Brincar vs. Jogar: How to Say ‘Play’ in Brazilian Portuguese
Brincar often means play for fun or joke around; jogar is common for games and sports. Learn the patterns brincar de and jogar + game.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Brincar can mean to play, have fun, or joke around. For an activity, Brazilian Portuguese commonly uses brincar de + noun or infinitive: brincar de esconde-esconde (play hide-and-seek), brincar de cozinhar (play at cooking). The preposition de is part of the pattern.
Use brincar for playful activities and joking
Brincar can also mean joke or tease, so tone matters. A pessoa está brincando can mean the person is joking; não brinca! can express surprise like ‘you’re kidding!’
As crianças brincam no quintal.
The children play in the backyard.
A gente brincou de adivinhar a música.
We played a game of guessing the song.
Estou brincando, não fique preocupado.
I’m joking; don’t worry.
Use jogar for games and sports
Jogar is common for organized games, sports, and many video or board games: jogar futebol, jogar cartas, jogar videogame. The game often follows the verb directly, without de.
Some activities allow more than one verb depending on the focus and regional usage. The helpful default is brincar de for a playful activity and jogar + game or sport for playing it. Learn the full phrase with its noun rather than translating ‘play’ alone.
Meu irmão joga futebol aos sábados.
My brother plays soccer on Saturdays.
Vamos jogar cartas depois do jantar?
Shall we play cards after dinner?
Eles jogam videogame juntos.
They play video games together.
Put it into practice
Brincar is common for playful fun, pretend activities, and joking; brincar de introduces the activity. Jogar is common for sports and games: jogar futebol, cartas, or videogame.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I’m joking; don’t worry”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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