slang for running away) might be more descriptive. In a scientific context, like a liquid turning to gas, evaporar is the only correct choice. Understanding these nuances will make your Portuguese sound much more natural and expressive.

A paciência dela costuma sumir quando ela está com fome.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"O documento sumiu dos arquivos da presidência."

Neutral

"O sol sumiu atrás das montanhas."

Informal

"Cara, você sumiu! Onde você tava?"

Child friendly

"O coelhinho sumiu na toca!"

Slang

"Ele deu um sumiço na grana e vazou."

Fun Fact

The word 'sumir' shares the same Latin root as the English word 'submerge'. Over centuries, the meaning evolved from 'sinking' to 'vanishing' in general.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /suˈmiɾ/

US /suˈmiɹ/

The stress is on the last syllable: su-MIR.

Rhymes With

dormir partir sorrir abrir pedir sentir subir vir

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'u' like the English 'u' in 'cup'. It should always be 'oo'.
Stress on the first syllable (SU-mir). Always stress the final -ir.
Making the final 'r' too harsh like a French 'r'. In most Brazilian accents, it's a soft tap.
Confusing the nasal 'm' with a nasal vowel. The 'm' in sumir is a clear consonant.
Pronouncing the 'i' like the 'i' in 'sit'. It must be a long 'ee' sound.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize in texts as it is short and common.

Writing 3/5

Requires remembering the 'eu sumo' conjugation and correct prepositions.

Speaking 2/5

Very easy to use in daily conversation once the basic past tense is learned.

Listening 2/5

Clear sound, though can be confused with 'consumir' in fast speech.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

ir fazer onde estar perder

Learn Next

desaparecer esconder aparecer surgir encontrar

Advanced

esvair-se eclipsar-se escafeder-se extinguir-se dissipar-se

Grammar to Know

Third conjugation regular verbs

Sumir follows the pattern of 'partir' or 'abrir'.

Spelling change in 1st person singular present

Eu sumo (not sumio or sumiro).

Causative 'fazer' + infinitive

Eu fiz o problema sumir.

Preposition 'com' for responsibility

Eu sumi COM o livro (I lost it).

Past participle as adjective

Ele está sumido (He is 'missing').

Examples by Level

Onde está meu gato? Ele sumiu!

Where is my cat? He disappeared!

Simple past tense (pretérito perfeito) of sumir.

Minha caneta sumiu da mesa.

My pen vanished from the table.

Intransitive use with a prepositional phrase.

Você sumiu! Tudo bem?

You vanished! Is everything okay?

Common social greeting used when someone hasn't been seen for a while.

O sol sumiu atrás da nuvem.

The sun vanished behind the cloud.

Third person singular past tense.

Eu sumi com a chave da casa.

I lost the house key.

Using 'sumir com' to mean 'to lose/misplace'.

O dinheiro sumiu da minha carteira.

The money disappeared from my wallet.

Subject + verb + prepositional phrase.

Por que você sumiu da festa?

Why did you disappear from the party?

Question form in the past tense.

As crianças sumiram no parque.

The children vanished in the park.

Third person plural past tense.

Se você não fechar a porta, o cachorro vai sumir.

If you don't close the door, the dog will disappear.

Future tense using 'ir + infinitive'.

A neblina some quando o sol nasce.

The fog vanishes when the sun rises.

Present tense showing a regular occurrence.

Ele sempre some nos finais de semana.

He always disappears on weekends.

Present tense denoting a habit.

Não suma por tanto tempo de novo!

Don't disappear for so long again!

Negative imperative (subjunctive form).

O mágico fez o lenço sumir da mão.

The magician made the handkerchief disappear from the hand.

Causative construction 'fazer + infinitive'.

Minhas dores de cabeça sumiram com o remédio.

My headaches vanished with the medicine.

Figurative use for physical symptoms.

Onde você estava? Você está muito sumido!

Where were you? You've been very absent!

Use of the past participle 'sumido' as an adjective.

A estrada sumiu no meio da floresta.

The road vanished in the middle of the forest.

Descriptive use in the past tense.

Espero que todos os seus problemas sumam logo.

I hope all your problems vanish soon.

Present subjunctive expressing a wish.

O arquivo sumiu do computador depois do erro.

The file disappeared from the computer after the error.

Context of technology and data loss.

Ela sumiu do mapa e ninguém sabe onde ela mora.

She disappeared from the map and nobody knows where she lives.

Idiomatic expression 'sumir do mapa'.

O entusiasmo dele sumiu após a primeira derrota.

His enthusiasm vanished after the first defeat.

Abstract usage for emotions.

Se a gente não se cuidar, a nossa cultura pode sumir.

If we don't take care, our culture might disappear.

Conditional sentence with 'poder + infinitive'.

