Saudade: what it means and how to use it
It's often called the most untranslatable word in Portuguese. It isn't impossible to explain, but it is very Portuguese.
What it means
Saudade is the feeling of missing someone or something you love: a person, a place, a time of your life. It mixes affection and a little sadness, and sometimes the hope of seeing them again. English uses “to miss” or “longing”; neither carries the whole feeling, which is why the word is so famous.
How people use it
In everyday Portugal it's very common in the plural, saudades:
Tenho saudades tuas.
I miss you.
Que saudades!
I've missed this so much! / How I miss it!
Tenho saudades do mar.
I miss the sea.
Vamos matar saudades!
Let's get together, it's been too long!
Saudade and fado
Saudade is a central theme of fado, the song of Lisbon and Coimbra, listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011.
Try thisUse saudades de + what you miss: saudades de casa, saudades dos amigos. It's warm, not dramatic: people say it all the time.
Quick check
How do you say “I miss you” to a friend in Portugal?
Talk about words like this
In the Tertúlia (B2–C1), small groups talk about language, Portugal and big questions, on themes you vote for.
See the Tertúlia →