Playing “Riddles” in Portuguese
It is considered that playing riddles is a children’s pastime. However, even adults sometimes find it difficult to guess the correct answer. They can be quite challenging. Moreover, lately, modern people are often looking for reasons to meet and engage in activities together, so they don’t get lost in social networks and the internet. Riddles can become a great source of entertainment!
Riddles about Animals
In fact, the title of this paragraph already gives a big hint and narrows down the search for the correct answer. However, we don’t want you to rack your brains; we want you to have fun.
| Adivinha 1: Eu tenho um grande cartão de visita, Com um desenho que é bem fininho, Quando fico com medo, fecho tudo e escondo-me, Quem sou eu, diz-me, diz o que eu sou? | Riddle 1: I have a big business card, With a design that is very fine, When I get scared, I close everything and hide, Who am I, tell me, tell me what I am? |
The first part of the riddle can be quite confusing, but the second part already specifically hints to us – who hides in their house when they get scared? No, it’s not a snail!
| Adivinha 2: Sou muito inteligente e consigo imitar, Falo, danço e gosto de brincar. Quem sou eu? | Riddle 2: I’m very intelligent and I can imitate, I talk, dance and like to play. Who am I? |
The verb “imitar” is important here. Think about which animals can imitate others and perhaps even humans. Chameleon? No, it’s not him!
| Adivinha 3: Com patas longas e orelhas grandes, Eu salto por campos, sempre andantes. Quem sou eu? | Riddle 3: With long paws and big ears, I skip across fields, always walking. Who am I? |
If we hardly think about the size of this animal’s legs, although they are really large, then we pay attention to its ears. No, it’s not an elephant! An elephant is unlikely to be able to jump across the field.
Riddles about fruits and vegetables
It’s really difficult to describe a fruit or vegetable without giving away its name from the very first words. But let’s see how the Portuguese cope with this!
| Adivinha 4: Com ou sem pele, sou a solução, Em saladas ou sopas, faço sensação. Verde ou vermelho, eu não me escondo, No prato, sou sempre um bom fundo! | Riddle 4: With or without skin, I am the solution, In salads or soups, I make a sensation. Green or red, I don’t hide, At the plate, I’m always a good background! |
Here it is worth helping you and adding that this vegetable can also be yellow. No, it’s not a tomato! Think again!
| Adivinha 5: No campo é laranja, no prato é salgada, Gosto de ser crocante, na sopa, bem misturada. Eu sou uma raiz, que cresce a mil, Quem sou eu, que dá sabor tão sutil? | Riddle 5: In the field it is orange, on the plate it is salty, I like it to be crunchy, in the soup, well mixed. I am a root, which grows a thousand, Who am I, who gives such a subtle flavor? |
We’d argue that this vegetable is salty, but everything else describes it accurately, so it won’t give any clues!
| Adivinha 6: Pequenino e verde, sempre a pular, No prato, no tacho, não pode faltar. Rico em sabor, na sopa ou no purê, O que é que eu sou? Podes responder-me já, vê! | Riddle 6: Tiny and green, always jumping, On the plate, in the pan, it cannot be missing. Rich in flavor, in soup or puree, What am I? You can answer me now, see! |
If you add that this vegetable is also round, then the answer becomes obvious! And its puree is very popular in Portugal.
Riddles about natural phenomena
Animals and fruits have color, size, and recognizable characteristics. Natural phenomena cannot boast of this. But let’s try to follow the logic of the Portuguese descriptions.
| Adivinha 7: Sou um vasto manto a proteger, Do frio, da vida, sou o abrigo a tecer, Nos vales e montanhas, sou lar, O que sou, que vem para ficar? | Riddle 7: I am a vast cloak to protect, From the cold, from life, I am the shelter to weave, In the valleys and mountains, I am home, What am I, who is here to stay? |
We are used to perceiving this natural phenomenon from a negative side and did not think that for many animals it can be a shelter, and for plants – protection! Did you guess it?
| Adivinha 8: Quando o sol no céu se apaga, E as estrelas dançam, sem mágoa, O que brilha em noite calma, E acalma toda a alma? | Riddle 8: When the sun in the sky goes out, And the stars dance, without regret, What shines on a calm night, And soothes the whole soul? |
Very beautiful description! Like words from a song. However, they say that it does not calm, but rather excites, because it affects a person. Well, the fact that we don’t see much in the dark helps us guess the correct answer.
| Adivinha 9: Desço em silêncio, um suave cantar, Fiz amigos no chão ao chegar. A natureza sorri ao me ver, Sou a promessa de um novo viver. | Riddle 9: I descend in silence, a soft singing, I made friends on the floor when I arrived. Nature smiles when it sees me, I am the promise of a new life. |
What is it that no living thing on the planet can do without? No, it’s not the sun. Sea creatures living on the ocean floor never see the sun. There are fungi that grow in complete darkness. But without this, no one can live.
Conclusion
Of course, the main purpose of this article is to show you vocabulary in a playful way. Riddles are also great because they feature unusual word combinations, from which we can understand how the Portuguese express themselves. Are you curious to know the answers? Here they are:
- 1 – tartaruga (turtle),
- 2 – papagaio (parrot),
- 3 – coelho (hare),
- 4 – pimento (pepper),
- 5 – cenoura (carrot),
- 6 – ervilha (pea),
- 7 – neve (snow),
- 8 – lua (moon),
- 9 – chuva (rain).
Meanwile... You may also fin this funny
Leave a Reply