# pregnant



## drei_lengua

I heard this means something different in Portugues.  Does anyone know the origin of the difference?  What does this mean in Portugal and in Brazil?  Spanish and Portugues are both Romance languages so I was wondering about the difference.  

Thanks,
Brian


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## Chriszinho85

drei_lengua said:
			
		

> I heard this means something different in Portugues. Does anyone know the origin of the difference? What does this mean in Portugal and in Brazil? Spanish and Portugues are both Romance languages so I was wondering about the difference.
> 
> Thanks,
> Brian


Hey Brian...i looked in my dictionary and the verb "embaraçar" in Portuguese can mean "to block," "to embarrass," "to tangle" or "to complicate." The verb embaraçar-se means "to become embroiled." I looked in my Spanish dictionary and found some similar definitions to the ones in Portuguese. I did, however, look in the online dictionary at priberam.pt and one of the definitions says "prov., engravidar;" which means "to empregnate" or "to get pregnant." I don't know what "prov." means though. I guess it may be that in Portuguese using the verb "embaraçar" for "getting pregnant" became archaic or less commonly used, which happens a lot. For example, the word "ventana" exists in Portuguese, but the word that is used is "janela." Also the verb "cear" ("cenar" in Spanish) exists in Portuguese, but the verb normally used is "jantar." Instead of "cerrar," the verb normally used is "fechar." 

Hope to have been of help.

Chris


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## Lems

Hey Chris, you got it right! Except that in Brazilian Portuguese it never meant to get pregnant. I went a bit further and found that prov. means _provincianismo_ and very likely is a form used in Spain border. 

We use _cear _pretty much as the English _to take a supper_. 

_Cerrar _is used in expressions like: _cerrar os lábios _(the lips), _cerrar os dentes_ (the teeth), _os punhos_ (the wrist)...

Hope this helps

Lems
________________
A vida é um espelho, não uma janela.


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## Chriszinho85

Lems said:
			
		

> Hey Chris, you got it right! Except that in Brazilian Portuguese it never meant to get pregnant. I went a bit further and found that prov. means _provincianismo_ and very likely is a form used in Spain border.


 Ahh..I see.  Thanks for the explanation Lems.



			
				Lems said:
			
		

> We use _cear _pretty much as the English _to take a supper_.
> 
> _Cerrar _is used in expressions like: _cerrar os lábios _(the lips), _cerrar os dentes_ (the teeth), _os punhos_ (the wrist)...
> 
> Hope this helps
> 
> Lems
> ________________
> A vida é um espelho, não uma janela.


Thanks for these explanations too!  That's interesting. You use "cerrar" for the lips, teeth, wrist, but for the eyes you use "fechar." Are there more expressions used with "cerrar"?

Chris


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## Lems

drei_lengua said:
			
		

> I heard this means something different in Portugues.  Does anyone know the origin of the difference?  What does this mean in Portugal and in Brazil?  Spanish and Portugues are both Romance languages so I was wondering about the difference.
> 
> Thanks,
> Brian


*Embaraçada*, in Portuguese means also embarrass, and my guess is that in old times, when a girl was pregnant, she became embarrassed of showing her state.  

Just saw in The American Heritage Dictionaries:

_[French embarrasser, to encumber, hamper, from Spanish embarazar, from Italian imbarazzare, from imbarazzo, obstacle, obstruction, from imbarrare, to block, bar : in-, in (from Latin; see en–1) + barra, bar (from Vulgar Latin *barra).]_

Now it makes sense to me: pregnancy is a burden, in a certain way, an obstacle.

Thanks for giving me the chance to go deeper in this matter.  

Lems
__________________
A vida é um espelho, não uma janela.


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## MarcB

Lems: I_ believe that embarazada is a euphemism in Sp. _
_drei PT adj= gravida in como use also exists in Sp not as common as PT and gavide in En scientific usage not common language._
_ventana in Sp comes from viento as the windows used at the time were open, conf. venta in Galego. janela is the dimintive for an opening in Latin._


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## Breogan

MarcB said:
			
		

> Lems: I_ believe that embarazada is a euphemism in Sp._


Instead of using "preñada", that is more appropiate for animal females, although used referring to women as well but it sounds very rude.



