Chapter 18

Socorro! Help! Handling Emergencies

IN THIS CHAPTER

Bullet Reacting to a robbery

Bullet Getting medical help

Bullet Handling legal problems

Emergências (eh-meh-zhang-see-ahs) (emergencies) can happen anywhere, and you can best manage them if you’re prepared. This chapter helps you with words and phrases to know when dealing with life’s not-so-fun unexpected adventures.

Despite what you may have read or heard, Brazil is pretty tranquilo (trahn-kwee-loh) (calm) for visitors in terms of roubos (hoh-booz) (robberies). If you use bom senso (boh-oong sen-soo) (common sense), you’ll most likely be fine. The polícia (poh-lee-see-ah) (police), especially in Rio, which attracts so many tourists, are helpful and trustworthy to foreigners, though they’re famous for mistreating the city’s poor who live in favelas (fah-veh-lahs) (shantytowns).

If you get hurt in the country, you may be glad to know that there are state-of-the-art hospitais (oh-spee-tah-eez) (hospitals) and médicos (meh-jee-kooz) (doctors) in most parts of Brazil, especially in major urban areas. But before you begin your trip, you may want to consider buying a seguro de saúde (seh-goo-roh jee sah-ooh-jee) (health insurance plan) specifically for travelers.

Finally, it’s always best to stay out of a foreign country’s sistema legal (sees-teh-mah lay-gah-ooh) (legal system) if you can because laws and processos (proh-seh-sohs) (procedures) can be so different from what you’re used to. In Brazil, there’s a lot of corrupção (koh-hoop-sah-ooh) (corruption), and the system often works devagar (deh-vah-gah) (slowly).

In this chapter, I offer advice for responding to a robbery, finding and receiving medical help, and managing a legal problem in Brazil.

Here are some basic emergency terms that are good to know:

  • Cuidado! (kwee-dah-doh!) (Watch out!)
  • Fogo! (foh-goo!) (Fire!)
  • Me ajuda! (mee ah-zhoo-dah!) (Help me!)
  • Rápido! (hah-pee-doh!) (Quick!)
  • Vamos! (vah-mooz!) (Let’s go!)

Stick ’em Up: What to Say (and Do) if You’re Robbed

The places where you’re most likely to have a bad experience in Brazil are the most touristy parts of the country — the cities of Rio (hee-ooh) and Salvador (sah-ooh-vah-doh). They can be lots of fun but also perigosas (peh-ree-goh-zahs) (dangerous). Small towns and beach towns in Brazil tend to be seguras (seh-goo-rahs) (safe).

When visiting Brazil, use the same precautions you’d use in any lugar que não conhece (loo-gah kee nah-ooh kohn-yeh-see) (place you don’t know): Avoid being out in the street late at night, don’t wear expensive jewelry or watches, and ask locals which areas you should avoid.

Tip Be extra careful during festivals like Carnaval (kah-nah-vah-ooh). Consider sticking your dinheiro (jing-yay-roh) (money) in your sapatos (sah-pah-tohz) (shoes). Also consider buying a money belt you can wear close to your belly, under your clothes. The good news is that you don’t need much dinheiro to enjoy yourself during the festivities.

Pegar táxi (peh-gah talk-see) (taking taxis) is fine; Brazilian taxicab drivers don’t rob the passengers like drivers do in some other countries.

Brazil is actually much less seguro for locals, especially os ricos (oohz hee-kooz) (the rich ones) with nice carros (kah-hooz) (cars). These people are often preocupadas (preh-oh-koo-pah-dahs) (worried) about sequestros (seh-kwehs-trooz) (kidnappings), in which the sequestradores (seh-kweh-strah-doh-reez) (kidnappers) demand dinheiro from the família (fah-mee-lee-ah) (family) of the vítima (vee-chee-mah) (victim).

A more recent problema (proh-bleh-mah) (problem) is sequestros relâmpagos (seh-kweh-stros heh-lahm-pah-gohz) (lightning-speed kidnappings). In this situation, the criminosos (kree-mee-noh-zoos) (criminals) usually kidnap a driver in their car, take the victim to an ATM, and ask that person to withdraw a wad of cash. Then the criminal typically leaves. At most, the person is held captive overnight.

Cultural wisdom Having a car in Brazil makes you more likely to be a robbery target. People sometimes rob drivers at stoplights, which is why a lot of drivers go through red lights late at night.

