How To Blend In Like A Local In Brazil

On The Road Travel's cultural cheatsheet for Brazil gives you the inside scoop on the ins and outs of the local culture:

Expressions

Greetings

Cariocas are very kind people. They'll normally greet you first or they'll pleasantly respond to your greeting. If they're meeting you for the first time, they'll shake your hand firmly and say "prazer" (pleasure), followed by their name.

If the person you're meeting is a woman, do expect to be kissed on both cheeks. If you're in a city other than Rio, it is common to exchange a third kiss (on the cheek, of course), for good luck, though this is beginning to change (unfortunately). The initiation of a group gathering can be quite a lengthy process as each person is expected to kiss every other person at least twice. Once it's over, don't try to leave in a rush, as the ritual is repeated to conclude a gathering as well. You'll also notice that Cariocas like to touch, hug and pat each other on the shoulder quite often-including the men. This is the world famous Carioca human warmth in action.

Other common greetings you'll hear are "e ai, como vai?" ("...and how are things?"), "Fala!" ("Speak!") or "tudo bem" ("everything okay?").

‘Valeu’

Literally translates to "It was worth it". It is generally used when thanking someone, and is generally used by the younger generation. A common example of when to use this word is when a vendor on the beach is trying to sell you something, and you're not interested. A polite, "não obrigado" and "valeu", lets the seller know that you're not interested.

'Gringo'

This is how Cariocas will refer to you, a foreigner, whether they you or not, either to your face or behind your back. It's not meant in a derogatory way but rather as a form of identification (especially if they don't know your name or can't pronounce it).

Portuguese

Although known for having perfected the Portuguese language, Rio is also a slang-factory. You won't notice the seasons changing, but slang expressions come and go quite often. When at work, the Carioca forces himself to use the language correctly, but when off duty, Cariocas like to let their tongue loose, as they say. When drinking, it is common to hear a lot of swearing, which is normal in most countries of the world.

Culture

Women

Like many other Latin-American countries, Brazil is a 'manly' country, but don't let that deceive you! Brazilian women are known to be very strong and demanding and not easily pushed around! Beauty is a common attribute to a Carioca woman, and she won't mind if you look at her as she passes by, and sometimes even whistle or whisper a comment. But don't get carried away, they will bite back! Another common attribute is possessiveness. This applies to either sex, who won't tolerate you looking at "their property", so always be careful and try to notice if their patroa or patrão (boss, as they call their companions) is around.

Men

As with many Latin-American cultures, the men can be surprisingly forward, depending on where you have come from. It may be shocking at first to have someone blatantly stare at you or make comments as they pass by. This is not meant to be offensive, but is actually just an expression of appreciation. There is no need to be rude, but also no need to pursue them. It is fine to simply continue on with what you were doing. If you find that the line has been crossed, and you are truly uncomfortable, pop in to a nearby store or café and take refuge for a few minutes.

Promptness

If you are the type of person who needs to keep to a schedule, Rio is not the place for you. Virtually no event starts on time. No service personnel will ever see the fault in making you wait while they finish up gossiping on the phone. Even your friends aren't immune. If you invite people for dinner, don't expect to see anyone for at least two hours after the specified time. That's just the way it goes.

Tipping

Tips at restaurants and bars are typically included in the tab and amount to 10%. Sometimes the tab will indicate 'serviço não incluso' which means that tips have not been included and you should leave a 10% tip for your server. Taxis fares are typically rounded up to the nearest Real, but no formal tip is required.

Soccer fans

A Carioca isn't a true Carioca if he or she doesn't cheer fanatically for a team. There are 4 main soccer teams in Rio. The most popular team in Rio is Flamengo, wearing red and black colors. Flamengo is adored by all classes, and hated by the other 3 teams. A "clássico" (extremely important game) is played between Flamengo and Fluminense, also called "FlaFlu". You'll see people drinking and cheering at bars, restaurants and streets when a FlaFlu is on. Fluminense is one of the oldest teams in Brazil, and is said to be cheered for by upper-class people, as Flamengo is predominantly of the lower classes. Vascaínos, as the Vasco crowd is called, is another legion of great soccer admirers and Flamengo haters. Botafogo is the fourth largest team in Rio, mostly made famous by its soccer genius Garrincha (better than Maradona, many Brazilians will say).

