IdiomDaily LifePortuguese

pegar o jeito

Meaning: to learn how to do something; to acquire skill or proficiency.

Literally: To grab the knack

Example: “Demorei uma semana, mas peguei o jeito de fazer pão.” — It took me a week, but I got the hang of baking bread.

English equivalent: To get the hang of something

Equivalents in other languages

Origin: Jeito is a knack, a way of doing something (the same word as in dar um jeito), and pegar o jeito is catching it: getting the feel of a task until it comes naturally. The phrase is everyday speech with no particular story behind it.

More Portuguese idioms

  • a cereja do bolo the crowning touch; something wonderful that completes something already good.
  • brincar com fogo to engage in a risky or dangerous behavior; to put oneself in harm's way.
  • nu e cru To speak with brutal, unvarnished honesty, holding nothing back.
  • nem carne nem peixe Something or someone that does not fit into any clear category and remains ambiguous or u…
  • olho da tempestade The center of a crisis or controversy; the thick of it.
  • matar cachorro a grito To be extremely poor or destitute.

Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters

Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.

Browse all tongue twisters →

Keep exploring

Explore all idioms →