When it comes to learning languages, there are enough similarities between Spanish and Portuguese that I’m never really impressed when a native Spanish speaker tells me they speak Portuguese (or vice versa). My attitude tends to be “big deal – compared to English, they’re practically the same language anyway”. But when there are so many similarities, I do rather sympathise when a Portuguese word comes along that is just nothing like its Spanish counterpart.
Take this prickly customer:
I love pineapple! You know the French almost call this fruit bananas... (they say "Ananas").
So you’ve travelled from Mexico, through Central America and into the Spanish speaking countries of South America – whenever you wanted a pineapple, you simply asked for Piña (sound like PEEnya).
Then you get to Brazil. ”Piña? Pinha?” [blank looks] – It must be something similar right? No. The word you’re looking for is Abacaxí, which sounds like abba-cash-EE and therefore nothing like Piña. Looks like you’ll be drinking orange juice today!
But looking on the bright side, the Portuguese word allows one guy to make his living in a way that makes people jump out of their skins! On sunny days our mercurial protagonist dons a pair of bright yellow rubber gloves, balances a basket filled with pineapples on his head and stalks the unsuspecting people on Ipanema beach. Like a ninja, his movements are fluid, he blends into the background as he weaves amongst the crowds.
Here you see our yellow gloved friend, pineapple in hand, at the end on a long day terrorising innocent beach goers.
People who are lucky enough to spot him will shrink away a little and warn their friends. But they seem to forget almost instantly and soon they turn back to watch the waves and start a conversation about something or other, oblivious to the danger lurking.
Unseen, our yellow gloved hero/villain moves in for the strike and when his prey is utterly distracted he bellows:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
(bacaxí)
Let me tell you – if you are anywhere near you will jump a mile! The victim spins round in fright and sees our pineapple man with a big grin on his face and a pineapple in his hand, offering to slice it up for his potential customer. It’s really pretty funny (when it happens to someone else!).
My wife tells me that Mr Abacaxí has terrorising beach goers like this for many years. I like the guy but I do wonder how often people spin round and smack him with their beach umbrella! Next time I see him I will try to ask a few questions – he must have some tales to tell. And I’d like to say that in this instance I’m rather grateful to the Portuguese language – it just wouldn’t work with PIIIIIIIIIII(ña) would it?
*UPDATE*
Thanks to Alex for the reminder, an Abacaxí is not only a pineapple – it is also used to metaphorically describe a problem. I’ve never heard it being used myself, but I imagine two guys stuck down a well – one of them strokes his chin and turns to the other: “Hmmm, we find ourselves with quite an abacaxi here don’t we?”. The other guy (a gringo) says “We have a pineapple? That’s great! I’m starving…”
My name is Tom Le Mesurier. Originally from England, I travelled around quite a bit and am now settled in Rio. I enjoy food, drink and over-indulgence of all kinds. 
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15 comments
Anita
01/03/2012 at 3:47 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
This guy is famous (and nuts !).
Btw… there’s a fruit in Brazil with black large seeds called “pinha”. I like it a lot !
Just pls google “pinha fruta” and check what you get !
tomlemes
01/03/2012 at 4:01 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Ha ha! Famous or infamous?
Thanks for the tip – I see this one (pinha) quite a bit in the shops and juice bars – it’s also called fruta do conde right? It seems crazy to say it, but after all this time I don’t think I ever tried it! Right now I’m a bit addicted to cacau
tomlemes
01/03/2012 at 7:29 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Hey Anita, I’ve just got back from HortiFruti and guess what I saw? Pinha! And it didn’t say Fruta do Conde, it said Pinha. I should pay more attention!
Alex
01/03/2012 at 5:25 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I luv me sum abakashi!
But they are a pain in the ass to resolver…
tomlemes
01/03/2012 at 7:29 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks Alex, I’ve added a little footnote!
JOÃO
01/03/2012 at 5:30 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Quem fala português entende espanhol MUITO mais do que quem fala espanhol entender português, creio que deve ser porque no Brasil temos aula de espanhol e inglês desde criança, como o espanhol é mais fácil de aprender, a maioria opta por espanhol, já que a língua é mais fácil os professores dificultam colocando MUITO texto em espanhol para os alunos, entendemos muitas das palavras diferentes do português com espanhol, já os falantes de espanhol não aprendem português(só uruguaios) nas escolas e não tem convívio com a língua ae nós brasileiros sempre falamos com argentinos, paraguaios e uruguaios usamos um portunhol trocando as palavras diferentes de acordo com o conhecimento de cada um, já tive professor argentino, espanhol e colombiana, e podem ficar 10 anos no brasil que nunca conseguirão falar um “ão” perfeito LOL. Não escrevi em inglês pq não sei :/
tomlemes
01/03/2012 at 7:49 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Oi João! Ha ha, tá bom – você não precisa escrever em inglês. Eat Rio é um blog internacional!
E como você pode ver, eu preciso practicar muito mais!
Acredito que você está certo. Também eu acho que o som do espanhol parece um versão mais clara do português – por isso é mais facil para vocês. Só um palpite!
Anita
03/03/2012 at 5:09 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Ô João ! Não colocou um ponto no parágrafo inteiro ?
Ray
01/03/2012 at 5:39 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Tom,
You just made me spill my coffee and I have tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard!!
This is too funny, it sounded like you were describing a missing scene from “RIO”, the movie
The AAAAAAAHHHHHHH (bacaxi) man is actually a Brazilian institutions of beaches all along the coast, we grew up with these crazy Abacaxi screaming freaks.
It is actually the way guys shout out when selling Abacaxi all over Brazilian beaches, from north to south, so please keep your eyes open and don’t let your guard down when going anywhere in Brazil to enjoy the beach!
Abracos
Ray
Alex
01/03/2012 at 6:19 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Well, Ray, I think you just made me want to become an Abacaxi guy. I have more than a few loose screws, so I think I’ll do the job perfectly.
tomlemes
01/03/2012 at 7:54 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Really? I had no idea! How funny to think there are Mr Abacaxís (and Mrs Abacaxís too?) sneaking up on people up and down Brazil’s coastline! I’m not safe anywhere!!
p.s. Sorry about the coffee rs
The Gritty Poet
01/03/2012 at 6:57 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Funny how Portuguese sounds sooo much better than Spanish, regardless of their similarities.
Abacaxi dude should insert the stress later on during his pronunciation. This way people will get a heads up and won’t be startled. Something like Aba-cahhh-xiiiiii could work ( your welcome Abacaxi selling readers).
tomlemes
01/03/2012 at 7:58 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I’m with you on that one Gritty – Portuguese sounded weirdly Russian to me at first, but the more I get to know it, the more I like it. By now I waaaay prefer it to Spanish.
I’m not sure whether your new shout strategy is going to catch on, but I’d love to hear them try it out:
abacash-EEEEEEEE!!!!!
Andrew Francis
01/03/2012 at 7:44 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Pinha is also a completely different fruit in Brazil also known as fruta do conde, or in English, sugar apple, not to be confused with its close relative the pineapple sugar apple. Seriously, you couldn’t make this stuff up…
tomlemes
01/03/2012 at 8:04 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Ha ha! The pineapple sugar apple has the be the silliest fruit name ever! I want to find one of those Pink Mammoths!