What Does Perrengue Mean? Talk About a Tough Situation in Portuguese
Perrengue is an informal hassle or difficult situation; passar perrengue means to go through one.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Perrengue is informal Brazilian Portuguese for a difficult, uncomfortable, or inconvenient situation. It can describe a travel problem, a demanding day, or a moment when several small problems pile up. The word does not specify exactly how serious the situation is; the story supplies that detail.
Use perrengue for a hassle or difficult stretch
Passar perrengue means to go through that kind of difficulty. It is common in casual conversation and can be used humorously after the problem is over.
A gente passou um perrengue no aeroporto.
We had a rough time at the airport.
Foi um perrengue chegar em casa com tanta chuva.
Getting home in all that rain was a hassle.
Depois de resolver o problema, ela contou o perrengue rindo.
After solving the problem, she told the story about the ordeal while laughing.
Explain what made the situation difficult
Add a concrete detail after the expression: we missed a connection, waited in the rain, or could not find the address. That tells the listener whether the perrengue was mildly inconvenient or genuinely stressful.
In a formal report, use problema, dificuldade, or situação complicada. Perrengue is expressive but casual, so it may not be the right word for a serious complaint or an official document.
O perrengue foi ficar sem internet durante a viagem.
The difficult part was having no internet during the trip.
Tivemos uma situação complicada com a reserva.
We had a complicated situation with the reservation.
Foi cansativo, mas no fim deu tudo certo.
It was tiring, but in the end everything worked out.
Put it into practice
Perrengue is a casual word for a hassle or tough situation. Pair it with the specific problem, and choose dificuldade or situação complicada for formal contexts.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “The difficult part was having no internet during the trip”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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