Portuguese · The Basics
Que sacanagem!
sah-kah-NAH-zhang · /sa.ka.ˈnɐ.ʒẽj/
That's so unfair! / What a low blow!
2/5 Bar-safe
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"Dirty trick / debauchery"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
The go-to protest when someone does you dirty — cuts in line, breaks a promise, charges you double. "Fazer uma sacanagem com alguém" is to pull a dirty move. Note the double life: "sacanagem" also means raunchy/sexual mischief, so context is everything. As a complaint it's mild and totally usable.
Heard in the wild
Cobraram taxa escondida? Que sacanagem!
They charged a hidden fee? That's so unfair!
Where it lands
Brazil (universal).
Quick answers
- What does "Que sacanagem!" mean?
- In Portuguese, "Que sacanagem!" means "That's so unfair! / What a low blow!". Literally it's "Dirty trick / debauchery". The go-to protest when someone does you dirty — cuts in line, breaks a promise, charges you double. "Fazer uma sacanagem com alguém" is to pull a dirty move. Note the double life: "sacanagem" also means raunchy/sexual mischief, so context is everything. As a complaint it's mild and totally usable.
- Is "Que sacanagem!" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
- How do you pronounce "Que sacanagem!"?
- Say it "sah-kah-NAH-zhang" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: sa.ka.ˈnɐ.ʒẽj.
Related in Portuguese
The same idea, elsewhere
Via concepts like "Unbelievable".
- French Oh la vache ! Holy cow! / Wow! / Whoa!
- German Verdammt nochmal! God damn it! / For crying out loud!
- Greek έλα ρε Come on! / No way! / You're kidding — disbelief, protest, or delight depending on tone.
- Italian Minchia! Holy shit! / Wow! / Damn!
- Japanese やばい Insane / crazy / no way — good OR bad, from context
- Korean 헐 Whoa / no way / I can't even — the all-purpose stunned noise.
- Polish masakra A disaster / unbelievable / total carnage — the all-purpose 'this is insane.'
- Russian Офигеть! Wow! / Holy cow! / No way!
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