# perua



## chay73

Hello! is there any slang or expression in English for "perua" (Portuguese of Brazil)? ... I'm not talking about the turkey's hen  ... 
 thank you in advance


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## Pedrovski

The best approximate term I can think of right now is "battle axe".
I'll let you know if I manage to remember a better translation.


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## chay73

Thank you Pedrovski!.. I was wondering... a "battle axe" is an unfriendly woman, right? ... then, why Brazilian women would say "perua" to a friend? ... that's confusing... 
 thank you friend!


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## Alentugano

chay73 said:


> Thank you Pedrovski!.. I was wondering... a "battle axe" is an unfriendly woman, right? ... then, why Brazilian women would say "perua" to a friend? ... that's confusing...
> thank you friend!



Hi Chay,

We need to know the context, 'cause there's more than one meaning to the word _perua.

_See?

*perua*
[Fem. de  _peru_1.] 
Substantivo feminino. 
*1*.Zool. A fêmea  do peru. [Sin., bras., pop.: _pássara _(PE) e _penosa  _(AL).] 
*2.*Pop. V.  _bebedeira _(1). 
*3*.Bras. V.  _caminhonete_: 
“Chegou uma  perua abarrotada de meninos, colegas e professoras do rapazinho que ia  estudar na capital.” (Nélson de Faria, _Cabeça-Torta_, p. 91.)  
*4.*Bras. Chulo Meretriz. 
*5.*Bras. AL Pop. Mistura de aguardente com caldo de cana. 
*6.*Bras. Mulher de aparência e comportamento  exagerados.
_
fonte: dicionário Aurélio_


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## Pedrovski

chay73 said:


> Thank you Pedrovski!.. I was wondering... a "battle axe" is an unfriendly woman, right? ... then, why Brazilian women would say "perua" to a friend? ... that's confusing...
> thank you friend!




Well, "battle-axe" can indeed mean an unfriendly agressive woman, but it's also associated to older, less attractive women. It's something a man would depreciatingly call his wife behind her back, to his mates.
I'm not completely sure if "perua" is always a derogative term in Brazil so it's probably best to wait for more answers.


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## Pedrovski

Alentugano said:


> Hi Chay,
> 
> We need to know the context, 'cause there's more than one meaning to the word _perua.
> 
> _See?
> 
> *perua*
> [Fem. de  _peru_1.]
> Substantivo feminino.
> *1*.Zool. A fêmea  do peru. [Sin., bras., pop.: _pássara _(PE) e _penosa  _(AL).]
> *2.*Pop. V.  _bebedeira _(1).
> *3*.Bras. V.  _caminhonete_:
> “Chegou uma  perua abarrotada de meninos, colegas e professoras do rapazinho que ia  estudar na capital.” (Nélson de Faria, _Cabeça-Torta_, p. 91.)
> *4.*Bras. Chulo Meretriz.
> *5.*Bras. AL Pop. Mistura de aguardente com caldo de cana.
> *6.*Bras. Mulher de aparência e comportamento  exagerados.
> _
> fonte: dicionário Aurélio_



Ok, in that case then I must have got confused with another word. I thought "perua" meant an older, less attractive woman. 
Sorry about that.


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## Joca

Pedrovski said:


> Well, "battle-axe" can indeed mean an unfriendly agressive woman, but it's also associated to older, less attractive women. It's something a man would depreciatingly call his wife behind her back, to his mates.
> I'm not completely sure if "perua" is always a derogative term in Brazil so it's probably best to wait for more answers.


 
Exactly, it is a derogative term, but usually the idea of a "perua" is amusing, not really insulting. 

I can think of two American English words that might be used as equivalents: *bimbo* and *ditz*. But I am not sure. We may need the help of a native.


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## Outsider

Joca said:


> I can think of two American English words that might be used as equivalents: *bimbo* and *ditz*. But I am not sure.


Those seem like good translations to me. Joca, would Brazilians describe Paris Hilton as a _perua_?


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## Alandria

*3*.Bras. V.  _caminhonete_:

É o mais usado, é regional. No Rio chamam isso de "combi".


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## Pedrovski

Ok, I've finally realized where I went wrong. I accidentally mistook "perua" for "coroa", hence the confusion.
Once again, my apologies for providing misleading information.


