What Does Passar a Perna Mean in Brazilian Portuguese — Practice

Recognize the expression for dishonest treatment

Passar a perna em alguém means to cheat, deceive, or take advantage of a person. It is a negative expression and can describe dishonest business, betrayal, or someone breaking an agreement for personal gain.

It does not refer to a literal leg in its idiomatic use. The person introduced with em is the one who was treated unfairly.

Describe the conduct precisely

Because the phrase accuses someone of dishonesty, use it only when the facts support that judgment. If you mean a mistake or misunderstanding, say houve um engano (there was a mistake) or não cumpriu o combinado (did not keep the agreement).

In formal communication, describe the specific action, date, or amount rather than relying on an idiom. Clear details make it easier to resolve a dispute.

Remember: Passar a perna em alguém is a strong informal accusation of cheating or taking advantage. Use precise facts and neutral language when you are still clarifying what happened.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. The seller cheated several customers.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O vendedor passou a perna em vários clientes.

2. I thought the deal was fair, but he took advantage of me.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Achei que o acordo era justo, mas ele passou a perna em mim.

3. I don’t want anyone to cheat my family.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Não quero que ninguém passe a perna na minha família.

4. The amount charged was different from what we agreed.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O valor cobrado foi diferente do que combinamos.

5. I think there was a misunderstanding about the payment.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Acho que houve um mal-entendido sobre o pagamento.

6. He cheated his business partner and hid the expenses.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ele passou a perna no sócio e escondeu as despesas.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Passar a perna em alguém is a strong informal accusation of cheating or taking advantage. Use precise facts and neutral language when you are still clarifying what happened.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our What Does Passar a Perna Mean in Brazilian Portuguese? lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.