Ele deu um sumiço para não ter que pagar a dívida.

He disappeared to avoid having to pay the debt.

Idiomatic expression 'dar um sumiço'.

A lua sumiu por trás das nuvens carregadas.

The moon vanished behind the heavy clouds.

Literary/descriptive usage.

Os vestígios do crime sumiram com a chuva forte.

The traces of the crime vanished with the heavy rain.

Context of forensics or mystery.

O investimento sumiu devido à crise financeira global.

The investment vanished due to the global financial crisis.

Formal economic context.

A espécie corre o risco de sumir da natureza para sempre.

The species is at risk of disappearing from nature forever.

Context of environmental science and extinction.

Muitas palavras antigas sumiram do vocabulário popular.

Many old words have vanished from the popular vocabulary.

Linguistic context.

O diretor sumiu com as provas da fraude.

The director made the evidence of the fraud disappear.

Using 'sumir com' in a criminal context.

Ela se sumiu na multidão antes que eu pudesse falar com ela.

She vanished into the crowd before I could talk to her.

Reflexive form 'se sumiu' (more common in EP or literary BP).

Toda a minha paciência sumiu quando ele começou a gritar.

All my patience vanished when he started shouting.

Abstract usage for psychological states.

A cidade sumiu sob as águas da grande enchente.

The city disappeared under the waters of the great flood.

Descriptive usage for natural disasters.

Não deixe que a sua essência suma por causa das pressões sociais.

Don't let your essence vanish because of social pressures.

Subjunctive mood in a philosophical context.

A herança sumiu num emaranhado de processos judiciais.

The inheritance vanished in a tangle of legal proceedings.

Complex sentence structure with metaphorical usage.

As esperanças de um acordo sumiram após a última reunião.

Hopes for an agreement vanished after the last meeting.

Diplomatic/Negotiation context.

O autor sumiu com o manuscrito original, gerando muitas lendas.

The author made the original manuscript disappear, generating many legends.

Narrative usage.

O brilho nos olhos dela sumiu, revelando uma profunda tristeza.

The sparkle in her eyes vanished, revealing a deep sadness.

Poetic/Literary usage.

A privacidade sumiu na era da vigilância digital constante.

Privacy vanished in the era of constant digital surveillance.

Sociopolitical context.

Ele sumiu-se pelos desvãos da história, esquecido por todos.

He vanished through the recesses of history, forgotten by all.

Sophisticated reflexive usage.

As fronteiras entre o real e o virtual estão sumindo rapidamente.

The boundaries between the real and the virtual are vanishing rapidly.

Gerund form expressing an ongoing process.

O aroma do café sumiu assim que ele abriu a janela.

The aroma of the coffee vanished as soon as he opened the window.

Sensory description.

O conceito de verdade objetiva parece estar sumindo do debate público.

The concept of objective truth seems to be vanishing from public debate.

High-level philosophical/political commentary.

A civilização sumiu, deixando apenas ruínas e mistérios para trás.

The civilization vanished, leaving only ruins and mysteries behind.

Historical/Archeological context.

Sua voz sumiu num sussurro inaudível antes do último suspiro.

His voice vanished into an inaudible whisper before his last breath.

Highly dramatic and literary usage.

As distinções de classe não sumiram, apenas se metamorfosearam.

Class distinctions haven't vanished, they've only metamorphosed.

Sociological analysis.

O criminoso sumiu nas sombras, escapando de uma perseguição implacável.

The criminal vanished into the shadows, escaping a relentless pursuit.

Noir/Thriller narrative style.

A beleza do quadro sumiu sob as camadas de restaurações malfeitas.

The beauty of the painting vanished under layers of poorly done restorations.

Art criticism context.

Toda a resistência sumiu diante da magnitude da catástrofe.

All resistance vanished in the face of the magnitude of the catastrophe.

Abstract usage in a grand narrative.

O tempo parece sumir quando estamos imersos em algo que amamos.

Time seems to vanish when we are immersed in something we love.

Psychological/Philosophical reflection.

Common Collocations

sumir do mapa

sumir de vista

fazer sumir

sumir com as chaves

sumir num piscar de olhos

sumir da circulação

sumir sem deixar rastro

sumir no mundo

sumir da memória

sumir na neblina

Common Phrases

Você sumiu!

— Used as a greeting to someone you haven't seen in a long time.

Quanto tempo, João! Você sumiu!

Suma daqui!

— A rude way to tell someone to go away immediately.

Não quero mais te ver, suma daqui!

Onde você se sumiu?

— Asking where someone has been during their absence.

Faz meses que não te vejo, onde você se sumiu?

Sumir com a grana

— Slang for stealing money or making it disappear.

O tesoureiro sumiu com a grana do clube.

