IdiomDaily Life
Portuguese
Portuguesede vez em nunca
Meaning: very rarely; almost never.
Literally: From time to never
Example: “Nós vamos ao cinema de vez em nunca.” — We go to the movies once in a blue moon.
English equivalent: Once in a blue moon
Equivalents in other languages
Italian: Ogni morte di papa Literally: Every death of a pope
English: Once in a blue moon
Afrikaans: So skaars soos hoendertande Literally: As scarce as hen's teeth
Spanish: cada muerte de obispo Literally: Each death of bishop- Spanish: de Pascuas a Ramos Literally: From Easter to Palm Sunday
- English: as scarce as hen's teeth
Origin: A pun on de vez em quando (from time to time): replacing quando (when) with nunca (never) turns "now and then" into "hardly ever." It is a jocular colloquial phrase, and no first use is documented.
More Portuguese idioms
- arrastar pela lama to publicly humiliate or damage someone's reputation.
- há algo de podre no reino da Dinamarca something is deeply wrong or suspicious, though the truth may be hidden.
- 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.
- pegar o jeito to learn how to do something; to acquire skill or proficiency.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- A aranha arranha a rã. A rã arranha a aranha. Contrasts the soft single r of aranha against the hard rolled rr of arranha — one letter…
- O rato roeu a roupa do rei de Roma; a rainha com raiva roeu o resto. An unstoppable 'r' trill drill — every key word begins or ends with the Portuguese r.
- Um tigre, dois tigres, três tigres tristes triscam trigo num trigal. A 'tr' cluster drill that adds a sad adjective to make the alliteration worse.
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