Don’t panic!

So what should you do if you’re being robbed? The local refrain is Não reaja (nah-ooh hee-ah-zhah) (Don’t react). Don’t shout, don’t try to get away, and don’t punch the ladrão (lah-drah-ooh) (robber/pickpocket).

Just hand over your carteira (kah-tay-rah) (wallet), relógio (heh-loh-zhee-ooh) (watch), or bolsa (boh-ooh-sah) (purse) — whatever the assailant wants. Your stuff is less important than your safety.

It’s a good rule of thumb to never carry your pasaporte (pah-sah-poh-chee) (passport) around with you, unless you have no choice. Also, leave at least one cartão de crédito (kah-tah-ooh jee kreh-jee-toh) (credit card) at home, which you can use in case you get robbed or lose your wallet or purse. And the smartest travelers hide dinheiro and cards in a safe pocket in clothes or a bag. Some people even use fake wallets, which they leave in a more obvious place, like a back pocket!

Saying nothing during a robbery is generally best, but here are some classic phrases you may want to know:

  • Não tenho dinheiro. (nah-ooh tang-yoh jeen-yay-roh.) (I don’t have any money.)
  • Não tenho nada. (nah-ooh tang-yoh nah-dah.) (I don’t have anything.)
  • Socorro! (soh-koh-hoo!) (Help!)
  • Me ajuda! (mee ah-zhoo-dah!) (Help me!)
  • É ladrão! (eh lah-drah-ooh!) (He’s a robber/pickpocket!)

It’s also helpful to know these calls for help in case you hear them from a Brazilian visitor who may need assistance in your hometown.

Remember You want to avoid having any problems in Brazil, so be sure to take the same safety precautions you take at home and ask locals whether a certain area is safe:

  • Essa região é segura? (eh-sah heh-zhee-ah-ooh eh seh-goo-rah?) (Is this area safe?)
  • Quais os bairros que são perigosos? (kwah-eez oohz bah-ee-hooz kee sah-ooh peh-ree-goh-zooz?) (Which neighborhoods are dangerous?)

Asking for and receiving help

Say you’ve just been robbed. You had only a little money on you, and the robber didn’t get anything else. You now need to get back home or to your hotel. In this situation, or any other time you need help for something that’s not a major emergency, you can use these phrases when asking a Brazilian to help you:

  • Por favor, poderia me ajudar? (poh fah-voh, poh-deh-ree-ah mee ah-zhoo-dah?) (Excuse me, can you help me?)
  • Eu preciso de ajuda, por favor. (eh-ooh preh-see-zoo jee ah-zhoo-dah, poh fah-voh.) (I need help, please.)

If a Brazilian offers you ajuda (ah-zhoo-dah) (help), consider using one of these responses:

  • Obrigado/a, sim, eu preciso de ajuda. (oh-bree-gah-doh/dah, sing, eh-ooh preh-see-zoo jee ah-zhoo-dah.) (Thanks, yes, I need help.)
  • Estou bem, obrigado/a. (eh-stoh bang, oh-bree-gah-doh/dah.) (I’m fine, thanks.)
  • Não preciso de ajuda, obrigado/a. (nah-ooh preh-see-zoo jee ah-zhoo-dah, oh-bree-gah-doo/dah.) (I don’t need any help, thanks.)
  • Eu prefiro ficar sozinho/a. (eh-ooh preh-fee-roo fee-kah soh-zeen-yoh/yah.) (I prefer to be alone.)

Reporting a problem to the police

Most Brazilians say they fear a polícia (ah poh-lee-see-ah) (the police) more than they trust them, but police officers in Brazil are generally fine with tourists, and they’re good for filing insurance forms if you get robbed, especially in Rio, a city that relies economically on tourism.

Here’s what you can tell the Brazilian polícia if you want to report a robbery:

  • Fui roubado/a. (fwee hoh-bah-doh/dah.) (I’ve been robbed.)
  • Eu preciso fazer um boletim de ocorrência. (eh-ooh preh-see-zoo fah-zeh oong boh-leh-ching jee oh-koo-hen-see-ah.) (I need to report a robbery.)
  • É para a minha companhia de seguros. (eh pah-rah ah ming-yah kom-pahn-yee-ah jee seh-goo-rohz.) (It’s for my insurance company.)

