caralho
What does caralho mean? caralho is a Portuguese strong that translates to “fuck / damn / holy shit / dick” in English.
Literal Translation
dick / cock / penis
Meaning & Usage
"fuck / damn / holy shit / dick"
Male genitalia; used as exclamation of surprise/anger or intensifier.
Examples in the Wild
Caralho! Que susto! (Holy shit! What a scare!) / Frio pra caralho (Fucking cold)
When to Use It
Context
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Extremely common. 'Vai pro caralho' = go to hell/fuck off. 'Bom pra caralho' = fucking good. 'Caraio' is colloquial pronunciation. 'Caralhos' plural form used in 'e o caralho a quatro' (and so on/et cetera, literally 'and dicks at four'). Minced oath: 'caramba' (used freely even by children).
More in Portuguese 🇧🇷
View all →puta
“whore / bitch / slut”
Woman who sells sex; highly offensive gendered slur.
buceta
“cunt / pussy”
Vulgar slang for female genitalia.
filho da puta
“son of a bitch / motherfucker”
Attack on parentage; implies illegitimacy and low birth.
imbecil
“imbecile / moron”
Stupid or incompetent person.
baitola
“faggot”
Another strong slur for gay men.
merda
“shit / crap”
Excrement; standard exclamation for frustration.
foda-se
“fuck it / fuck off / who cares”
Expression of dismissal or indifference.
bosta
“crap / shit”
Turd, especially animal excrement; less severe than 'merda.'