colocar o carro à frente dos bois
Meaning: To have the wrong priorities or do things in the wrong order.
Language: Portuguese
Literally: to put the cart in front of the oxen
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The phrase draws on the practical reality of farm work: an ox-cart only functions when the oxen pull the cart, not the reverse. Putting the cart first is literally backwards and useless.
More idioms — Daily Life
- descer a lenha — To harshly criticize or scold someone severely.
- altura do campeonato — at a critical or decisive moment in an event or competition.
- pegar o jeito — to learn how to do something; to acquire skill or proficiency.
- dar-se conta — to realize or come to understand something.
- botar defeito — to criticize something excessively or find fault where none reasonably exists.
- forçar a barra — to push beyond reasonable limits; to insist or persist too aggressively.
More Portuguese idioms
- ombro a ombro — On equal terms, standing together as peers.
- do dia para a noite — Very suddenly or extremely quickly.
- vaca sagrada — Something so valued or protected that it cannot be criticized, changed, or harmed.
- morrer de rir — To laugh very hard or uproariously.
- sair ganhando — to benefit or profit from a situation; to come out ahead.
- a cereja do bolo — the crowning touch; something wonderful that completes something already good.
Loading the full interactive collection…