quem não chora, não mama

Portuguese

Etymology

Roughly, "those who don't cry, don't get breastfeed".

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈkẽj̃ nũˈʃɔ.ɾɐ nũˈmɐ̃.mɐ/ [ˈkẽɪ̯̃ nũˈʃɔ.ɾɐ nũˈmɐ̃.mɐ], /ˈkẽj̃ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾɐ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈmɐ̃.mɐ/ [ˈkẽɪ̯̃ ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾɐ ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈmɐ̃.mɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈkẽj̃ nũˈʃɔ.ɾɐ nũˈmɐ̃.mɐ/ [ˈkẽɪ̯̃ nũˈʃɔ.ɾɐ nũˈmɐ̃.mɐ], /ˈkẽj̃ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾɐ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈmɐ̃.mɐ/ [ˈkẽɪ̯̃ ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾɐ ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈmɐ̃.mɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈkẽj̃ nũˈʃɔ.ɾa nũˈmɐ.ma/ [ˈkẽɪ̯̃ nũˈʃɔ.ɾa nũˈmɐ.ma], /ˈkẽj̃ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾa ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈmɐ.ma/ [ˈkẽɪ̯̃ ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾa ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈmɐ.ma]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈkɐ̃j̃ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾɐ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈmɐ.mɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈkɐ̃j̃ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈʃɔ.ɾɐ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈmɐ.mɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈkɐ̃j̃ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈt͡ʃɔ.ɾɐ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈma.mɐ/

Proverb

quem não chora, não mama

1. the squeaky wheel gets the grease

   O cachorro pede para arrumar água e ração, porque quem não chora não mama.

   The dog asks to get water and food, because the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Further reading

• “quem não chora não mama” in Dicionário inFormal.