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## Joca

Outsider said:


> Those seem like good translations to me. Joca, would Brazilians describe Paris Hilton as a _perua_?


 
Well, she could be one, but I would rather call her a "patricinha". A real "perua" usually overdoes her make-up, dyes her hair, wears a lot of (probably cheap) jewelry, extravagant clothes and displays an extravagant behaviour. I will try to find a better example. Can anyone help me find a picture of Dercy Gonçalves? To me, she is the prototype of a perua.


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## Alentugano

Joca said:


> Well, she could be one, but I would rather call her a "patricinha". A real "perua" usually overdoes her make-up, dyes her hair, wears a lot of (probably cheap) jewelry, extravagant clothes and displays an extravagant behaviour. I will try to find a better example. Can anyone help me find a picture of Dercy Gonçalves? To me, she is the prototype of a perua.



Oh my God, I just can't stop laughing!!!
Look, here she is:the real "perua"


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## Vanda

Well, once I asked my fellow moderators to give me a word for 'perua". Here is the suggestion they gave me:

*gaudy* - ostentatiously or tastelessly ornamented
*:* marked by extravagance or sometimes tasteless showiness 
GAUDY implies a tasteless use of overly bright, often clashing colors or excessive ornamentation <circus performers in _gaudy_ costumes>.
(Webter´s)

It fits perfectly to our perua.


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## Dawei

Joca said:


> A real "perua" usually overdoes her make-up, dyes her hair, wears a lot of (probably cheap) jewelry, extravagant clothes and displays an extravagant behaviour. I will try to find a better example. Can anyone help me find a picture of Dercy Gonçalves? To me, she is the prototype of a perua.



"Whore" would be a good catch-all word here. It can be incredibly offensive, or used among friends. It does not necessarily mean an older woman, but rather any woman who goes to excessive lengths to attract men. 

It can also have its literal meaning of prostitute, but this is less common.


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## Vanda

But the first image that comes to a Brazilian when saying perua, without any context, is that of a gaudy woman. 
Other than that we give as many meanings as we want it to be.
A jealous woman about the one who is now with her ex-boyfriend: perua
A hated woman boss: perua
A prostitute: perua
An envious woman to another: perua
and so on.


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## chay73

Alentugano said:


> Hi Chay,
> 
> We need to know the context, 'cause there's more than one meaning to the word _perua._
> 
> See?
> 
> *perua*
> [Fem. de _peru_1.]
> Substantivo feminino.
> *1*.Zool. A fêmea do peru. [Sin., bras., pop.: _pássara _(PE) e _penosa _(AL).]
> *2.*Pop. V. _bebedeira _(1).
> *3*.Bras. V. _caminhonete_:
> “Chegou uma perua abarrotada de meninos, colegas e professoras do rapazinho que ia estudar na capital.” (Nélson de Faria, _Cabeça-Torta_, p. 91.)
> *4.*Bras. Chulo Meretriz.
> *5.*Bras. AL Pop. Mistura de aguardente com caldo de cana.
> *6.*Bras. Mulher de aparência e comportamento exagerados.
> 
> _fonte: dicionário Aurélio_


 yes, I was looking for the last meaning...


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## chay73

Thank you everybody, I was looking for "perua" without any special context... maybe a woman who exagerates in her dressing in order to be the center of attention... and when I heard this word, the first time I thought it was offensive... however I had my doubts... I thought "perua" could be "bitch" in English... thank you for your answers... and how do you use gaudy? : she's so gaudy!... (?)
 thank you again 



Dawei said:


> "Whore" would be a good catch-all word here. It can be incredibly offensive, or used among friends. It does not necessarily mean an older woman, but rather any woman who goes to excessive lengths to attract men.
> 
> It can also have its literal meaning of prostitute, but this is less common.


 
Hi Dawei, 
I was watching a very popular tv show in Brazil the other day (Silvio Santos: Topa o no topa) ... and there was this woman, owner of a clothing store... the conductor of the show (Silvio Santos) asked her what kind of clothes she sells in her store... she answered: like the ones I'm wearing now... and I don't remember exactly what Silvio Santos said or did... and the immediate answer of the woman was:«não, eu sou "perua" mesmo» (no... I am a "perua")... and everybody laughed... do you think that "whore" could be used in the same context? I guess that it is not funny to hear somebody calling herself a "whore"  and less common that anybody would laugh after that comment...  the same happens with bimbo, ditz and gaudy... nobody would laugh after somebody calls herself bimbo, ditz, gaudy ... Am I right? So guys, what do you think?
 thank you! 

