Como dizer “flanelinha” e outros diminutivos em inglês?

Tempo de leitura: menos de 1 minuto

Jack Scholes

Flanelinha

[the person who looks after the parking spaces]

• Se quiser estacionar perto da praia, precisa negociar uma vaga com o flanelinha.
• If you want to park near the beach, you have to negotiate a place with the guy who looks after the parking spaces.

TIPS & NOTES

Flanelinha is the nickname given to the guys who look after the parking spaces on public roads. They are most commonly found near beaches, parks, theatres or anywhere where it is difficult to park. The name comes from the way they originally used to wave drivers in to park with a yellow flannel.

Cf. Sabia que a tradução de “PARK” nem sempre é “parque”?

A diminutive is a word formed by adding letters to the end of a word to show that something or somebody is smaller. In Portuguese, the most common diminutives are formed by adding the masculine suffix -inho, and the feminine suffix -inha.

• Livro – book – livrinho – little book.
• Casa – house – casinha – little house.

Cf. Qual é a diferença entre “HOUSE” e “HOME”?

The suffixes -zinho and -zinha are normally added to words that end in stressed vowels.

• Café – coffee – cafezinho – small coffee.
• Irmã – sister – irmãzinha – little sister.

Cf. Receitas: Irish Coffee
Cf. Pronúncia: “S” inicial
Cf. Falsas Gêmeas: SMALL x LITTLE

Diminutives are very popular in Brazil. Noun and adjective diminutives are the most common, but they can also be formed with other parts of speech. They are often used to convey intimacy, endearment and affection, but they can also have many different meanings or connotations. Here are just a few examples:

• Oi, amorzinho!
• Hi, honey! (For somebody you love.)

• Seu bebê é tão bonitinho.
• Your baby is so cute. (Showing affection.)
• Vamos tomar uma cerveja bem geladinha.
• Let’s have a really nice cold beer. (To emphasize the quality of the adjective, meaning ‘nice and …’)
• Nós temos um probleminha.
• We have a small problem. (Often meaning it’s a huge problem.)
• Vou tomar um uisquinho.
• I’m going to have just one little whisky. (Maybe trying to hide a vice.)
• Vou fumar um cigarrinho.
• I’m going to smoke just one little cigarette. (Maybe trying to hide a vice.)
• Vou dar uma saidinha.
• I’m just going to pop out. (Implying a quick return, which is not always the case.)

Diminutives can also change the meaning of the word. For example:

• Curso – a course.
• Cursinho – a preparatory course specifically for university entrance examinations.

Cf. TIPS & NOTES for APAGÃO for details about the augmentative, which is the opposite of the diminutive.
Cf. Como se diz “vestibular” em inglês?
Cf. Como dizer “pão de queijo” em inglês?
Cf. Salgadinhos em inglês: Coxinha, pastel, empadinha, kibe, esfiha etc.

Referência: “Break the Branch? Quebrar o Galho – Common, Everyday Words and Phrases in Brazilian Portuguese” de Jack Scholes, Disal Editora, 2008. Leia a resenha.