How to Use the Verb “Ficar” in Portuguese + Expressions

The verb “ficar” is one of the most versatile and confusing verbs in the Portuguese language. By learning how to use it, you’ll be able to understand various texts and express yourself with greater confidence and naturalness. Below are the primary meanings of the verb “ficar” and several expressions used in everyday language.

Uses of the Verb Ficar

1 – Permanecer num determinado lugar (To Stay in a Certain Place)

  • Fiquei no escritório até tarde. (I stayed at the office late.)
  • Podes ir, mas eu vou ficar no carro. (You can go, but I will stay in the car.)
  • O meu primo ficou no hospital durante uma semana. (My cousin stayed in the hospital for a week.)

2 – Acomodação (Accommodation)

  • Onde vais ficar no Porto? (Where will you stay in Porto?)
  • Vou ficar num apartamento alugado perto da Ribeira. (I’ll stay in a rented apartment near Ribeira.)

3 – Passar a ser, tornar-se (To Become)

  • Ele ficou famoso depois do reality show. (He became famous after the reality show.)
  • Ficámos tristes com a notícia da demissão dele. (We were sad about his resignation news.)

4 – Vestir bem, Parecer bem (To Suit, Look Good On)

  • Aquele casaco fica-te mesmo bem. (That coat looks really good on you.)
  • Os novos sofás ficaram perfeitos na sala de estar. (The new sofas look perfect in the living room.)

5 – Tomar posse de algo (To Keep, Take Possession Of)

  • Podes ficar com a minha parte do bolo. (You can keep my share of the cake.)
  • A Joana ficou com a chave extra do apartamento. (Joana kept the spare key to the apartment.)
  • O ladrão ficou com o meu telemóvel e carteira. (The thief took my phone and wallet.)

6 – Marcar ou adiar algo (To Schedule or Postpone)

  • Para quando fica marcada a nossa reunião? (When is our meeting scheduled?)
  • O jantar ficou para o próximo fim de semana. (The dinner has been postponed to next weekend.)

7 – Ficar parado (To Stop Moving; Remain Still)

  • Quando vi o cão, fiquei parado. (When I saw the dog, I stayed still.)
  • Fica aqui até eu voltar. (Stay here until I get back.)

8 – Manter um segredo (To Keep a Secret; Promise, Agree)

  • Descobri um segredo, mas tem de ficar entre nós. (I discovered a secret, but it has to stay between us.)

9 – Custar (To Cost, Reach a Certain Amount)

  • A reparação da estrada ficou em cinco mil euros. (The road repair cost five thousand euros.)
  • Quanto ficou o jantar ontem à noite? (How much did dinner cost last night?)
  • O aumento do custo de vida ficou acima das previsões. (The cost of living increase was higher than predicted.)

10 – Resultado involuntário (Indicates an Involuntary Result)

  • Muitas pessoas ficaram desalojadas após a tempestade. (Many people were left homeless after the storm.)

11 – Fazer companhia (To Keep Company)

  • A Maria ficou com a avó enquanto os pais estavam fora. (Maria stayed with her grandmother while her parents were away.)

12 – Adquirir certa forma ou característica (To Acquire a Certain Form or Characteristic)

  • A sopa ficou muito espessa. (The soup turned out very thick.)
  • Quando coras, ficas adorável. (When you blush, you look adorable.)

13 – Restar, Sobrar (To Remain, Be Left Over)

  • Depois do incêndio, só ficaram ruínas. (After the fire, only ruins were left.)
  • Todos saíram cedo. Ficámos só nós dois. (Everyone left early. Only the two of us stayed.)

14 – Necessidades (Indicates Various Physiological Needs (+ preposition “com”))

  • Ficar com frio; (To get cold)
  • Ficar com calor; (To get hot)
  • Ficar com preguiça; (To get lazy)
  • Ficar com vergonha; (To get embarrassed)
  • Ficar com ciúmes. (To get jealous)

15 – Used as an Alternative to the Verb “SER” When Expressing Permanent Location

  • A Alemanha fica na Europa Central. (Germany is located in Central Europe.)
  • Onde fica a universidade? (Where is the university located?)