I wanted to thank Pedrovsky, Aletungano, Joca, Outsider, Alandria, Vanda, Dawei... I'm learning a lot from you guys! ;p


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## Vanda

Clay, have you read my post about gaudy up there? That is the perua you heard about. Nor a whore neither something else. The perua the woman called herself is that one I mentioned above!


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## Joca

chay73 said:


> Thank you everybody, I was looking for "perua" without any special context... maybe a woman who exagerates in her dressing in order to be the center of attention... and when I heard this word, the first time I thought it was offensive... however I had my doubts... I thought "perua" could be "bitch" in English... thank you for your answers... and how do you use gaudy? : she's so gaudy!... (?)
> thank you again
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Dawei,
> I was watching a very popular tv show in Brazil the other day (Silvio Santos: Topa o no topa) ... and there was this woman, owner of a clothing store... the conductor of the show (Silvio Santos) asked her what kind of clothes she sells in her store... she answered: like the ones I'm wearing now... and I don't remember exactly what Silvio Santos said or did... and the immediate answer of the woman was:«não, eu sou "perua" mesmo» (no... I am a "perua")... and everybody laughed... do you think that "whore" could be used in the same context? I guess that it is not funny to hear somebody calling herself a "whore"  and less common that anybody would laugh after that comment...  the same happens with bimbo, ditz and gaudy... nobody would laugh after somebody calls herself bimbo, ditz, gaudy ... Am I right? So guys, what do you think?
> thank you!
> 
> I wanted to thank Pedrovsky, Aletungano, Joca, Outsider, Alandria, Vanda, Dawei... I'm learning a lot from you guys! ;p


 
Hi Chay73

I know what you mean. I can't tell if saying you are a bimbo, a ditz, or a gaudy woman... would make the audience laugh. Probably not. We have got to ask an American. So it seems we are still searching for the equivalent term in English. Actually, for a woman to say she is a "perua" herself it is almost like her saying she is a flaming fag or a poofter, that is, using a term that is normally reserved for men. Also, the name "perua" is amusing in Brazilian Portuguese because of its connotations with "peru", which is not only the male bird, but also the male sexual organ in an old-fashioned context.  

Now, how would you react if you heard a woman say about herself: "Soy un boludo. Soy un pelotudo, un huevudo." Would it amuse you?

Joca


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## Vanda

Joca, torno a repetir o termo gaudy foi-me dado por moderadores americanos a quem expliquei o uso no Brasil. Anyway, go ahead!


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## Outsider

Joca said:


> Actually, for a woman to say she is a "perua" herself it is almost like her saying she is a flaming fag or a poofter, that is, using a term that is normally reserved for men.


Como assim?


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## Vanda

É eu também gostaria de saber o que quer dizer poofter em relação às nossas famosas peruas! 
Peruas.  A Hebe então se inclui neste grupo? 

*



 E entre as peruas famosas, a apresentadora Hebe Camargo, é, sem sombra de dúvida, a mais conhecida. Ela adora comprar jóias e não tem vergonha de assumir que, para ela, tudo tem que ser exagerado. “Gosto de tudo grande. Sou perua e com muito orgulho”, costuma dizer.

Click to expand...

*


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## Joca

Outsider said:


> Como assim?


 
Posso responder em português? May I answer this in Portuguese?

É porque uma "perua" é exageradamente feminina e muito afetada, como costumam ser alguns homossexuais (não os estou criticando, mas apenas fazendo uma referência) quando querem chamar a atenção. 

I said so because a "perua" is extremely feminine (womanly/womanish) and very much affected like a number of homosexuals (gays) who want to attract attention. I am not criticizing the homosexuals, just reporting a fact.


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## georgo

Uma perua não é necessáriamente uma prostituta. 
Uma moça que fica paquerando o namorado de outras, ou que quer chamar a atenção exageradamente (principalmente dos homens), seja pela sua atitude ou pela forma de se vestir, maquiar ou falar, isso é uma perua.


