If you’ve ever tried wrapping your tongue around a tricky Portuguese phrase and ended up with your tongue in knots, you’re not alone. That delightful linguistic chaos you just experienced has a name: trava-línguas.
Literally meaning “tongue-stoppers” in European Portuguese, trava-línguas are short phrases or sentences designed to be difficult to pronounce, especially when repeated quickly. Much like their English counterparts, these playful expressions are meant to test your diction, rhythm, and patience. But more than that, they are a fun and endearing part of language learning that connects you with the musicality and humor of Portuguese.
We’ve gathered twelve of our absolute favorite trava-línguas that will have your mouth super confused, but your Portuguese skills will be all the better for it. Just laugh, stumble, and try again.
1. O rato roeu a rolha da garrafa do rei da Rússia
English – The rat chewed the cork of the King of Russia’s bottle
This classic trava-línguas is as regal as it is ridiculous. The repetition of the rolled r makes it especially challenging for learners, and even native speakers may trip over it if they go too fast. We are still trying to say it properly.
Why we love it – It’s got everything – rodents, royalty, Russia, and rolled Rs. What’s not to love?
Try it fast
O rato roeu a rolha da garrafa do rei da Rússia.
Repeat three times without laughing. We dare you.
2. Três pratos de trigo para três tigres tristes
English: Three plates of wheat for three sad tigers
Tigers are apparently quite melancholy in Portuguese tongue-twisters, but that doesn’t make this any easier to say. The “tr” sound and the repetition of três/trigo/tigres/tristes create a rhythm that’s easy to mess up.
Pro tip – Start slowly and increase speed only once you’ve nailed the consonant transitions.
Bonus challenge – Try saying it backwards. No? We thought not.
3. Caixa de graxa grossa de graça
English – Free box of thick grease
Here’s a short one that packs a punch. The repeated gr sounds are tricky to pronounce cleanly in a row. Grease has never sounded so glamorous – or so difficult.
Why we love it – It sounds like a tongue twister designed by a mechanic with a sense of humor.
Say it like a pro
Caixa de graxa grossa de graça, caixa de graxa grossa de graça…
4. Quem a paca cara compra, paca cara pagará
English – Whoever buys the expensive paca, will pay dearly for the paca
The paca is a large rodent found in South America, and while it’s not native to Portugal, this phrase is well-known among Portuguese speakers. The repeated pa/ca syllables are a playful nightmare for learners.
What makes it hard – Those short, sharp syllables sound nearly identical when spoken quickly. Think of it as the Portuguese version of “she sells seashells.”
5. O sabiá não sabia que o sábio sabia que o sabiá não sabia assobiar
English – The thrush didn’t know that the wise man knew that the thrush didn’t know how to whistle
This tongue twister is a philosophical rollercoaster. It plays with sabiá (a type of songbird), sabia (knew), sábio (wise), and assobiar (to whistle). It’s an existential crisis of a bird who doesn’t know it can’t whistle.
Why we love it – It’s as much a tongue twister as a logic puzzle—and it gives your s sounds a serious workout.
6. O doce perguntou pro doce qual doce era mais doce. O doce respondeu pro doce que o doce mais doce era o doce da batata-doce
English – The sweet asked the sweet which sweet was the sweetest. The sweet responded to the sweet that the sweetest sweet was the sweet-potato sweet
This saccharine sentence is as confusing as it is cute. The repetition of doce in different grammatical roles—noun, adjective, subject—turns this into a delightful mix of sugar and syntax. It’s a great way to practice the “s” and “ç” sounds while teasing apart sentence structure.
Why we love it – It sounds like a candy-coated philosophical debate. Plus, how can you not smile while saying “doce da batata-doce”?
7. O pinto pia, a pipa pinga. Pinga a pipa e o pinto pia. Quanto mais o pinto pia mais a pipa pinga
English – The chick chirps, the keg drips. The keg drips and the chick chirps. The more the chick chirps, the more the keg drips.
This one is musical, chaotic, and hilarious. Try saying it while tapping a rhythm and you’ll feel like you’re performing a tongue-twisting samba.
What’s the trick – The interplay between p and pi sounds, plus the shifting word order, make it harder with each repetition.
8. Casa suja, chão sujo
English – Dirty house, dirty floor
Short, sweet, and not-so-simple. It’s a classic beginner’s trava-línguas and often taught to children, but don’t let its length fool you—it’s surprisingly easy to mess up.
Why it matters – It teaches the subtle distinctions between “s” and “ch” sounds—important in Portuguese pronunciation.
Say it five times in a row – Casa suja, chão sujo… and try not to accidentally clean the house.
9. A aranha arranha a rã. A rã arranha a aranha. Nem a aranha arranha a rã, nem a rã arranha a aranha
English – The spider scratches the frog. The frog scratches the spider. Neither the spider scratches the frog, nor the frog scratches the spider
Welcome to a tongue-twister where amphibians and arachnids get caught up in a vicious cycle. The repeated rr and nasal sounds make this a tough one to pronounce clearly.
Visualize it – Picture a frog and a spider having a scratch-off… then say the whole thing with a straight face.
10. Um limão, mil limões, um milhão de limões
English – One lemon, a thousand lemons, one million lemons
Try this before breakfast. Your mouth will be puckered before you even pick up a lemon. The transition from um to mil to milhão and repeating limões is harder than it sounds.
Why it works – The rhythm builds naturally, but the numbers mess with your flow. Plus, it’s fun to say “um milhão de limões” out loud.
11. O tempo perguntou ao tempo quanto tempo o tempo tem. O tempo respondeu ao tempo que o tempo tem tanto tempo que tempo tem
English – Time asked time how much time time has. Time replied to time that time has so much time that time has
This one is poetry disguised as a mind-bender. It takes the concept of time and repeats it until your brain and tongue both short-circuit.
What we love – It’s a riddle that plays with repetition, meaning, and the slipperiness of abstract ideas.
12. Percebeste? Se não percebeste faz que percebeste para que eu perceba que tu percebeste. Percebeste?
English: Got it? If you didn’t get it, pretend you got it, so that I get that you got it. Got it?
This mind-bending phrase puts your verb comprehension – and your ability to fake understanding – to the test. With five conjugations of perceber flying around, it’s both a tongue twister and a social survival tactic.
Why it’s brilliant: It mimics real-life conversations when we all just nod along pretending we understood. Bonus points if you can say it without laughing – or pausing to question whether you really did perceive it all.
Why Practice Trava-Línguas?
Besides being a fun linguistic workout, tongue twisters help improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and fluency in a new language. They build muscle memory in your mouth, improve your ear for native sounds, and even give you a feel for the playfulness that’s part of everyday Portuguese culture. And, let’s be honest, they’re also great icebreakers.
Trava-línguas are often used with children, actors, singers, and language learners of all levels. They’re like tiny works of wordplay art passed down through generations.
Final Thoughts
Learning Portuguese isn’t only about mastering grammar or vocabulary. It’s also about enjoying the rhythm, the quirks, and the pure fun of the language.
So the next time you find yourself in a conversation with native speakers, pull out one of these delightful phrases. Whether you impress them with your pronunciation or make them laugh with your valiant attempt, you’ll be connecting in the most human, joyful way possible – through shared language and laughter.
Ready for the challenge? Now go on—pick your favorite, and trava essa língua!
Which trava-língua is your favorite?