The polícia may ask you some of the following questions:

  • Quando aconteceu? (kwahn-doh ah-kohn-teh-seh-ooh?) (When did it happen?)
  • Onde aconteceu? (ohn-jee ah-kohn-teh-seh-ooh?) (Where did it happen?)
  • O que que foi roubado? (ooh kee kee foh-ee hoh-bah-doh?) (What was stolen?)
  • Você viu o assaltante? (voh-seh vee-ooh ooh ah-sah-ooh-tahn-chee?) (Did you see the assailant?)
  • Ele usou uma arma? (eh-lee ooh-zoh ooh-mah ah-mah?) (Did he use a weapon?)

And here are some example answers to these questions:

  • Aconteceu no centro, perto dos arcos da Lapa, às 9 da noite, mais ou menos. (ah-kohn-teh-seh-ooh noo sen-troh, peh-too dooz ah-koos dah lah-pah, ahz noh-vee dah noh-ee-chee, mah-eez ooh meh-nooz.) (It happened in the city center, near the Lapa Arches, at 9 o’clock at night, more or less.)
  • O ladrão levou a minha carteira. (ooh lah-drah-ooh leh-voh ah meen-yah kahr-tay-rah.) (The thief took my wallet).
  • Ele usou uma faca. (eh-lee ooh-zoh ooh-mah fah-kah.) (He used a knife.)

The polícia will probably ask you the regular questions, like Qual é seu nome? (kwah-ooh eh seh-ooh noh-mee?) (What’s your name?) and Você é de que país? (voh-seh eh jee kee pah-eez?) (What country are you from?). (See Chapter 3 for help with answering these questions.)

Handling Health Emergencies

In this section, I give you tips on what to do if you’re injured or become ill in Brazil. Seeking medical treatment in another country can be scary, and it’s never fun. Whether you scrape yourself badly at the beach, injure yourself while hiking, or come down with strange symptoms you need help interpreting, knowing a few phrases that can help you communicate is bound to calm you down a bit.

Heading off illnesses with vaccines

Possibly the best way to avoid a health issue while traveling is to think about your saúde (sah-ooh-jee) (health) before you begin your trip. You need certain vaccinations before you’re even allowed to enter the country, and other vaccinations are highly recommended. I remember getting a ten-year shot for Hepatitis A as well as a shot for febre amarela (feh-bree ah-mah-reh-lah) (yellow fever).

If you’ve been in countries with a febre amarela alert within three months of your entry into Brazil, the Brazilian government will not let you in the country without a yellow fever proof-of-vaccination card. When planning your vaccination in terms of your travel dates, keep in mind that a febre amarela vaccination takes ten days to become effective.

You also may want to consider what part of the country you’ll be visiting. If you’re planning to spend time in the Amazon, ask a doctor whether you should take preventative medicine for malária (mah-lah-ree-ah) (malaria).

Tip For information about recommended vaccinations, you have a variety of options:

  • In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/) has good information, particularly about malaria.
  • Contact your national health agency or a Brazilian consulate.

If you’re still concerned about getting sick in Brazil after getting the proper vaccinations, you can buy travel health insurance; rates are often more reasonable than you might expect. Also be sure to talk with your doctor or get travel tips from a local health clinic before you take off for Brazil. Most doctors’ offices and hospitals have pamphlets and information sheets on disease prevention for international travelers.

Watching out for tropical illnesses

The most common tropical illness among locals and tourists in Brazil is one you may have never heard of — dengue (dehn-gee) (dengue fever). City subways in Brazil have ads to warn the public about dengue fever. Risk usually comes with stagnant water — a breeding ground for mosquitos (moh-skee-tohz) (mosquitos) that carry the sickness. Having dengue usually just means you have a stomachache and what feels like a gripe (ah gree-pee) (the flu) for a few days.

Remember Dengue also has a much more serious variant called hemorrhagic dengue, which can be mortal (mohr-tah-ooh) (fatal) if untreated. If your flu-like sintomas (seen-toh-mahs) (symptoms) worsen and you begin to suffer from vômitos intensos (voh-mee-tohs een-ten-sohs) (intense vomiting), perda de conciência (peh-dah jee kohn-see-en-see-ah) (loss of consciousness/fainting), or boca seca (boh-kah seh-kah) (dry mouth), get medical help right away. Dengue is caused by one of four viruses, and your chances of getting hemorrhagic dengue increase if you’ve had a different strain of dengue before.

