Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a number of slang words which can be confusing for all, let alone newcomers. Below we will breakdown the most common slang words and what they mean. From ‘Oss’ to ‘Porrada’, we have you covered!
What does Boa mean?
Boa roughly translates to ‘Good!’ in English. It is often said by a coach when their student does well. Pronounced ‘Bo-ah’, it can be heard if you hit a good sweep or submission for example. Boa is a very similar term to ‘Oss’ which is also said as appreciation for good training.
What does Oss mean?
Oss is a term that has its roots in Japanese Jiu Jitsu. Roughly translating to ‘Yes’, the term is enthusiastic and can be said as praise. For instance, if a student does a move well, the instructor may say ‘Oss’ which means well done.
What does Sinistro mean?
The Portuguese translation of this means ‘sinister’. Sinistro is a compliment given to someone who does well. For instance, if they win a competition they may be called ‘Sinistro’ which means their BJJ is good.
What does Porra mean?
Porra is basically the Brazilian way of saying the F*** word. It is often said in anger but can also be said in amazement. For instance, if you get submitted you could say ‘Porra’ which could be in annoyance or even said as a compliment to your opponent for good technique.
What does Nutella mean?
Nutella was a phrase coined by Marcus Buchecha. He even wore Nutella patches with lines through them whilst competing, such was his hatred for the chocolate spread. Basically, Nutella means to focus on the image rather than training hard. An example of this would be to pose for an Instagram photo and pretend you’ve trained hard on social media. Because of this calling someone ‘Nutella’ is an insult and means they train for vanity over genuine enjoyment.
What does Creonte mean?
Creonte is a term which loosely translates to traitor. This term can be used to describe when someone leaves gyms and joins a different, local gym. An example could be ‘That guy is a Creonte for switching gyms like that’. In short, it means the gym loyalty has been lost and they are not very happy about it.
What does Professor mean?
Although this sounds quite fancy, it’s literal translation in Portuguese means instructor. Only black belts can be called Professor and teaches with other belts are referred to as coaches. Because of this it is common for black belts to be called Professor instead of their first names whilst teaching.
What does Everyday Porrada mean?
This term was coined by Romulo Barral. ‘Porrada’ means to fight or scrap, so ‘Everyday Porrada’ translates to training hard everyday. This can be a term associated with those who train hard and often. It is not associated with casuals although the term can also be used jokingly and isn’t always intentional.
What does Faixa mean?
Faixa basically means ‘belt’. In other words, you could say ‘Faixa black’ which would translate to ‘Black belt’ in Portuguese. If a non-Brazilian refers to themselves in this way it could be considered a bit pretentious and corny however.
What does Fodacy mean?
Fodacy was a term created by Renzo Gracie which has a similar definition to Porrada. In his own words, it’s a ‘mindset to keep your composure no matter what’. Basically, it means to be strong minded and have self belief in training and also in other areas of life.
What does Rolling mean?
Rolling means to spar. A common question when sparring could be ‘Want to roll?’. This means the person is asking you to spar. As BJJ involves lots of rolling on the floor and various positions, the term roll has become synonymous with the martial art.
What does Bombado / Bomba mean?
This is a loose Portugeuse translation for steroid use. As steroid use is common amongst high level competitors, you could hear ‘That guy is definitely on the Bomba’, especially if his muscles have grown quickly.
