Massa / maneiro / daora
MAH-sah / mah-NAY-roo / dah-OH-rah
How to say itPart of: Slang
“Cool; great.”
Cool in Brazil changes by region. Massa (literally dough, pasta) is the north-east’s cool and has spread everywhere: que massa! Maneiro is Rio’s. Daora (from da hora, “of the hour”) is São Paulo’s, among the young. Legal is the neutral, all-Brazil cool, and bacana the slightly older one. They all answer the same question: was it good?
Looking for more Brazilian slang? Brazilian slang: the guide
SlangAll Brazilalso: da hora, que massa, muito maneiroReply: Né?
How Brazilians use it
“Que massa! Você conseguiu!”
“How cool! You did it!”
North-east, and now everywhere.
“O show foi muito maneiro.”
“The show was really cool.”
Rio.
“Esse tênis é daora.”
“Those sneakers are dope.”
São Paulo, young.
“A massa do bolo ficou perfeita.”
“The cake batter came out perfect.”
The literal massa: dough, batter.
How to reply
- Né?Right?
- Demais!Totally!
Similar expressions
- LegalCool, nice: neutral, everywhere.
- BacanaNice, cool: a little older.
- ShowGreat: show de bola.
- TriCool, in the south.
Brazil vs Portugal
Portugal says fixe and bué for cool; massa, maneiro and daora are Brazilian.
Common mistakes
- Don’t say daora in a meeting: legal or bacana.
- Don’t hear massa as food every time: que massa! is “how cool!”.
- Don’t use the regional one in the wrong region on purpose: it sounds like a costume.
Frequently asked questions
What does massa mean in Portuguese slang?
Cool, great: que massa! is “how cool!”. Literally massa is dough or pasta; the slang began in the north-east and is now heard everywhere in Brazil.
What does maneiro mean?
Cool, in Rio de Janeiro: muito maneiro is really cool. Elsewhere it is understood and sounds carioca.
What does daora mean?
Cool, dope, in São Paulo: from da hora, “of the hour”, as in up to the minute. Young and informal.
What is the safest word for cool in Brazil?
Legal: neutral, every region, every age. Bacana is a little older and just as safe. The legal entry has it.