			
				MarcB said:
			
		

> _ventana in Sp comes from viento as the windows used at the time were open, conf. venta in Galego. janela is the dimintive for an opening in Latin._


Well, in Galician we have 3 words: xanela, fiestra and ventá (although this is a word of Castilian stock perhaps.)
Janela comes from latin word JANUS, that was the name of a God, the God of doors, having one face in front and other in back of his head, just meaning the entrance and exit. Also related to month "Janeiro" (January in English), the entrance of the New Year.


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## MarcB

Quote:
Originally Posted by *MarcB*
_Lems: I believe that embarazada is a euphemism in Sp._
Instead of using "preñada", that is more appropiate for animal females, although used referring to women as well but it sounds very rude( concordo) eufemismo
Originally Posted by *MarcB*
_ventana in Sp comes from viento as the windows used at the time were open, conf. venta in Galego. janela is the dimintive for an opening in Latin._


Well, in Galician we have 3 words: xanela, fiestra and ventá (although this is a word of Castilian stock perhaps.)
Janela comes from latin word JANUS, that was the name of a God, the God of doors, having one face in front and other in back of his head, just meaning the entrance and exit. Also related to month "Janeiro" (January in English), the entrance of the New Year.
ventá=talvez de Castelano mas vem direto do Latim?? Janus,  Latim tardio abertura de um  Deus de portas aberturas(Latim). fiestra de finestra.


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## Vanda

Quoting Chris


> You use "cerrar" for the lips, teeth, wrist, but for the eyes you use "fechar." Are there more expressions used with "cerrar"?


 
Chris,
Yes, você pode _cerrar os olhos_, mas, interessante, é que normalmente achamos esta expressão em contexto *literário*, tanto para cerrar os olhos e dormir, quanto cerrar os olhos como  metáfora para morrer.
Também, pode-se cerrar a porta, cerrarem-se os trabalhos de um dia, cerrar as nuvens com o sentido de escurecer, entre outros. Contudo, acho que cada vez mais é uma expressão que encontramos em livros, tornando-se mais uma daquelas palavras que caem em desuso na fala.
Ah e é bom não confundir com serrar: to saw!


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## lampiao

Hi ppl!

Just to say that I have learned a lot of things I had no idea of about the terms discussed in this forum.

Anyway, being portuguese and living in Lisbon, I must say that here it is not common at all to use the term 'embaraçar' to say 'to get pregnant'.

My workmate has told me, some time ago, a story that happened to her friend in Spain: She (the friend) fell down while skiing and got hurt in her coxis (is that correct?) and went to the hospital. 
There, the doctor who was examining her asked 'estás embarazada?' and she thought he meant to ask if she felt unconfortable with having him examine her...



			
				Chirszinho85 said:
			
		

> Are there more expressions used with "cerrar"?


Sure. However the most commonly used term to say close is 'fechar', there are other situations where 'cerrar' may be used.
In this situation it isn't a synonim of 'fechar': You could say 'fogo cerrado' and it means 'heavy fire' (as in war/battle)

There are other situations where you can use that term. I just can't think of another example right now...



			
				Breogan said:
			
		

> Instead of using "preñada", that is more appropiate for animal females, although used referring to women as well but it sounds very rude.


Right. In portuguese we too have the term 'prenha' for pregnant (the verb is 'emprenhar'), but it does not apply to women. It would be very offensive.


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## Vanda

Quoting MarcB


> ventá=talvez de Castelano mas vem direto do Latim?? Janus, Latim tardio abertura de um Deus de portas aberturas(Latim). fiestra de finestra.


