An informal portuguese word used both in Brazil and
Portugal, altough it is more common in Brazil.
It is derived from the
italian word "Ciao", a salute that means either "Hello" or "Goodbye". However, in Brazil and Portugal, it is rarely used as an initial greeting - instead, it is a common substitute for the word "Adeus" - "Goodbye" in Portuguese.
The word was largely spread by
italian emigrants who brought their culture, including linguistic terms, to all over the
world, especially to the South American countries - Colombia, Brazil, Uruguai, Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, etc. It is still a very common word in Brazil.
In Portugal, the word is still in usage but it'
s not as common as in Brazil. In fact, in the Portuguese
slang, the word "Tchau" has acquired a slighty different meaning from the original, since it is often used to respond with amusement or fright to a fantastic or unexpected statement, very much similar to the english expressions "Get out of here" or "You
don't say so...".
Common meaning:
- Tchau,
Diana. Vemo-nos amanhã.
- Tudo bem, João. Tchau.
- Tchau,
Diana. We'll see each other tomorrow.
- Allright, João. Tchau.
Slang meaning (used more often in Portugal, altough the common usage is still as a substitute for "Adeus"):
- Imagina que a tua namorada tinha lá aparecido de repente.
- Tchau! (Bate na madeira três vezes).
- Imagine that your
girlfriend would have suddenly shown up there.
- Tchau (Knocks wood three times).
