Daí

Think of it as a conversational pause button. You finish one sentence and drop a daí to signal more is coming. It works perfectly when telling a long story about your weekend. You can also use it at the end of a sentence to ask "And?" or "So what?" If someone tells you a boring fact, a quick E daí? means "So what?"

Use it constantly in casual storytelling. It is perfect for texting friends about your day. Use it at a restaurant when explaining your order changed. It is great for connecting steps in a process. "I went to the bank, daí I realized I forgot my ID." It keeps the rhythm of the language flowing naturally.

Avoid overusing it in very formal academic writing. Do not use it in a legal contract or a somber eulogy. If you say it every three words, you might sound a bit like a rambling teenager. In a job interview, use more formal connectors like portanto or em seguida. However, even in professional settings, a well-placed daí is usually fine.

This expression is deeply rooted in the oral tradition of Brazil. Brazilians love a good, long story with lots of flavor. Daí allows the speaker to keep the floor without pausing too long. In the South of Brazil, specifically Curitiba, Daí is used as a greeting. You walk into a shop and they say, "Daí!" It basically means "Hey, what's up?"

E daí? is the most common spin-off. It translates to "So what?" or "What about it?" Sometimes you will hear daí então, which adds more emphasis to the sequence. In very fast speech, it might sound like a short dái. It is the ultimate filler for when your brain is still catching up with your mouth.