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## Outsider

Joca said:


> É porque uma "perua" é exageradamente feminina e muito afetada, como costumam ser alguns homossexuais (não os estou criticando, mas apenas fazendo uma referência) quando querem chamar a atenção.


Mas isso não impede as mulheres de usarem a palavra "perua", ou até de se chamarem "peruas" umas às outras, pois não?

Não sou brasileiro, mas a impressão que tenho desta palavra, até por tudo aquilo que foi dito aqui, é que não é tanto uma questão de feminilidade, mas de uma certa exuberância de comportamento e vestuário que roça a extravagância, por vezes chegando mesmo ao mau gosto.


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## olivinha

I do not like the translation _bimbo_ for _perua_. Using, Outsider´s example, I´d say Paris Hilton is a _bimbo_ (shallow girl, who mainly worries about her looks) but definitely not a _perua._ Perua is gaudy, bright and vulgar, flashy and loud, and these adjectives do not necessarily describe a _bimbo_. A bimbo can actually be very stylish... well that until she opens her mouth .
O


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## Outsider

I don't suppose any of you knows the British comedy show _Goodness Gracious Me_. I'm thinking that Smeeta Smitten might be a good _perua_. 

Or maybe Patsy Stone, from _Absolutely Fabulous_?


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## Joca

Outsider said:


> I don't suppose any of you knows the British comedy show _Goodness Gracious Me_. I'm thinking that Smeeta Smitten might be a good _perua_.
> 
> Or maybe Patsy Stone, from _Absolutely Fabulous_?


 
I can't find Smeeta Smitten, but her name fits very well to a "perua".

Now Patsy Stone is definitively a "perua". What would you call her in English?

Olivinha, you are right. Bimbo doesn't translate well into perua. It goes together well with "patricinha", maybe.


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## Vanda

Right, Out! I watched that series when it ran on cable. Patsy is the perfect perua and the other one I keep forgeting her name is what we call riponga.

Para aqueles que se interessarem sobre o que americanos e britânicos dizem a respeito de perua, aqui está o tópico que eu comecei em 2005 sobre a palavra no fórum EO.


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## Dawei

chay73 said:


> I was watching a very popular tv show in Brazil the other day (Silvio Santos: Topa o no topa) ... and there was this woman, owner of a clothing store... the conductor of the show (Silvio Santos) asked her what kind of clothes she sells in her store... she answered: like the ones I'm wearing now... and I don't remember exactly what Silvio Santos said or did... and the immediate answer of the woman was:«não, eu sou "perua" mesmo» (no... I am a "perua")... and everybody laughed... do you think that "whore" could be used in the same context?


Obviously we're not going to find a word that is exactly the same. However, I think everyone in the audience would laugh if the woman said "whore" on an American show, but whore is a little stronger than perua I think, so I doubt a woman would call herself that. 

"Tasteless" is another option, which basically means that she has no idea what looks good. If a woman said that on TV, the audience would laugh, but only lightly. It is like saying "Yeah, I don't know anything about fashion either" or "Don't worry, I dress just as badly as you." 

And Vanda, gaudy is really not used very often here . It is somewhat old-fashioned, and when it is used, it is generally used to describe objects, not people. Eg, a "gaudy party" or "gaudy jewelry"


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## Vanda

Maybe it has changed since 2005 when the person- a very modern American woman - who gave the meaning in the thread linked told us about it.


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## Outsider

Será que *flashy* serve?


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## Dawei

Flashy is also mostly reserved for objects, esp. car and suit.

...it's also a matter of opinion. Personally, I can't imagine anyone under the age of 60 using "gaudy" without the people around her giving her strange looks, unless they are trying to be different or ironic. But regardless, remember that it is NEVER used as a noun; you would have to say "a gaudy woman" or something similar. Perua seems to be a noun, so whore would fit better in my opinion. 

But anyway, I'll shut up now and hope another native comes along to offer their insight.


