estar cheio
to be full
Littéralement: to be full
Use `estar cheio` for physical fullness or when you've reached your mental limit with a situation.
En 15 secondes
- Use it when you cannot eat another single bite of food.
- Apply it to crowded places like buses, rooms, or restaurants.
- Use it figuratively when you are annoyed or fed up.
- Always use the verb 'estar', never the verb 'ser'.
Signification
This phrase is your go-to way to say you've had enough of something. Whether your stomach is bursting after a big meal or your patience is at its absolute limit, this is how you express being 'full' or 'fed up'.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6At a restaurant after a big meal
Não consigo comer a sobremesa, estou muito cheio.
I can't eat dessert, I am very full.
Commuting during rush hour
O metrô está cheio hoje, vamos esperar o próximo?
The subway is full today, shall we wait for the next one?
In a professional meeting regarding workload
Minha agenda está cheia esta semana.
My schedule is full this week.
Contexte culturel
In Lusophone cultures, hospitality often involves pushing more food onto guests. Saying 'estou cheio' is the polite but firm way to survive a grandmother's kitchen. It also reflects the Mediterranean tendency to use 'fullness' as a metaphor for intense emotional states.
Gender Matters
Always match the ending to the subject. Men say 'cheio', women say 'cheia'. If you get it wrong, people will still understand, but it sounds like a glitch in the matrix!
The 'Saco' Variation
If you hear 'estou de saco cheio', it literally means 'my bag is full', but it's a very common way to say 'I am extremely fed up'. Use it only with close friends!
En 15 secondes
- Use it when you cannot eat another single bite of food.
- Apply it to crowded places like buses, rooms, or restaurants.
- Use it figuratively when you are annoyed or fed up.
- Always use the verb 'estar', never the verb 'ser'.
What It Means
At its simplest, estar cheio means your capacity is reached. Think of a glass filled to the brim with water. In Portuguese, we use this for physical spaces, your stomach, or even your mental state. It is a versatile way to say 'no more room'.
How To Use It
You use the verb estar because being full is a temporary state. You aren't always full; you are full *right now*.
- For food:
Estou cheio(I'm full). - For places:
O ônibus está cheio(The bus is full). - For emotions:
Estou cheio de problemas(I'm full of problems).
Remember to change the ending: cheio for masculine, cheia for feminine. If you are a woman, always say estou cheia!
When To Use It
Use it at a dinner party when your host offers a third helping of feijoada. Use it when you step onto a crowded subway car in São Paulo or Lisbon. It is also perfect for when you are annoyed. If your boss gives you one more task, you might mutter that you are cheio disso (fed up with this). It works beautifully in casual chats and daily errands.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it to describe your personality. If you say Eu sou cheio, people will look at you funny. It sounds like you are saying you are permanently stuffed like a teddy bear. Also, avoid using it in very high-level academic writing. In those cases, words like lotado or satisfeito might sound more precise.
Cultural Background
Portuguese culture revolves around food and social gatherings. Being cheio after a meal is a sign of a successful party. However, there is a famous idiomatic twist: estar cheio de fome. Literally, this means 'to be full of hunger'. It sounds like a contradiction, but it just means you are incredibly starving. It shows how much we love using cheio for emphasis!
Common Variations
If a place is beyond full, we say está lotado (it's packed). If you are specifically fed up with a person, you say estou cheio de você. For a more slangy version of being fed up, younger people might say estou de saco cheio. Be careful with that last one; it's very informal and a bit salty!
Notes d'usage
This is a neutral-to-informal expression. It is safe for almost all everyday situations. Just remember to use the correct gender ending (o/a).
Gender Matters
Always match the ending to the subject. Men say 'cheio', women say 'cheia'. If you get it wrong, people will still understand, but it sounds like a glitch in the matrix!
The 'Saco' Variation
If you hear 'estou de saco cheio', it literally means 'my bag is full', but it's a very common way to say 'I am extremely fed up'. Use it only with close friends!
Full of Hunger?
If someone says 'estou cheio de fome', don't be confused. They aren't full; they are actually starving. It's a common Portuguese exaggeration.
Exemples
6Não consigo comer a sobremesa, estou muito cheio.
I can't eat dessert, I am very full.
A standard way to decline more food politely.
O metrô está cheio hoje, vamos esperar o próximo?
The subway is full today, shall we wait for the next one?
Refers to physical space and crowds.
Minha agenda está cheia esta semana.
My schedule is full this week.
Professional way to say you are busy.
Estou cheia de trabalho e de sono!
I'm full of work and sleepiness!
Using 'cheia' to emphasize a state of being overwhelmed.
Já estou cheio das suas desculpas.
I'm already fed up with your excuses.
Shows irritation and that patience has run out.
Meu coração está cheio de alegria.
My heart is full of joy.
A more poetic, emotional use of the phrase.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form for a woman saying she is full after lunch.
Muito obrigada, mas eu já ___ ___.
Women must use the feminine 'cheia', and we use 'estou' because it is a temporary state.
How do you say the bar is crowded?
O bar ___ ___ de gente.
'Bar' is a masculine noun, so we use 'cheio'.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Estar Cheio'
Used with friends to mean 'fed up'.
Tô cheio disso!
Standard use for food or crowds.
Estou cheio, obrigado.
In professional settings for schedules.
A sala está cheia.
When to say 'Cheio'
Stomach
After pizza
Transport
Crowded bus
Patience
Annoyed
Schedule
Busy day
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, absolutely! You can say O copo está cheio to mean the glass is full.
Not at all. It is a normal way to decline more food. Adding obrigado (thanks) makes it perfectly polite.
Cheio means full, while lotado means packed or at maximum capacity. Use lotado for a concert or a very busy bus.
Avoid this. Ser cheio implies a permanent characteristic, which doesn't make sense for being full. Always use estar.
You can say Estou cheio de você or Estou cheio das suas histórias. It's a bit blunt, so use it carefully!
Yes, it is used and understood perfectly in all Portuguese-speaking countries.
This is a specific idiom meaning someone is 'full of themselves' or very arrogant.
Yes, you can say O tanque está cheio when you fill up your car at the station.
Cheio is an adjective. You always need a verb like estar or ficar to go with it.
Just add an 's'. For example, Nós estamos cheios (We are full).
Expressions liées
estar de saco cheio
estar satisfeito
estar lotado
encher o saco
estar farto
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