Portuguese · Emotions & Descriptions
"Difficult" in Portuguese: difícil
difícil
Difficult in Portuguese is difícil. Same form for masculine and feminine. Say bem difícil or difícil demais when something is hard.
Exam debrief
A prova de química estava difícil.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce difícil
Say it
jee-FEE-seel
/dʒi.ˈfi.siw/
jee-FEE-seel
"Difficult" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| difícil | difficult / hard Default adjective. | Default adjective. |
| bem difícil | really difficult Emphasis. | Emphasis. |
| difícil demais | too difficult Overwhelm. | Overwhelm. |
| não é difícil | it’s not difficult Reassurance. | Reassurance. |
How to use difícil in real life
- 1Exam debrief
A prova de química estava difícil.
The chemistry test was difficult.
School.
- 2Move-in day
Subir o sofá pela escada foi difícil.
Carrying the sofa up the stairs was difficult.
Physical.
- 3Language goal
Falar rápido ainda é difícil para mim.
Speaking fast is still difficult for me.
Learning.
Mistakes English speakers make with difícil
Incorrect: O exame é difficult.
Correct: O exame é difícil.
Use difícil, not English difficult.
Incorrect: Uma pergunta difícila.
Correct: Uma pergunta difícil.
Difícil does not add -a for feminine.
Good to know
Difícil pairs with fácil as the basic hard/easy pair. Brazilians also say complicado for socially awkward situations. Puxado can mean tough schedule rather than intellectually difficult.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Studying together
ChatPal
Esse capítulo está difícil para você?
Is this chapter difficult for you?
You
Está difícil, mas dá para entender.
It’s difficult, but I can get it.
ChatPal
Vamos dividir: eu leio a parte difícil.
Let’s split it: I’ll read the difficult part.
You
Combinado. Eu faço os exercícios.
Deal. I’ll do the exercises.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Difficult" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Difficult" in Portuguese
Gender change?
No—difícil for both.
Too hard?
Difícil demais.
Not hard?
Não é difícil.
Hard vs complicated?
Difícil = hard; complicado often = messy/awkward.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