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## olivinha

Whore? I think it's too strong of a word for _perua_, really. Maybe there isn't such specific word in English but there are certainly adjectives that describe a _perua_: a woman who is tacky, likes to dress "loud", and usually wears excessive make-up and accessories. There was a sitcom in the US, about a babysitter, who worked for a classy, rich family (I forgot the name of that show). She was definitely a perua, even by her "affected" way of talking. Ah, and remember Janice, from _Friends_, Chandler's ex-girlfriend (_Oh, my God!_)? That's another perua for you, also by the way she talked.
O


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## MOC

olivinha said:


> There was a sitcom in the US, about a babysitter, who worked for a classy, rich family (I forgot the name of that show). She was definitely a perua, even by her "affected" way of talking.
> O



The Nanny?


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## Cipriana

Another translation for Perua is BITCH, as used by Black americans. It can be both friendly, "Hey bitch, how you doin?" and unfriendly "She's such a bitch".


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## olivinha

MOC said:


> The Nanny?


 
Yeah, MOC, that's the one! I would never say that she's a whore but the way she dresses and talks fit the definition of a _perua_, in my opinion.
O


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## chay73

Vanda: Wow! so many peruas!  now I know what a real perua is...  and without any chance of being mistaken ....Thank you Vanda for all the information... the thing is that back in Florida,I heard women calling each other "bitch"... and yes, Cipriana, they were African American... but I also heard this word being used by not African American people saying something like:"your such a bitch" (disaproving the way a friend wears clothes)... I don't know about the use of gaudy... maybe I wasn't at the right place ... my first translation for "perua" was "bitch", but I thought it was too strong... and now that Dawei introduced "whore"... I definitely prefer "bitch"... but I'm not a native  ... maybe this is the kind of word that does not have an accurate translation... "perua" sounds sweet to me... even dough I would not like somebody calling me perua  ... and "bitch" or "whore"... there's not sweetness at all in these words to me! ...
and Olivinha... I guess the Nanny is "the perua" 
regards!


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## chay73

Joca said:


> Hi Chay73
> 
> I know what you mean. I can't tell if saying you are a bimbo, a ditz, or a gaudy woman... would make the audience laugh. Probably not. We have got to ask an American. So it seems we are still searching for the equivalent term in English. Actually, for a woman to say she is a "perua" herself it is almost like her saying she is a flaming fag or a poofter, that is, using a term that is normally reserved for men. Also, the name "perua" is amusing in Brazilian Portuguese because of its connotations with "peru", which is not only the male bird, but also the male sexual organ in an old-fashioned context.
> 
> Now, how would you react if you heard a woman say about herself: "Soy una boluda. Soy una pelotuda, una huevuda." Would it amuse you?
> 
> Joca


No, I would not laugh. In Perú we don't use those expressions. Anyway, if I heard somebody say something like that I wouldn't laugh... to me, they don't sound amusing at all.
regards!


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## Manita

So is it like 'tart'? Which used to be used of prostitues but in now used of women who dress in an excessively provocative and tasteless way or who are very promiscuous. We might say someone dresses 'tartily', or describe a certain outfit as tarty. Sometimes this is done tongue in cheek, like, 'I'm going to wear my tarty top tonight'.

I came to this site via a search for the word perua because someone suggested that two Argentinian women I used to teach English to in Barcelona were peruas. They didn't dress guadily though, just in a flashy way like they had loads of money. They were very attractive young women, not battleaxes by any stretch of the imagination, but they looked like high class prostitutes. Maybe they were....they were available during the day for English lessons. They were very elegant though, so I don't think they were peruas. Maybe borderline ones. Are women from Buenos Aries known for this? They were just way overdressed for the daytime, but they looked pretty stunning. I used to call them 'the jaguars'.

Manita


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## Outsider

Manita said:


> So is it like 'tart'? Which used to be used of prostitues but in now used of women who dress in an excessively provocative and tasteless way or who are very promiscuous.


This thing is (but I hope the Brazilian posters can confirm this) I don't think the word _perua_ implies anything at all about promiscuousness. Zero.

That's why I don't like "bitch" or "tart" as translations.


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## olivinha

Outsider said:


> This thing is (but I hope the Brazilian posters can confirm this) I don't think the word _perua_ implies anything at all about promiscuousness. Zero.  _*Yes, I agree*_.
> 
> That's why I don't like "bitch" or "tart" as translations.


I don't like _bitch_ as a translation for _perua_ but _so much_ because of promiscuousness but because when one calls somebody a bitch or says that somebody is being a bitch, in general it refers to a difficult, moody, whining woman, with a bad attitude. 

