What Does Ficar de Olho Mean? Keep an Eye on Something
Ficar de olho means to keep an eye on or watch for someone or something; the object usually follows em.
Real Life Portuguese · 4 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Ficar de olho is an informal expression meaning to keep an eye on, watch, or monitor something. A common pattern is ficar de olho em + person or thing: fica de olho na mala (keep an eye on the suitcase). The phrase is figurative; it does not describe a literal eye movement.
Use ficar de olho when you are monitoring something
Conjugate ficar for the subject and tense: fico, fica, ficamos, ficou. The contraction em + a becomes na, and em + o becomes no.
Pode ficar de olho no forno enquanto eu atendo a porta?
Could you keep an eye on the oven while I answer the door?
Vou ficar de olho nas promoções esta semana.
I’m going to watch for sales this week.
Ela ficou de olho no horário para não perder o ônibus.
She kept an eye on the time so she wouldn’t miss the bus.
Use it for a person, an object, or an opportunity
The expression can refer to safety or attention, such as watching a child in a crowded place. It can also mean keeping track of a deadline or watching for an opportunity. Context shows whether the speaker is monitoring an item, person, or upcoming change.
For a formal report, use a more precise verb such as monitorar, acompanhar, or observar. Ficar de olho is natural in everyday speech and friendly messages.
Fica de olho nas crianças perto da piscina.
Keep an eye on the children near the pool.
Estou de olho em uma vaga naquela empresa.
I’m keeping an eye out for a position at that company.
Vamos acompanhar os resultados pelo aplicativo.
We’ll monitor the results in the app.
Put it into practice
Ficar de olho em means to watch, monitor, or look out for someone or something. Use it in conversation and choose a more precise verb in formal writing.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “We’ll monitor the results in the app”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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