Sumir no ar

— To vanish into thin air, used for mysterious disappearances.

A fumaça simplesmente sumiu no ar.

Sumir de cena

— To stop being the center of attention or to leave a situation.

O político preferiu sumir de cena por uns tempos.

Sumir da frente

— To get out of someone's way or sight.

Saia da minha frente, suma da minha frente!

Sumir por uns tempos

— To take a break from social life or a specific place.

Vou sumir por uns tempos para descansar.

Sumir do radar

— To stop being noticed or tracked by others.

A empresa sumiu do radar dos investidores.

Sumir como fumaça

— To disappear very quickly and without leaving anything behind.

Minha coragem sumiu como fumaça.

Often Confused With

sumir vs consumir

Sounds similar but means 'to consume' or 'to eat/use up'.

sumir vs resumir

Sounds similar but means 'to summarize'.

sumir vs perder

Means 'to lose'. Sumir focuses on the object being gone, perder on the act of losing it.

Idioms & Expressions

"Sumir do mapa"

— To disappear completely so that no one can find you.

O suspeito sumiu do mapa após o crime.

Informal

"Sumir à francesa"

— To leave a party or gathering without saying goodbye to anyone.

Ele odeia despedidas, então sempre some à francesa.

Neutral

"Dar um sumiço em algo"

— To hide something or make it disappear on purpose.

Ela deu um sumiço nas cartas do ex-namorado.

Informal

"Sumir no oco do mundo"

— To disappear to a very remote or unknown place.

Dizem que ele sumiu no oco do mundo.

Regional (Brazil)

"O gato comeu e sumiu"

— A playful way to say something is gone and won't be found.

Onde está o bolo? O gato comeu e sumiu!

Informal

"Sumir nas nuvens"

— To become very expensive (prices) or to be daydreaming.

Os preços dos aluguéis sumiram nas nuvens.

Informal

"Fazer sumir do mapa"

— To destroy something completely or to defeat someone decisively.

O exército inimigo foi sumido do mapa.

Metaphorical

"Sumir com o corpo"

— To hide a dead body (used in crime contexts).

Os criminosos tentaram sumir com o corpo na floresta.

Informal/Dark

"Sumir da vida de alguém"

— To stop being part of someone's life entirely.

Ele sumiu da minha vida sem dar explicações.

Emotional

"Sumir que nem poeira"

— To vanish as quickly and easily as dust in the wind.

O medo sumiu que nem poeira quando ela chegou.

Informal

Easily Confused

sumir vs Desaparecer

They mean the same thing.

Sumir is more common in speech and can be more sudden. Desaparecer is slightly more formal.

O avião desapareceu (Formal). Minha meia sumiu (Informal).

sumir vs Sumiço

It is the noun form.

Sumiço is the act of disappearing. You 'dar um sumiço' (make a disappearance).

Ele deu um sumiço de dois dias.

sumir vs Sumo

It has two meanings.

In Brazil, 'sumo' is just the verb conjugation. In Portugal, 'sumo' also means 'juice'.

Eu sumo da festa (Verb). Quero um sumo de laranja (Noun in Portugal).

sumir vs Fugir

Both involve leaving.

Fugir means to run away or escape. Sumir means to vanish.

O ladrão fugiu da prisão e sumiu na floresta.

sumir vs Ocultar

Both mean not being seen.

Ocultar is an active effort to hide something. Sumir can be accidental.

Ele ocultou a verdade, mas o dinheiro sumiu sozinho.

Sentence Patterns

O/A [objeto] sumiu.

O livro sumiu.

Você sumiu!

Oi Maria, você sumiu!

Eu sumi com [objeto].

Eu sumi com o meu RG.

O [sujeito] vai sumir.

O sol vai sumir logo.

Fazer [algo] sumir.

Ele fez a dor sumir.

Espero que [sujeito] suma.

Espero que a chuva suma.

[Sujeito] sumiu do mapa.

O dinheiro sumiu do mapa.

[Sujeito] sumiu-se em/no/na [lugar].

Ele sumiu-se na neblina.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely High in daily spoken Portuguese.

Common Mistakes

Eu sumi o meu celular. → Eu sumi com o meu celular.
You need the preposition 'com' when you are the one who lost the object.
O mágico sumiu o coelho. → O mágico fez o coelho sumir.
Sumir is intransitive; you cannot 'sumir' something directly. You must 'make it' sumir.
Eu consumo das redes sociais. → Eu sumo das redes sociais.
Don't confuse 'sumir' with 'consumir' (to consume).
Ele sumiu à francesa de mim. → Ele sumiu de mim / Ele saiu à francesa.
'Sumir à francesa' is an idiom for leaving a party unnoticed, not usually used with a direct object of a person.
A neblina sumiu-se. → A neblina sumiu.
While 'sumir-se' exists, it's rarely used for natural phenomena like fog in Brazilian Portuguese.