Expressions with the Verb Ficar

1 – Ficar bem/mal (To be/not be appropriate)

  • Aquela atitude não fica bem a um profissional. (That attitude is not appropriate for a professional.)

2 – Ficar de bem/mal (com) (To reconcile/break off relations)

  • Depois de muitas discussões, finalmente ficámos de bem. (After many arguments, we finally reconciled.)
  • Ele ficou de mal com a irmã depois da discussão. (He is not on good terms with his sister after the fight.)

3 – Ficar de fora (de) (To be excluded; not be chosen)

  • Não fiques de fora da corrida de caridade. Inscreve-te já! (Don’t miss out on the charity run. Sign up now!)
  • O Jorge ficou de fora do projeto. (Jorge was left out of the project.)

4 – Ficar para tio/tia (To stay single)

  • O Miguel nunca se casou. Vai ficar para tio! (Miguel never got married. He’ll stay single forever!)

5 – Ficar por dentro (de) (To stay informed)

  • Subscreve à nossa newsletter e fica por dentro de todas as notícias! (Subscribe to our newsletter and stay informed about all the news!)

6 – Ficar para trás (To be part of the past; to fall behind)

  • Os problemas antigos ficaram para trás. Agora é hora de avançar. (The old problems are behind us. Now it’s time to move forward.)
  • Quem não acompanha as novidades fica para trás. (Those who don’t keep up with the news fall behind.)

7 – Ficar a ver navios (To be left empty-handed; to have expectations frustrated)

  • Prometeram-me uma promoção, mas fiquei a ver navios. (They promised me a promotion, but I was left empty-handed.)

8 – Ficar à vontade (To feel at home)

  • Fique à vontade. A reunião começa daqui a pouco. Quer um chá? (Make yourself at home. The meeting will start soon. Would you like some tea?)
  • Sinta-se à vontade para experimentar mais sobremesas. (Feel free to try more desserts.)

9 – Ficar uma fera (To get very angry)

  • O diretor ficou uma fera com o atraso do relatório! (The director was furious with the late report!)
  • O cliente ficou uma fera quando soube do erro na fatura. (The client was furious when he found out about the billing error.)

10 – Ficar de boca aberta (To be amazed)

  • Fiquei de boca aberta com o desempenho do novo atleta. (I was amazed by the new athlete’s performance.)

11 – Ficar de queixo caído (To be extremely surprised)

  • Ficámos de queixo caído ao ver o preço da nova casa. (We were astonished to see the price of the new house.)

12 – Ficar a saber (To hear about something (without citing the source))

  • Fiquei a saber que vais mudar de cidade. É verdade? (I heard that you’re moving to another city. Is it true?)

13 – Ficar feio (to get worse)

  • A situação vai ficar feia se não tomarmos uma decisão rápida. (The situation will get worse if we don’t make a quick decision.)

14 – Ficar de (To agree, to commit to)

  • Fiquei de encontrar-me com ela depois do trabalho. (I agreed to meet her after work.)
  • Ficámos de sair para jantar amanhã, não te esqueças. (We agreed to go out for dinner tomorrow, don’t forget.)
  • Ela ficou de me enviar os documentos hoje. (She promised to send me the documents today.)

By mastering the various uses and expressions of the verb “ficar,” you’ll significantly enhance your fluency and understanding of Portuguese, making your communication more effective and nuanced.

Conclusion

Mastering the verb “ficar” is essential for anyone learning Portuguese, given its versatility and frequency of use. By understanding the various contexts in which “ficar” can be applied, from indicating location and state of being to expressing emotions and conditions, you’ll significantly enhance your fluency and comprehension. Remember, knowing when to use “ficar” in Portuguese can help you navigate conversations with greater ease and confidence. So, whether you’re discussing where to stay, or talking about feelings, the verb “ficar” is your key to more natural and effective communication. Embrace the many uses of “ficar” and watch your Portuguese skills soar. For more detailed lessons and resources, visit The Portuguese School and start learning today!

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