One way to reduce your risk of contracting dengue is to always wear repelente (heh-peh-len-chee) (insect repellent) while you’re in Brazil. Mosquitos are thick in the Amazon, but the worst bites I ever got were in São Paulo (sah-ooh pah-ooh-loh)! The climate in most of Brazil is humid at some point in the year, and mosquitoes love it. If you do end up in the Amazon, it’s worth knowing that there are two major rivers that flow through the region, the Rio Negro (hee-ooh neh-groh) and the Rio Amazonas (hee-ooh ah-mah-soh-nus). The Rio Negro is mosquito-free, due to the unique acidity of the river’s water. You can find hotels that advertise that they are mosquito-free along the Rio Negro!

Becoming ill from contaminated water is also a problem in Brazil. Avoid drinking água da torneira (ah-gwah dah tohr-nay-rah) (tap water) during your visit; even Brazilians don’t drink tap water, nor do they drink anything with gelo (zheh-loh) (ice), since the gelo was likely made using tap water. Also stay away from verduras cruas (veh-doo-rahs kroos) (raw vegetables) and frutas não descascadas (froo-tahs nah-ooh des-kahs-skah-dahs) (unpeeled fruit) and avoid consuming room-temperature sauces to reduce your chances of suffering from diarréia (jee-ah-hay-ah) (diarrhea) when visiting Brazil. Boiled, baked, or peeled foods are the safest.

Tip Taking a small dose of bismuth subsalicylate (like Pepto-Bismol) every day — provided your trip is less than ten days — can also help to prevent diarréia. Talk to your doctor about this and other preventative measures that can make your travel as pleasant as possible.

Expressing pandemic-related needs

As long as COVID-19 is still a global pandemic, you'll probably want to learn some specialized words to take care of your health while visiting Brazil. Luckily, many Covid-related words in Portuguese look almost identical to English. Can you find some below? (I know you’re not really a dummy, but you might appreciate easy answers: Covid, test, PCR, positive/negative, vaccine, facial are all words that look the same or almost the same in Portuguese.)

Here are some useful phrases to talk about Covid:

  • Onde posso comprar um teste rápido para Covid? (ohn-jee poh-soo kom-prah oong tes-chee hah-pee-doh pah-rah koh-vee-jee?) (Where can I buy a rapid Covid test?)
  • Onde posso fazer um teste PCR para Covid? (ohn-jee poh-soo fah-zeh oong tes-chee peh-seh-eh-hee pah-rah koh-vee-jee) (Where can I get a Covid PCR test done?)
  • Eu preciso fazer teste para Covid. (eh-ooh preh-see-zoo fah-zeh tes-chee pah-rah koh-vee-jee.) (I need to get tested for Covid.)
  • Onde posso comprar máscara facial para Covid? (ohn-jee poh-soo kom-prah mah-skah-rah fah-see-ah-ooh pah-rah koh-vee-jee?) (Where can I buy a facemask for Covid?)
  • Vocês têm desinfetante para as mãos? (voh-say-eez tang des-een-feh-tahn-chee pah-rah ahz mah-ooz?) (Do you have hand sanitizer?)
  • Eu estou vacinado/a para Covid. (eh-ooh eh-stoh vah-see-nah-doh/dah pah-rah koh-vee-jee.) (I’m vaccinated for Covid.)
  • Você está vacinado/a para Covid? (voh-seh es-tah vah-see-nah-doh/dah pah-rah koh-vee-jee?) (Are you vaccinated for Covid?)
  • Eu não estou vacinado/a para Covid. (eh-ooh nah-ooh eh-stoh vah-see-nah-doh/dah pah-rah koh-vee-jee.) (I’m not vaccinated for Covid.)
  • Onde posso tomar uma vacina para Covid? (ohn-jee poh-soo toh-mah ooh-mah vah-see-nah pah-rah koh-vee-jee?) (Where can I get a Covid vaccine?)

And here are some useful Covid terms:

  • positivo (poh-zee-chee-voo) (positive)
  • negativo (neh-gah-chee-voo) (negative)
  • dose de reforço (doh-zee jee heh-foh-soo) (booster shot)
  • antígeno (ahn-chee-zhen-oh) (antigen)
  • gratuita (grah-too-ee-tah) (free — as in no cost)
  • duas doses (doo-ahs doh-zeez) (two doses)
  • marcar uma consulta (mahr-kah ooh-mah kohn-sool-tah) (make an appointment with a doctor)

Dealing with your normal illnesses

In addition to tropical diseases and Covid, you can develop the run-of-the-mill sicknesses that plague you anywhere, like a resfriado (hes-free-ah-doo) (cold), dor (doh) (pain), or even a ressaca (heh-sah-kah) (hangover)! Brazil has plenty of farmácias (fah-mah-see-ahz) (drugstores) around, so getting the remédio (heh-meh-jee-ooh) (medicine) you need isn’t hard.