The funny thing is that it's not as complicate being (or spotting) a _perua_ as it is to explain it. 
O


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## Manita

Would a perua dress seductively or attempt to?


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## Vanda

The main goal of a perua is not to appear seductively but just to appear gaudy (extravagant, full of jewelry, fashionable - even though tasteless). We also call her árvore de natal - Christmas's tree.


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## Outsider

Yes, I think a good description is that a _perua_ is a woman who seeks attention (not just from men) by dressing up "loudly" and wearing lots of jewelry (and through behaviour, too, perhaps?) but lacks the taste and the finesse to look truly beautiful.


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## Manita

I'm thinking we don't have an equivalent that's seen that much, except perhaps among older women, but these would be described as tarty. The character of Bet Lynch, the barmaid in the very long running soap 'Coronation Street' is the closest I can think of. 

Sorry, I can't post the pic I wanted to because I've not posted 30 posts yet so can't do Urls - site rule. But you can find a pic of her. She's known for her huge dangly earrings and peroxide hair piled up on her head and leopard print coat.

But her style is based on the 1950s and it's one that can be carried off quite well if you're younger and into vintage clothing. I think she had that style when the programme started in the fifties and has kept it because she was such a popular character. Does anyone have a picture of a *young* perua?


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## Manita

Ah, that's a good description Outsider, thanks. The women who do that here tend to be foreign. I think it's more of a thing in other cultures to dress like this. In some countries it's a way of displaying your wealth so the women will wear tons of gold jewellery, but people here don't really do that now and the foreign women can get away with it more because of being dark and perceived as exotic. I would wear a leopard print top because I'm dark, half Yemeni, but I think it can look a bit much on a blonde.


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## Vanda

I'm mad mad mad. I had prepared a long post with lots of perua's pictures and the post didn't load. 

Well if I found that woman (Lynch) in the street I'd surely call her perua. 

Children with the perua's syndrome, called peruinhas.
Go to the bottom of this page and that artist we have already told about her in some perua's versions. 
The wardrobe of a soap opera about peruas.
See those 4 girls.


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## Manita

Oh shit, I'm a bit of a perua then!  lol  I do love colour and esp. deep pink. But I think there are two different things going on here. One thing is older women dressing too young - I mean that black dress would look great on a younger woman. The other thing is women wearing bright colours and I can't see what's wrong with that as long as the colours and patterns don't clash. I hate it when women live in beige and just want to present a conforming dull image. It's almost impersonal - another thing I loathe. Actually there's a third element which is wearing terrible unflattering dresses, like that one with the huge sleeves. Just because an outfit stands out it's no reason to wear it if it doesn't suit you and some of those in the photos wouldn't suit anyone. Fergie (Prince Andrew's ex wife) was guilty of wearing some monstrosities, and that was before she lost weight. Do some peruas dress like drag queens? Actually I know that I use colour well because I've been told, but I can imagine some people make a right mess of it, like this woman I saw the other day who had on a bright yellow t shirt and yellow plastic sandals and she looked like a duck! Everyone was staring at her. I just try to look not English and not boring and most people really like my clothes and as I'm dark, rich deeep colours suit me. That very heavy looking woman with heavy earrings in Eastenders is a perua, but we'd just call her 'a right old dog'.


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## Vanda

Manita, it does not have to do with the color of the clothes but with the aboundance, the excess of everything: jewelry, make-up, pattern mix and the like. Think of a Christmas's tree excessively decorated. That's it!


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## Que trem doido

Oi gente!!  I have some modest input for this posting.  I don't think the word whore itself would be used to describe a perua because that would imply promiscuity.  But, I do think that the term "whorish" that would imply only a similarity to a whore.  I can't think of a single one-word term that would accurately describe perua.  The character of a perua is complex enough that we would end up having to use a phrase to describe her, or maybe even say that she looks like Tammy Faye Baker or something.

In my opinion, bitch is not a good translation because unless you are talking to a close friend it is very derogatory and maliscious.

If we were trying to descibe the clothing then flashy, gaudy, loud, and those others would work.  But once we are talking about a person it becomes much more complicated.

Espero que a minha resposta poderia ajudar um pouco!!
 (Com saudades do Brasil)


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