Tips

The 'Sumiu' Greeting

Always use 'Você sumiu!' when meeting an old friend. It's a warm way to acknowledge the time passed.

Present Tense Trap

Remember 'eu sumo'. Don't say 'eu sumiro' or 'eu sumio'.

Sumir vs Perder

If you want to sound like a native when you can't find your keys, say 'Minhas chaves sumiram!' instead of 'Perdi minhas chaves'.

Dar um sumiço

Use this phrase when someone disappears on purpose, like avoiding a debt or a person.

Literary Reflexive

In writing, use 'sumir-se' to add a more poetic or European touch to your prose.

Final R

In Brazil, the final R in 'sumir' is often very soft or even silent in casual speech ('sumi').

Aggressive Sumir

Only use 'Suma daqui!' if you are genuinely angry. It's very strong.

Sumir do mapa

This is the perfect idiom for someone who is completely unreachable.

Digital Disappearance

Use 'sumir' for deleted files or when your Wi-Fi signal drops out suddenly.

Finding the Subject

In 'sumir com', the person is the subject. In plain 'sumir', the object that is gone is the subject.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Submarine' (from the same root) that 'Submerges' and then 'Sumirs' (disappears) under the water.

Visual Association

Imagine a magician's hat where a rabbit 'sumirs' into the darkness of the felt.

Word Web

desaparecer sumiço esconder mágico chaves perdido vazio ausente

Challenge

Try to use 'sumir' three times today: once for a lost object, once for the sun/moon, and once to a friend you haven't seen in a while.

Word Origin

From the Latin 'submergere', which means 'to submerge' or 'to sink'.

Original meaning: Originally referred to something sinking or being covered by water, thus becoming invisible.

Romance (Indo-European).

Cultural Context

Be careful using 'Suma!' (Vanish!) as it is very aggressive and can be offensive.

English speakers often use 'disappear' or 'vanish', but 'sumir' is used much more frequently in casual Portuguese than 'vanish' is in casual English.

The song 'Sumiu' by various Samba artists. The common Brazilian meme about people who 'sumiram' from a group chat. Literary works where characters 'se somem' into the backlands (sertão).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Losing items

Minha carteira sumiu.
Sumi com meu celular.
Onde sumiram meus óculos?
As chaves sumiram de novo.

Social absence

Você está sumido!
Não suma!
Ele sumiu do grupo.
Ela deu um sumiço.

Nature/Weather

O sol sumiu.
A lua sumiu nas nuvens.
A neblina sumiu.
O caminho sumiu na neve.

Magic/Mystery

O mágico sumiu com a carta.
Ela sumiu sem deixar rastro.
O fantasma sumiu no ar.
Como isso sumiu daqui?

Aggression

Suma da minha frente!
Suma daqui agora!
Quero que ele suma.
Ela mandou o ex sumir.

Conversation Starters

"Nossa, quanto tempo! Por que você sumiu tanto ultimamente?"

"Você já sumiu com alguma coisa muito importante e depois achou?"

"Se você pudesse sumir com um problema do mundo, qual seria?"

"Você prefere sumir de cena quando está triste ou prefere companhia?"

"Algum amigo seu já sumiu do mapa sem dar nenhuma explicação?"

Journal Prompts

Escreva sobre um objeto que sumiu da sua vida e que você ainda sente falta.

Descreva uma situação em que você quis sumir de vergonha ou medo.

Reflita sobre como as redes sociais impedem as pessoas de realmente sumirem hoje em dia.

Imagine que você é um mágico. Descreva o seu truque de fazer algo gigante sumir.

Escreva sobre uma amizade antiga onde a pessoa simplesmente sumiu com o tempo.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, it is very common. 'Ele sumiu' can mean he went missing or just that he hasn't called in a while.

'Sumir' is intransitive (something vanishes). 'Sumir com' implies you did something to make it vanish or you lost it.

Mostly. It follows the -ir pattern, but the 1st person singular present is 'eu sumo'.

Yes, but they often prefer 'desaparecer' or the reflexive 'sumir-se' more than Brazilians do.

You can say 'Ele sumiu', 'Ela me deu um gelo e sumiu', or 'Ele deu um sumiço'.

No. You must say 'Eu sumi COM a chave' or 'A chave sumiu'.

It means 'I haven't seen you for a long time' or 'You've been a stranger'.

It is neutral. However, the imperative 'Suma!' is very impolite.

Yes, 'os preços sumiram' can metaphorically mean they went up so high they are 'out of sight'.

Etymologically yes, but in modern Portuguese, it only means 'to disappear'.