We've put together a list with some of the most popular, colorful and fun idioms related to colors. You will be surprised how many expressions in Portuguese can be directly translated into English!

1. 13 Colorful
Idioms
in
Portuguese

2. Idioms are an important part of a language, and in Portuguese
they are abundant and very present in everyday life situations.
There are popular and fun idiomatic expressions with
animals, body parts, food, weather, and many more!
This time we've put together a list with some of the most
popular, colorful and .
You will be surprised how many expressions in Portuguese
can be directly translated into English!

3. Roxo/vermelho de raiva – Directly translated from English,this
expression means: purple with rage.In Portuguese it’s also common to
say: vermelho de raiva (red with rage)

4. Roxo de frio – You probably know what it means to be blue with cold, but
what about purple with cold? That’s how they say it in Brazil.The adjective
purple is often used in Portuguese to describe a deep strong and intense
feeling,or deprivation of something.

5. Branco como um fantasma – When someone is very frightened at
something you say they are white as a ghost or white as a sheet.In Portuguese,
is the same! “Branco como um fantasma”

6. (Passar a) Noite em branco – If you want to describe in Portuguese a sleepless night,
you have to say “passar a noite em branco”, or “passar a noite em claro”,
which can be directly translated from the French expression:“nuit blanche” or
white night.

7. Estar no vermelho - English and Brazilian Portuguese speakers have chosen the
same color to describe when one’s bank account is overdrawn: in the red,or “está
no vermelho”.

8. Verde de inveja
When a friend goes on a
trip to travel the world you
might get green with
envy. But if he is going to
Brazil, it would be more
appropriate for you to say
you are“verde de inveja”.
Ex:Estou verde de inveja!

9. Sangue Azul – When someone is descendent from a noble or socially prominent
family we say he/she has blue blood. This idiom is actually a literal translation of the
Spanish 'sangre azul', (or “sangue azul” in Portuguese) attributed to some of the
oldest and proudest families of Castile/Castilla.

10. Azul/roxo de fome – Another popular expression with the color blue.When
Brazilians are starving they say they are blue with hunger,or “azul de fome”.
Alternatively they can say: purple with hunger = roxo de fome.

11. Ovelha negra – English,Portuguese speakers and probably speakers of
other languages have this idiom in common: black sheep,or “ovelha negra”.
It’s believed that this phrase have derived from a bit of misinterpretation by the
writers of early English Bibles.

12. Sorriso amarelo – Everyone has been in a situation when you have to force out a
half-hearted smile, right? Brazilians call this type of smile“sorriso amarelo”(Yellow
smile).In Latin“amarelo”originates from the the word “amarus”which means hard,
bitter, difficult.

13. Amarelar – Who hasn’t ever become too scared to do something and chicken out
at the last minute? In Brazil they use a very different word to express that:“amarelar”,
which has possibly originated from the soccer jargon.

14. Laranja - This word has two meanings:a fruit (orange) and also a color.A "laranja"
can be a person set up to serve as a cover for questionable transactions.Straw man or
stooge are the equivalent expressions in English.

15. Carta branca - If you are given the green light, you are given approval to do
something. But take a note: when in Brazil, you should say:“carta branca”.The phrase
was originated from the French expression“carte blanche” literally blank paper.