Greetings
Bom dia / Tudo bem?
bong DZHEE-ah / TOO-doo BAYNG
Curitibanos greet more formally than cariocas and use bom dia well past midday. Reciprocating is noticed.
Daily life
CPF
seh-peh-EFF-ee
Brazil's taxpayer number and, since 2023, its single national ID number. Obtainable from abroad, required for everything.
CRNM
seh-heh-en-EM-ee
The foreign resident card issued by the Federal Police after you register. Your proof of legal residence in Brazil.
Pix
peeks
Free instant transfer between Brazilian accounts, used for rent, the market stall and the plumber alike.
Tubo
TOO-boo
The glass tube station where you pay before boarding and step on at platform level. Curitiba invented this in 1991 and the world copied it.
Ligeirinho / Ligeirão
lee-zhay-REE-nyoo
The express and bi-articulated BRT services running the structural axes. The Ligeirão carries more people than some metro lines.
Eixo estrutural
AY-shoo es-troo-too-RAHL
One of the five transport spines the city was planned around. Living on an eixo means the BRT is at your door and the tower blocks are legal there.
Social
Piá
pee-AH
A kid, a boy. A Paraná word you will not hear in Rio, borrowed from the region's indigenous and southern speech.
Culture
Garoa
gah-ROH-ah
The fine persistent drizzle that defines a Curitiba winter. Not rain, not fog, and it lasts for days.
Food
Pinhão
peen-YOWNG
The seed of the araucaria pine, boiled and eaten through the cold months. The tree is Paraná's emblem and the season is a genuine local ritual.
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Some of this may be out of date.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.