 
Engraçado como, às vezes, a gente depende de olhos estrangeiros para enxergar o cotidiano com  'outros olhos', né? Depois de ver sua definição fui 'cavoucar/ cavar' nas palavras ventana e venta e acabei descobrindo algumas curiosidades. 
_ventana,_ conforme vcs já disseram, veio através do espanhol para o pt.
O que eu não imaginava é que no sul do país existe a palavra como regionalismo, formado de *vento + -ana* (Adj.  Bras.  Rio Grande do Sul Popular)  
 1.  Diz-se de, ou indivíduo mau. 
 2.  Desordeiro, turbulento. 

_Venta_ - (sem acento) = Do lat. *ventana < ventu, 'vento', 'lugar por onde passa o vento', pelo arc. ventãa, ventam.
venta = narina (narine , francês; nostril , inglês).


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## Vanda

Quoting lampiao


> Right. In portuguese we too have the term 'prenha' for pregnant (the verb is 'emprenhar'), but it does not apply to women. It would be very offensive.


 
 I've just remembered, people from some rural areas say prenha referring to a pregnant woman, probably because of the proximity to their work with animals that become prenhes.  I dare not say that, better, people from other environments should not use this term , though. As lampiao has said it would be offensive. When in Rome...


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## Chriszinho85

Vanda said:
			
		

> Quoting Chris
> 
> 
> Chris,
> Yes, você pode _cerrar os olhos_, mas, interessante, é que normalmente achamos esta expressão em contexto *literário*, tanto para cerrar os olhos e dormir, quanto cerrar os olhos como  metáfora para morrer.
> Também, pode-se cerrar a porta, cerrarem-se os trabalhos de um dia, cerrar as nuvens com o sentido de escurecer, entre outros. Contudo, acho que cada vez mais é uma expressão que encontramos em livros, tornando-se mais uma daquelas palavras que caem em desuso na fala.
> Ah e é bom não confundir com serrar: to saw!



Muito interessante tudo isso.  Obrigado Vanda.


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## Chriszinho85

lampiao said:
			
		

> My workmate has told me, some time ago, a story that happened to her friend in Spain: She (the friend) fell down while skiing and got hurt in her coxis (is that correct?) and went to the hospital.
> There, the doctor who was examining her asked 'estás embarazada?' and she thought he meant to ask if she felt unconfortable with having him examine her...


In English it's spelled "coccus" but it's commonly known as the "tail bone." (I learned that in an anatomy and physiology class by the way for those who are wondering where I learned that).



			
				lampiao said:
			
		

> Sure. However the most commonly used term to say close is 'fechar', there are other situations where 'cerrar' may be used.
> In this situation it isn't a synonym of 'fechar': You could say 'fogo cerrado' and it means 'heavy fire' (as in war/battle)
> 
> There are other situations where you can use that term. I just can't think of another example right now...


Thanks for the explanation Ricardo.


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## Outsider

Chriszinho85 said:
			
		

> In English it's spelled "coccus"  but it's commonly known as the "tail bone."


Coccyx, "cóccix" in Portuguese.


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## Chriszinho85

Outsider said:
			
		

> Coccyx, "cóccix" in Portuguese.


Thanks Outsider for the correction.  I didn't even check the spelling before I posted my reply...something that I should have done. 

Chris


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## reka39

Oi! Este é uma pergunta para os usuários brasileiros.
No dicionario "aulete" escrevem que "embaraçada" é um nome. Usa-se também como adjectivo? Obrigado.


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## machadinho

Reka, embaraçada não se usa mais, creio eu, para mulher grávida. Nem adjetivo nem substantivo. Soa espanhol hoje em dia. O verbete do "Aulete" que você consultou pertence, na verdade, à quarta edição original, em livro, do dicionário Caldas Aulete -- um dicionário excelente mas um tanto defasado. Esse verbete antigo não aparece mais no Aulete Digital, que, apesar do nome semelhante, é um dicionário diferente, novo, aberto, em constante atualização. Repare também que nem o Houaiss nem o Aurélio, que são livros, dão esse sentido mais ao termo. O Aurélio nem sequer o menciona.


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