Here are some helpful phrases to use, including how to describe common bodily sintomas (seen-toh-mahs) (symptoms), whether you’re at the médico (meh-jee-koo) (doctor) or the farmácia:

  • Estou com dor de cabeça. (eh-stoh koh-oong doh jee kah-beh-sah.) (I have a headache.)
  • Estou congestionado/a. (eh-stoh kohn-zhes-chee-ooh-nah-doo/dah) (I’m congested.)
  • Estou com muita dor. (eh-stoh koh-oong moh-ee-tah doh.) (I’m in a lot of pain.)
  • Tenho dores no corpo. (tang-yoh doh-reez noh koh-poo.) (I have body aches.)
  • Tenho tosse. (tang-yoh toh-see.) (I have a cough.)
  • Sou diabético. (soh jee-ah-beh-chee-koh.) (I’m diabetic.)
  • Tenho alergias. (tang-yoh ah-lehr-zhee-ahs.) (I have allergies.)
  • Tenho asma. (tang-yoh ahz-mah.) (I have asthma.)
  • Tem band-aids? (tang bahn-day-ee-jeez?) (Do you have Band-Aids?)
  • Tem aspirina? (tang ah-spee-ree-nah?) (Do you have aspirin?)
  • Tem algo para diarréia? (tang ah-ooh-goh pah-rah ah jee-ah-hay-ah?) (Do you have something for diarrhea?)

Here are some questions the pharmacist or doctor may ask you:

  • Dói? (doh-ee?) (Does it hurt?)
  • Onde dói? (ohn-jee doh-ee?) (Where does it hurt?)
  • Tem febre? (tang feh-bree?) (Do you have a fever?)
  • Tem náuseas? (tang nah-ooh-zee-ahz?) (Are you nauseous?)
  • É alérgico? (eh ah-leh-zhee-koh?) (Are you allergic?)
  • Tem pressão alta? (tang preh-sah-ooh ah-ooh-tah?) (Do you have high blood pressure?)
  • Já foi operado? (zhah foh-ee oh-peh-rah-doh?) (Have you ever had surgery?)
  • Abra a boca, por favor. (ah-brah ah boh-kah, poh fah-voh.) (Open your mouth, please.)
  • Tome esses comprimidos. (toh-mee eh-seez kohm-pree-mee-dooz.) (Take these pills.)

Handling injuries

Dealing with the misfortune of breaking a bone or suffering a medical emergency in Brazil works much like it probably does in your home country. You can take a taxi to a local emergência (eh-meh-zhang-see-ah) (emergency room), or you can call a three-digit number and request that an ambulância (ahm-boo-lahn-see-ah) (ambulance) be sent to pick you up. The emergency number in Brazil is 190.

Brazil’s large cities have some very good hospitais (oh-spee-tah-eez) (hospitals). You can get the same good care there that you’d get in the best hospitais in the world. The emergência can no doubt be a little scary in small towns, especially the rural ones, but rest assured: You’ll get the basic medical care you need.

Cultural wisdom If you’re concerned about the risk of contracting AIDS, keep in mind that Brazilian medical pesquisas (pes-kee-zahs) (research) and a política (ah poh-lee-chee-kah) (politics) regarding AIDS medicine is world-famous — in a good way. The AIDS rate in Brazil is much lower than in other developing countries, thanks to effective local campaigns to encourage the use of condoms. Also, local cientistas (see-en-chees-tahs) (scientists) figured out how to make patented AIDS-related drugs and began offering them despite protests from multinational empresas farmacêuticas (em-preh-zahs fahr-mah-seh-ooh-chee-kahs) (pharmaceutical companies).

