Encher Linguiça in Portuguese: Say Someone Is Padding a Story
Encher linguiça means to pad a talk or text with filler; it can sound critical when applied to someone’s work.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Encher linguiça literally means to fill sausage, but as an informal expression it means to pad something with unnecessary material. It is commonly used about a long explanation, presentation, or text that could be more direct.
Recognize the meaning behind the literal image
The phrase is evaluative: calling someone’s work encher linguiça can sound dismissive. Learn to recognize it, and use it carefully when you are giving feedback.
A apresentação ficou longa e encheu linguiça em alguns pontos.
The presentation ran long and padded a few sections.
Esse parágrafo está enchendo linguiça.
This paragraph is adding filler.
Describe the problem constructively
In a professional setting, explain which part can be shortened and what information the audience still needs. That gives a writer a useful action instead of only a negative label.
Try texto repetitivo (repetitive text), explicação longa (long explanation), or podemos resumir esta parte? (can we summarize this part?). These options are more neutral than the idiom.
Podemos resumir esta parte e manter os dados principais?
Can we shorten this section and keep the key data?
Esta explicação repete a ideia anterior.
This explanation repeats the previous idea.
Use it to discuss your own draft informally
A writer can say estou enchendo linguiça to admit that a draft includes padding. Because the phrase is casual, it fits better in an informal conversation than in an official review.
This Real Life adaptation builds on an I Speak Portuguese lesson about five everyday expressions. Its focus is how the idiom changes the tone of feedback.
Acho que estou enchendo linguiça nesta introdução.
I think I’m padding this introduction.
Vou cortar as repetições e deixar o texto mais claro.
I’ll remove the repetition and make the text clearer.
Put it into practice
Use encher linguiça informally for unnecessary filler, but give specific, constructive feedback in formal or sensitive situations.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I’ll remove the repetition and make the text clearer”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
This guide is an original Real Life Portuguese adaptation of an earlier article from I Speak Portuguese.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.