Social
Uai
wye
The mineiro interjection — surprise, emphasis, mild disagreement, or simply punctuation. Untranslatable and unavoidable.
Trem
trayng
Literally 'train', but in Minas it means thing, stuff, business, anything at all. 'Que trem bom' — how good that is.
Greetings
Cê tá bão?
seh ta BOWNG
'Are you well?' — the mineiro contraction of 'você está bom'. Minas swallows syllables more than anywhere in Brazil.
Daily life
CPF
seh-peh-EFF-ee
Brazil's taxpayer number and, since 2023, its single national ID number. Obtainable from abroad and required for everything.
CRNM
seh-heh-en-EM-ee
The foreign resident card issued by the Federal Police after registration. Your proof of legal residence.
Pix
peeks
Free instant transfer between Brazilian accounts, used for rent, the market and the boteco tab alike.
Contorno
kon-TOR-noo
Avenida do Contorno — the ring that marks the boundary of the original 1897 planned city. Inside it, the streets are a diagonal lattice.
Cartão SUS
kar-TOWNG soos
Your public health card, free at any health centre with a CPF and proof of address, whatever your immigration status.
Food
Boteco / buteco
boo-TEH-koo
The corner bar. BH claims more of them per head than any Brazilian city and runs an annual competition to prove it.
Pão de queijo
powng dzhee KAY-zhoo
Cheese bread made with cassava starch, from Minas, eaten at every hour. The version here is not the version you had elsewhere.
Emergency
190 / 192 / 193
Police / ambulance / fire
Brazil's emergency numbers, free from any phone anywhere in the country.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.