podrão

Portuguese

Etymology

From podre (“rotten”) + -ão (augmentative suffix).

The slang sense alludes to the precarious conditions originally associated with the stalls where such snacks were sold. The term originated in Rio de Janeiro to describe hot dogs, but has since expanded to other regions of Brazil and to include other types of snacks.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /poˈdɾɐ̃w̃/ [poˈdɾɐ̃ʊ̯̃]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /puˈdɾɐ̃w̃/ [puˈðɾɐ̃w̃]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /puˈdɾɐ̃w̃/ [puˈðɾɐ̃w̃]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /puˈdɾɐ̃w̃/

• Rhymes: -ɐ̃w̃
• Hyphenation: po‧drão

Adjective

podrão (feminine podrona, masculine plural podrões, feminine plural podronas)

1. augmentative of podre

Noun

podrão m (plural podrões) (Brazil, slang, usually derogatory)

1. a cheap snack, often with a variety of unconventional ingredients

   Vou pedir um podrão hoje.

   I'm gonna order a cheap snack today.

2. (metonymic) a stall or restaurant where such snacks are sold

   Vamos comer no podrão da esquina?

   Let's eat at the cheap restaurant on the corner?

Further reading

• “podrão”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026