Lindo / linda
LEEN-doo / LEEN-dah
How to say itPart of: Affection
“Beautiful; gorgeous.”
Lindo and linda mean beautiful, gorgeous: a sunset, a dress, a baby, a person. They agree with what they describe: linda for a woman, lindo for a man. As a pet name, oi, linda is warm from a friend and flirting from a stranger. Bonito / bonita is pretty, a shade cooler; lindo is the stronger word. Que lindo! is “how lovely!”.
Looking for all the ways to say I love you? I love you in Portuguese: the guide
EverydayAll Brazilalso: linda, lindinho, lindinhaReply: Obrigada! Você também.
How Brazilians use it
“Que vestido lindo!”
“What a beautiful dress!”
A compliment on a thing.
“Oi, linda, tudo bem?”
“Hi, beautiful, how are you?”
A friend, warmly; a stranger, flirting.
“Seu filho é lindo demais.”
“Your son is so beautiful.”
About a child.
“Que lindo! Foi você que fez?”
“How lovely! Did you make it?”
Que lindo: how lovely.
In a real book
“—O fundo do mar é variado... Por vezes tenebroso; por vezes lindo!”How to reply
- Obrigada! Você também.Thanks! You too.
- Imagina!Modest: don’t mention it.
Similar expressions
- Bonito / bonitaPretty, handsome: a shade cooler.
- Gato / gataHot: slang, flirty.
- Querido / queridaDear, darling.
- Fofo / fofaCute, sweet.
Brazil vs Portugal
The same in Portugal, where lindo / linda is just as common and giro / gira is the extra word for cute or good-looking.
Common mistakes
- Don’t match it to yourself: linda describes the person you call, so a man says linda to a woman.
- Don’t use oi, linda with a stranger unless you mean to flirt.
- Don’t think lindo is only for people: a view, a song and a goal are lindo too.
Frequently asked questions
What does lindo mean in Brazil?
Beautiful, gorgeous, lovely: for people, things, places and moments. Linda is the feminine. Que lindo! is “how lovely!”.
Is it lindo or linda?
It agrees with what you describe: linda for a woman or a feminine noun (uma casa linda), lindo for a man or a masculine noun (um dia lindo).
What is the difference between lindo and bonito?
Bonito / bonita is pretty, handsome, nice-looking. Lindo / linda is stronger: beautiful, gorgeous. Brazilians reach for lindo more often, and for people it is the warmer compliment.
Is calling someone linda flirting?
From a friend or family, no: oi, linda is warmth, common between women. From a stranger or a date, yes. The compliments page has the whole scale.