Hello, dear students!
Today you’re going to learn Portuguese in a super fun way! Let’s see if you can understand “piadas” (jokes) in Brazilian Portuguese.
Understanding jokes in a foreign language is one of the hardest things because you need to understand vocabulary, nuance, cultural references, and wordplay or puns.
But don’t worry! I selected simple jokes for our lesson today. These are jokes that would be considered “dad jokes.” In Brazil, we say they’re “piadas de tio” (uncle jokes).
I chose seven jokes for this lesson. These jokes only make sense in Portuguese. If you translate them into another language, they probably won’t make any sense at all.
I’m going to start with the easiest ones and leave the hardest ones for the end.
If you understand the last joke, that means your Portuguese is excellent! Maybe you’re Brazilian and don’t even know it!
Will you find these jokes funny? Let’s see!
Watch the video to have some fun with me telling these jokes! I’m really bad at telling jokes, but I had a lot of fun recording this video. I hope it makes you smile. 😊
To help you expand your vocabulary and express yourself better in Brazilian Portuguese, I prepared a free PDF with a list of 70 Brazilian idiomatic expressions. Click here to download your worksheet.
Piadas Brasileiras (Brazilian Jokes)
Piada #1
– O que o cavalo disse ao desligar o telefone? (What did the horse say when hanging up the phone?)
– Foi só um trote! (It was just a prank call!)
Did you understand why this joke is funny?
What makes this joke funny is the double meaning of the word “trote,” which can mean the light trot of a horse or a prank call. A trote!
Piada #2
– O que uma pá disse para a outra? (What did one shovel say to the other?)
– Quero mais pás no mundo. (I want more shovels in the world.)
Did you understand why this joke is funny?
What makes this joke funny is the pun, because the word “paz” (with a Z), which would make more sense in the sentence “I want more peace in the world,” has exactly the same pronunciation as the word pás (with an S).
Pás (with an S) is the plural of pá (shovel), which is a tool used to dig dirt. Paz (with a Z) means peace, the opposite of conflict or war.
Piada #3
– Por que o pinheiro não se perde na floresta? (Why doesn’t the pine tree get lost in the forest?)
– É porque ele tem uma pinha. (Because it has a pinecone.)
Why is this joke funny?
Here we have another wordplay. “Pinha” is the name of the pine tree’s fruit. “Mapinha” is a small map, a tool we use to locate ourselves on the planet. The two words “uma pinha” have exactly the same pronunciation as the words “um mapinha.” The pine tree has a pinecone (a little map).
Piada #4
– A plantinha foi ao hospital, mas não foi atendida. Por quê? (The little plant went to the hospital, but it wasn’t seen. Why not?)
– Porque lá só tinha médico de plantão. (Because there were only doctors on duty there.)
Why is this joke funny?
We have another pun here. The word “plantão” can have two meanings.
“Médico de plantão” usually means the professional who is on duty at that moment. However, “plantão” also means a big plant. So, in this context, a “médico de plantão” could also mean a professional who only works with a big plant, a plantão. That’s why the “plantinha,” which is a small plant, couldn’t be seen by the “médico de plantão.”
Piada #5
– Por que a velhinha não usa relógio? (Why doesn’t the old lady wear a watch?)
– Porque ela é uma sem hora. (Because she’s a person without the time.)
Here we have another wordplay. “Senhora” is how we refer to an older woman.
When we say the two words “sem hora” (without the time) quickly, the pronunciation sounds very similar to the word “senhora”.
Piada #6
– Como o Batman faz para que abram a Batcaverna? (How does Batman get the Batcave to open?)
– Ele bat-palma. (He claps.)
I think this joke is really funny!
To understand this joke, you need to know about a habit in Brazil, especially in small towns, of clapping your hands when you arrive at someone’s house. Many homes don’t have doorbells, so people clap to let others know they’re at the door.
The pronunciation of the English word “bat” in Portuguese is “batchee,” which is exactly the same pronunciation as the verb “bater” (to clap) in the third person: “ele bate” (he claps). So Batman “bate palma” (claps his hands) to enter the cave.
Piada #7
– Por que a mulher do Hulk se divorciou dele? (Why did Hulk’s wife divorce him?)
– Porque ela queria um homem mais maduro. (Because she wanted a more mature man.)
Here we have another pun with the word “maduro”, which can mean a mature and responsible person, but it can also mean the opposite of green when we’re talking about food. A fruit is “madura” (ripe) when it’s ready to eat, or green when it’s not ready yet.
Since the Hulk is green, his wife divorced him because she wanted someone more mature.
Piada Bônus!
Now we have a bonus joke! If you get this joke, you must be Brazilian and don’t even know it.
O que uma galinha falou para a outra na hora de fazer o café? (What did one chicken say to the other when it was time to make coffee?)
– Pó-pô-pó?
E a outra respondeu: (And the other repliedJ
– Pó-pô.
Did you get it? I’m not going to explain this joke. It’s your homework to leave a comment below my YouTube video explaining why it’s funny. If you don’t know the answer, you’ll find it in the comments section!
Free PDF!
To help you expand your vocabulary and express yourself better in Brazilian Portuguese, I prepared a free PDF with a list of 70 Brazilian idiomatic expressions. Click here to download your worksheet.
Online Brazilian Portuguese Courses
If you enjoyed this lesson, you’ll love our courses! At Speaking Brazilian School, we offer digital courses, small group classes, and private lessons. Click here to learn more about our Brazilian Portuguese online classes.
