What if your Portuguese teacher was a rapper from São Paulo’s favelas?
Welcome to Sintonia – the raw, powerful Netflix series that teaches you the way real people talk in Brazil.
🎬 What is Sintonia?
Sintonia follows Doni (an aspiring funk MC), Nando (a drug dealer with a code), and Rita (a church girl with hustle). The setting? The periferia of São Paulo, full of rhythm, slang, and survival.
This series isn’t just entertainment, it’s a free, intense, and addictive Portuguese lesson, if you know how to watch it right. 💥
Why Sintonia is perfect for learning Portuguese
Forget robotic phrases like “Eu gosto de dançar.”
In Sintonia, you’ll hear the real Portuguese spoken in the streets emotional, musical, and full of slang that doesn’t appear in textbooks.
✔️ Natural rhythm
✔️ Urban slang
✔️ Cultural context
✔️ Accent exposure (Paulista style!)
🧠 Vocabulary from the Morro (Favela Portuguese)
Here are some words and verbs you’ll hear in almost every episode — and YES, you should start using them with confidence:
| Gíria / Verbo | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ralar | To work hard | Tô ralando muito pra pagar o aluguel. |
| Zoar | To joke or tease | Ele tá me zoando o tempo todo. |
| Vacilar | To mess up | Não vacila com essa oportunidade! |
| Marretar | To push or hustle hard | Tem que marretar se quiser vencer. |
| Encostar | To come over | Encosta aqui em casa mais tarde. |
| Já era | It’s over / too late | Perdeu a chance, já era! |
| Tá suave | It’s all good | Relaxa, tá suave. |
| Cê é louco | You’re crazy (in a cool or wild way) | Cê é louco, ficou chave! |
Activity: Watch and Decode the Slang
📺 Watch this scene from Sintonia (Ep. 1)
👂 While watching, note these expressions:
“Demorô”
“Tamo junto, caralho”
“Tá moscando”
“Mete o pé”
📝 Now answer:
What does “tá moscando” mean?
A) You’re catching flies
B) You’re spacing out
C) You’re hungry
✅ Correct answer: B – You’re spacing out
✍️ Fill in the Gaps: Let’s Rap in Context:
Complete this short scene between Doni, Nando, and Rita using slang from the show:
Doni: E aí, Nando! Como foi o ensaio ontem? Não pode __________ na hora do show, hein!
Nando: Foi tranquilo. Tô __________ direto. Não quero __________ de novo.
Rita: É isso aí, a gente tem que __________ junto.
🎭 Diálogo completo – Gírias do Sintonia
Doni: E aí, Nando! Como foi o ensaio ontem? Não pode vacilar na hora do show, hein!
Nando: Foi tranquilo. Tô ralando direto. Não quero dar mole de novo.
Rita: É isso aí, a gente tem que marretar junto.
🔥 Bonus Challenge: Write Like a Paulista
Imagine someone disrespected your friend. Write a short, direct message using:
- Mô vacilão
- Vaza
- Tá suave
💥 Example:
“Cê é mó vacilão, parceiro. Tá suave, mas não pisa. Vaza!”
Imagine someone disrespected your friend. Write a short, direct message using:
🎧 Want More?
Check out these other Sintonia moments:
“Curti seus bute!” – Rita being smooth
“Enchi o saco!” – What does Cacau mean?
💬 Want to see if you’re zika? Try writing your own dialogue in the comments!
💬 PortuguésYa Tip of the Day:
You don’t need to live in São Paulo to speak like you’re from there.
Watch smart, listen close, repeat aloud, and above all: tira um lazer com a língua portuguesa!
🔥 Join PortuguesYa! and Speak Like a Native
Follow us on Instagram, listen to the playlist, and discover how fun it can be to learn Portuguese through culture, slang, and real conversations. You’ve got this — FALE QUE NEM NATIVO!
📲 Got questions or want to join our classes? Message us on WhatsApp — we’ll help you start speaking like a true brasileiro!
