Grande Ulisses Tecla sap...

MEIO / MEIA
[a bit, a little or a half]

• Eu estou meio deprimido.
• I’m a bit depressed.

TIPS & NOTES
The word meio when used as an adverb has only one form and can never change to a plural or a feminine form. For example:

• Ela está meio deprimida. NOT: Ela está “meia” deprimida.
• She’s a bit depressed.

Cf. Gramática: Advérbios

By the way, this is a common mistake Brazilians themselves make, so you will hear people saying things like: Ela está “meia” deprimida – but it is incorrect.

When in doubt, try to substitute meio for um pouco (a little). For example: Ela está meio deprimida can be changed to Ela está um pouco deprimida without altering the meaning, so this proves that the word meio is being used as an adverb.

If the word meio can be substituted for metade (half), then the word is a fraction and can change. For example:

• Ele comeu meio hambúrguer.
• He ate half a hamburger.

BUT…

• Ele comeu meia banana.
• He ate half a banana.

The word meia is also commonly used in speech for the number six. This is to avoid confusion with the number three – três – which sounds very similar to six – seis. This use of meia comes from meia dúzia half a dozen = six. So you say the number 364786 like this: Três – meia – quatro – sete – oito – meia.

Cf. Os números cardinais em inglês

Referência: “Break the Branch? Quebrar o Galho – Common, Everyday Words and Phrases in Brazilian Portuguese” de Jack Scholes, Disal Editora, 2008. Leia a resenha. Compare os preços e adquira seu exemplar na Disal ou no Submarino.