Fazer Vista Grossa: What This Portuguese Expression Means
Fazer vista grossa means to knowingly ignore a rule or problem. Use it when the person noticed but chose not to act.
Real Life Portuguese · 4 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Fazer vista grossa means to turn a blind eye or deliberately overlook something. The expression suggests that a person could see or address the issue but chooses not to. It often carries a critical tone.
Use fazer vista grossa for deliberate inaction
The pattern is fazer vista grossa para something. In many everyday situations, you can also use a instead of para. Choose the wording that feels natural in your sentence and keep the object clear.
O gerente fez vista grossa para os atrasos repetidos.
The manager turned a blind eye to the repeated lateness.
Não podemos fazer vista grossa a esse problema.
We can’t ignore that problem.
A professora percebeu o erro e decidiu conversar com a turma.
The teacher noticed the mistake and decided to talk with the class.
Distinguish ignoring something from missing it by accident
Fazer vista grossa implies awareness and a choice not to respond. Passar despercebido means something was not noticed; the person may not have seen it at all. The distinction matters when you describe responsibility.
Because the idiom can accuse someone of neglect, use it with care in a sensitive conversation. A neutral report can state what the person knew and what action was or was not taken.
O detalhe passou despercebido na primeira leitura.
The detail went unnoticed on the first read.
A equipe não deve fazer vista grossa para os sinais de alerta.
The team should not turn a blind eye to warning signs.
Não vi a mensagem até esta manhã.
I didn’t see the message until this morning.
Put it into practice
Use fazer vista grossa when someone knowingly overlooks an issue; use passar despercebido when it simply was not noticed.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “We can’t ignore that problem”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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