nunca satisfeito
never satisfied
Use it to describe someone's relentless ambition or their annoying habit of always wanting something better.
En 15 secondes
- Used for people who always want more than they have.
- Adjust the ending to 'satisfeita' for women or 'satisfeitos' for groups.
- Can be a compliment for ambition or a critique of greed.
Signification
This phrase describes someone who is restlessly ambitious or perpetually dissatisfied with the status quo. It is used for people who always want more, better, or different, regardless of their current success.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Talking about a high-achieving friend
O Ricardo ganhou o prêmio, mas já está pensando no próximo; ele é nunca satisfeito.
Ricardo won the prize, but he's already thinking about the next one; he is never satisfied.
Complaining about a picky partner at a restaurant
Você trocou o prato três vezes! Você é nunca satisfeita.
You changed your dish three times! You are never satisfied.
In a professional performance review
A nossa equipe é nunca satisfeita com resultados medíocres.
Our team is never satisfied with mediocre results.
Contexte culturel
In Lusophone cultures, there is a fine line between being seen as ambitious and being seen as ungrateful. This phrase captures that tension perfectly, often used to describe the 'restless soul' that drives innovation in cities like São Paulo.
The Gender Swap
Don't forget that 'satisfeito' is an adjective. If you're talking to your sister, it's 'satisfeita'. If it's your parents, it's 'satisfeitos'!
Watch Your Tone
Saying this with a smile makes it about 'ambition'. Saying it with a frown makes it an insult about 'ingratitude'.
En 15 secondes
- Used for people who always want more than they have.
- Adjust the ending to 'satisfeita' for women or 'satisfeitos' for groups.
- Can be a compliment for ambition or a critique of greed.
What It Means
Nunca satisfeito describes a state of mind. It is about someone who cannot find peace with what they have. In Portuguese, it sounds a bit more intense than in English. It implies a constant hunger for more. It can be a compliment for a high-achiever. It can also be a critique of a greedy person. Context is everything here.
How To Use It
You usually pair this with the verb ser or estar. Use ser if it is a personality trait. Use estar if someone is just grumpy today. Remember to change the ending for gender. For a woman, say nunca satisfeita. For a group, use nunca satisfeitos. It fits perfectly after a noun or a name.
When To Use It
Use it when your friend gets a promotion but complains about the office view. Use it in a job interview to show you are ambitious. It works well when discussing athletes who always want another trophy. You can use it while texting about a picky eater. It is great for describing that one relative who complains about every gift.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid using it during a funeral or a very somber moment. It might sound dismissive of someone's genuine grief. Do not use it for someone who is actually suffering from a lack of basic needs. It is for people who have 'enough' but want 'extra'. Don't use it if you want to be extremely polite to a superior. It can sound a bit blunt if not softened with a smile.
Cultural Background
Brazilians and Portuguese people value social harmony and 'celebrating the moment'. However, there is a strong cultural push toward modern success. Being nunca satisfeito is the engine of the 'jeitinho'—always finding a new way. It reflects the duality of enjoying life while chasing a better future. It is a common trope in Brazilian soap operas for the ambitious villain.
Common Variations
You might hear insaciável for someone truly greedy. Sempre querendo mais is a more literal, softer alternative. If someone is being annoying about it, people say reclamão. For a more poetic vibe, try alma inquieta. In slang, you might hear someone is fominha if they want everything for themselves.
Notes d'usage
This is a highly flexible collocation. While neutral in formality, its meaning shifts from 'ambitious' to 'annoying' based entirely on the speaker's tone and the relationship between people.
The Gender Swap
Don't forget that 'satisfeito' is an adjective. If you're talking to your sister, it's 'satisfeita'. If it's your parents, it's 'satisfeitos'!
Watch Your Tone
Saying this with a smile makes it about 'ambition'. Saying it with a frown makes it an insult about 'ingratitude'.
The 'Fominha' Connection
In Brazil, if someone is 'nunca satisfeito' specifically about food or ball games, they are called a 'fominha' (little hungry one).
Exemples
6O Ricardo ganhou o prêmio, mas já está pensando no próximo; ele é nunca satisfeito.
Ricardo won the prize, but he's already thinking about the next one; he is never satisfied.
Here it highlights a personality trait of ambition.
Você trocou o prato três vezes! Você é nunca satisfeita.
You changed your dish three times! You are never satisfied.
A playful but slightly frustrated observation of behavior.
A nossa equipe é nunca satisfeita com resultados medíocres.
Our team is never satisfied with mediocre results.
Used here as a positive indicator of high standards.
Comprei o iPhone novo, mas já quero o Pro. Sou nunca satisfeito!
I bought the new iPhone, but I already want the Pro. I'm never satisfied!
Self-deprecating humor about consumerism.
Não importa o quanto eu trabalhe, ele está nunca satisfeito.
No matter how much I work, he is never satisfied.
Expressing frustration with someone's impossible standards.
Essa criança tem tudo, mas é nunca satisfeita.
This child has everything, but is never satisfied.
Direct observation of a spoiled or greedy attitude.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form for a group of women.
Elas ganharam a competição, mas são ___.
Since the subject is 'Elas' (feminine plural), the adjective must agree.
Which verb best describes a permanent personality trait?
Ele ___ nunca satisfeito com a vida.
The verb 'ser' (é) is used for inherent characteristics or personality traits.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Nunca Satisfeito'
Used with friends to joke about pickiness.
Cara, você é nunca satisfeito!
Standard way to describe ambition or greed.
Ele é um homem nunca satisfeito.
Used in literature or speeches to show drive.
Uma nação nunca satisfeita com a injustiça.
Where to use 'Nunca Satisfeito'
Gym/Fitness
Always wanting a heavier weight.
Shopping
Returning items constantly.
Career
Chasing the next promotion.
Art
A painter retouching a canvas forever.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNot at all! In a business context, being nunca satisfeito means you have high standards and a drive for excellence.
Yes, it is common to say eu sou nunca satisfeito to explain why you keep working hard or changing your mind.
Insaciável is much stronger, often implying a bottomless greed or hunger, while nunca satisfeito is more about standards.
Yes, in a professional email about project goals, it shows commitment. For example: Estamos nunca satisfeitos com o básico.
You would say Ele nunca está satisfeito com nada. Note the use of nada at the end for emphasis.
Yes, it is standard Portuguese used across all Lusophone countries including Portugal and Angola.
Yes, jamais satisfeito sounds more dramatic and formal, like something you'd read in a book.
Use the feminine plural form: elas são nunca satisfeitas.
People might use querer sempre mais or call someone a pidão if they are always asking for more things.
No, it is almost exclusively used for people or entities like companies and teams that have desires.
Expressions liées
Sempre querendo mais
Always wanting more
Difícil de agradar
Hard to please
Inquieto
Restless/Unsettled
Exigente
Demanding/Picky
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