Legal
leh-GOW
“Cool, nice, or good.”
Brazilians use legal as an everyday positive word for news, people, plans, places, and experiences: Que legal! means “How cool!” It can also mean “OK” in tá legal, and in formal contexts it still means “legal” or “lawful.”
EverydayAll Brazilalso: legais, legau
How Brazilians use it
“Que legal! Você conseguiu o emprego!”
“How cool! You got the job!”
Reacting happily to good news
“Esse lugar é muito legal.”
“This place is really nice.”
Praising a place or experience
“A gente se encontra às oito? Tá legal.”
“Shall we meet at eight? OK.”
Agreeing to a casual plan
“Não estou muito legal hoje.”
“I’m not feeling too good today.”
Talking about health or mood
Similar expressions
- BelezaMore casual; can mean “OK” or “all good.”
- Show de bolaMore enthusiastic: “great,” “awesome.”
- BacanaAlso “nice/cool,” a bit softer and less like “OK.”
- MassaRegional or casual “cool,” especially in some areas.
Brazil vs Portugal
In Portugal, legal is usually understood in the law-related sense. For “cool” or “nice,” people in Portugal more naturally say words like fixe or giro.
Common mistakes
- Don’t read Brazilian legal as English “legal” every time; in everyday speech it often means “cool,” “nice,” or “good.”
- Don’t make a feminine form like legala; say um cara legal and uma pessoa legal.
- Use legais for the plural: amigos legais, ideias legais.
Frequently asked questions
What does legal mean in Portuguese?
In Brazilian Portuguese, legal usually means “cool,” “nice,” or “good” in everyday speech. In formal or law-related contexts, it still means “legal” or “lawful.”
Does legal mean cool in Brazilian Portuguese?
Yes. Que legal! is a very common way to say “How cool!” or “That’s nice!” in Brazil.
Is it legal or legau?
Legal is the standard spelling. Legau is a playful or phonetic spelling that reflects the Brazilian pronunciation, where the final -l sounds like a w.
Is legal masculine or feminine in Portuguese?
Legal works for both masculine and feminine nouns: um amigo legal and uma amiga legal. The plural is legais.