Food & Drink

Brazil is a continental country with an enormous variety of dishes, all sharing one thing in common: the amount. A Brazilian plate is a always a big plate. Some of the common ingredients in all regions are rice, beans and meat. Farofa – a flour-like substsance - gives the plate a thick texture, similar to poured concrete, perfect for those who plan to stuff their stomachs.

Up north, where refrigerators were traditionally less common, meat was salted and dried in the equatorial sun, making the transformation into the famous carne seca -- salty, a little tough on the texture, but delicious with some farofa, fried manioc and, of course, something to drink (preferably a caipirinha).

Down south is where the European immigrants arrived with their carnivorous appetites. They must have gone nuts when they discovered the cows breeding like bunnies in the vast “pampas”. The famous churrascos that you see in Rio and São Paulo (and now internationally), originated from the south, where it is said the best “churrasqueiros” (barbecuers) in the world reside.

It would be cruel not to mention the food from Minas Gerais, which has maintained its integrity throughout the years. Beans cooked in clay pots over a wood-fed stove, served with soft rice and meat (either chicken or beef), is the typical “mineiro” meal.

Bahia's most famous snack is the Acarajé. This fried biscuit made of beans is often stuffed with shrimps, tomato and okra paste. The moqueca is another dish not to be missed. This rich stew is made with fresh fish or seafood, coconut milk, spicy peppers and dendê palm oil, which can wreak havoc on a tourist’s stomach.

On nearly every street block in Ipanema you will find sucos, which are the original Jamba Juices. These are fresh fruit shakes featuring all of Brazil’s exotic fruits (passionfruit, mango, guava… hungry yet?). Be sure to try out Açai – a little purple berry grown in the northern states (primarily Pará), added with Brazilian’s unique guaraná extract, and packed with energy (not to mention a great treat when served with granola!). Be warned – this invigorating snack has approximately the same amount of calories as an entire meal.

Another great mid-morning or afternoon snack is the Pao de Quejo – cheese bread originated from Minas Gerais’ grandmothers – which is a sumptuous donut-hole-looking snack that melts in your mouth.

Feijoada

A long time ago, in the era of slavery, the rich would eat the best of what was harvested. The slaves were given what was left over, including pig’s tails, feet, nose and ears, cow tails and tongues, etc. Famous for making the best out of the worst situations, these slaves learned to cook the leftover meat with beans, creating feijoada.

Beer

Beer in Rio is also called "gelada" (cold one), "gelo" (ice), "cerva" (short for cerveja) or "loirinha" (blondie). Whatever the name, the key is that it should be frosty and cold when it hits your mouth. Before they can even talk, most Cariocas are taught the all-important "beer-brand-list". This means that if you're going for draft beer, choose Brahma, for canned beer, choose either Skol or Antarctica, and if you're going for a bottled beer (a Carioca's favorite), definitely strive for Skol. Stick to this rule and you'll fit right in.

Local drinks

Start by ordering the world famous caipirinha, which loosely translated means the little, short redneck. The drink is composed with a good dose of cachaça (a Brazilian liquor), freshly squeezed limes and sugar. Some adaptations resulted in the "caipiroska" - substituting vodka for cachaça. As the drink became more popular, bartenders started to change some of its ingredients for experimentation, often substituting passion fruit, orange, strawberries, kiwi, mango or other typically Brazilian fruits like jabuticaba and acerola in place of lemon or lime. These equally delicious "caipifruitas” can be ordered at most bars and are refreshing on those especially hot days.

Coffee

If you prefer your coffee 'au natural' be sure to ask for it 'sem (pronounced "seng") açucar', otherwise it will come loaded with sugar. Most restaurants serve traditional Brazilian coffee (very small cups of strong coffee) for free after a meal; however espressos and other coffees will be added to your bill. It is not customary in Brazil to drink coffee with the dessert, so if that is when you want it, make sure the waiter understands.