Greetings
E aí? / Tudo bem?
ee-AH-ee / TOO-doo BAYNG
The two standard openers. 'E aí' is the carioca one and works as hello, how are you, and what's up, all at once.
Daily life
CPF
seh-peh-EFF-ee
Your Brazilian taxpayer number — now the single national ID number for every public database. Nothing works without it.
CRNM
seh-heh-en-EM-ee
Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório — the foreign resident card issued by the Federal Police after you register.
Pix
peeks
Free instant bank transfer, used for rent, taxis, the beach vendor and the plumber. Set up your keys on day one.
Condomínio
kon-doh-MEE-nee-oo
The monthly building charge, quoted separately from rent and often a quarter of it again in Rio's old Zona Sul blocks.
Lei Seca
lay SEH-kah
'Dry law' — the roadside breathalyser blitz. Rio enforces it hard and the tolerance is effectively zero, not a legal limit.
Cartão SUS
kar-TOWNG soos
Your public health card. Free, issued at any local clinic with a CPF, and available to you regardless of immigration status.
Bilhete Único Carioca
bil-YET-chee OO-nee-koo ka-ree-OH-ka
The transport card that lets you chain two journeys within about two and a half hours for one fare.
Culture
Posto 9
POSH-too NOH-vee
The lifeguard post on Ipanema beach that functions as an address, a meeting point and a social filter. Cariocas say 'meet me at Nine'.
Social
Maneiro
mah-NAY-roo
Cool, good, nice — the most-used carioca adjective. In Rio it does the work that 'legal' does elsewhere in Brazil.
Emergency
190 / 192 / 193
Police / ambulance / fire
Brazil's emergency numbers, free from any phone. Rio also runs Disque Denúncia for anonymous reporting.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.