Talking about your health problem

Whether you have a stomach virus or a broken leg, knowing what certain parts of the body are called in Portuguese is useful so you can more easily communicate with doctors in Brazil. I start with a cabeça (ah kah-beh-sah) (the head) and work my way down o corpo (ooh koh-poo) (the body):

  • cabelo (kah-beh-loo) (hair)
  • sobrancelha (soh-bran-sel-yah) (eyebrow)
  • olho (ohl-yoh) (eye)
  • nariz (nah-reez) (nose)
  • boca (boh-kah) (mouth)
  • língua (ling-gwah) (tongue)
  • dente (dang-chee) (tooth)
  • orelha (oh-rel-yah) (ear)
  • rosto (hoh-stoo) (face)
  • pescoço (peh-skoh-soo) (neck)
  • ombro (ohm-broh) (shoulder)
  • costas (koh-stahz) (back)
  • peito (pay-too) (chest)
  • braço (brah-soo) (arm)
  • pulso (pool-soh) (wrist)
  • dedo (deh-doo) (finger)
  • polegar (poh-leh-gah) (thumb)
  • mão (mah-ooh) (hand)
  • barriga (bah-hee-gah) (belly)
  • quadril (kwah-dreel) (hip)
  • nádega (nah-deh-gah) (bottom/cheek)
  • perna (peh-nah) (leg)
  • coxa (koh-shah) (thigh)
  • joelho (zhoh-el-yoh) (knee)
  • batata da perna (bah-tah-tah dah peh-nah) (calf - Literally, “leg potato,” because the calf muscle looks a bit like the shape of a batata, or “potato”!)
  • tornozelo (toh-noh-zeh-loo) (ankle)
  • pé (peh) (foot)
  • dedo do pé (deh-doo doo peh) (toe)

And here are the Portuguese words for some internal organs:

  • coração (koh-rah-sah-ooh) (heart)
  • fígado (fee-gah-doo) (liver)
  • intestinos (een-tehs-chee-nooz) (intestines)
  • pulmões (pool-moh-eez) (lungs)
  • sangue (sahn-gee) (blood)
  • estômago (es-toh-mah-goh) (stomach)

Cultural wisdom Brazil is supposedly the number-two country in the world, after the United States, for cirurgia plástica (see-rooh-zhee-ah plahs-chee-kah) (plastic surgery). And Brazil’s cirurgiões (see-rooh-zhoh-eez) (surgeons) are among the world’s best. Because the cost per operation is comparatively low, some people say there’s a significant plastic surgery tourism trade in Brazil.

Discussing Legal Problems

Most types of atividades ilegais (ah-chee-vee-dah-jeez ee-lay-gah-eez) (illegal activities) in Brazil are also illegal in other Western countries. But the enforcement and consequences of breaking a lei (ah lay) (the law) can differ. For instance, in Brazil, possession of marijuana is treated much more seriously than it is in much of the West. Cultural norms are at play, too. For example, it’s more normal for lawbreakers to pay off a police officer or customs agent in Brazil than in North America or Western Europe.

Remember It’s best to leave any borderline illegal activities — even speeding in your rental car — for when you’re at home, where you understand the language perfectly and have familiar recursos legais (heh-koo-sohz leh-gah-eez) (legal resources) at hand.

Misunderstandings with the police can occur. If a situation is at all séria (seh-ree-ah) (serious), the first thing to do is contact the nearest consulate for your country. You may also need to contact an advogado (ahj-voh-gah-doo) (lawyer). In that case, be sure to ask for one who speaks English:

  • Tem um advogado que fala inglês? (tang oong ahj-voh-gah-doh kee fah-lah een-glehz?) (Is there a lawyer who speaks English?)
  • Aqui tem um consulado americano? (ah-kee tang oong kohn-soo-lah-doh ah-meh-ree-kah-noh?) (Is there an American consulate here?) Note: If you need to ask for another consulate, see Chapter 6 for a list of nationalities.

Hopefully, you won’t ever have to say or hear these phrases:

  • Quero fazer uma queixa. (keh-roo fah-zeh ooh-mah kay-shah.) (I want to register a complaint.)
  • Vamos ter que dar uma multa. (vah-mohz teh kee dah ooh-mah mool-tah.) (We’re going to have to give you a ticket.)
  • Vamos te levar para a delegacia de polícia. (vah-mohz chee leh-vah pah-rah ah deh-leh-gah-see-ah jee poh-lee-see-ah.) (We’re going to take you to the police station.)

Tip You want to evitar (eh-vee-tah) (avoid) a visit to a cadeia (ah kah-day-ah) (jail) at all costs — jails in Brazil are notoriously overcrowded, scary places.