ficar

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *fīccō, from earlier *fīgicō, from Latin fīgō (“I fasten”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeygʷ- (“to stick”).

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /fiˈka/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /fiˈkaɾ/
• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

ficar (first-person singular present fico, past participle ficat)

1. (transitive) to insert, to put in
2. (reflexive) to meddle, to interfere

Further reading

• “ficar” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Etymology

From Old Portuguese ficar, Vulgar Latin *fīccō, from earlier *fīgicō, from Latin fīgō (“I fasten”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeygʷ- (“to stick”).

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /fi.ˈkaɾ/
• (Paulista) IPA^(key): /fi.ˈka(ɾ)/, /fi.ˈka(ɹ)/

Verb

ficar (first-person singular present indicative fico, past participle ficado)

1. (copulative) to become; to get; to end up

   Eu vou ficar rico.

   I’ll get rich.

   Ficamos com nojo daquela comida.

   We were disgusted by that food.

   Eu fiquei sem dinheiro.

   I ended up without any money.

2. (transitive with em or another locational preposition) to be [in a fixed location]

   A casa dela fica na esquina desse quarteirão.

   Her house is on the corner of this block.

   Londres fica no sul da Inglaterra.

   London is in the south of England.

3. (intransitive, or transitive with em) to stay (at); to remain

   Ela não quis vir, ficou em casa.

   She didn’t want to come, she stayed home.

   • 2000, J. K. Rowling, Lya Wyler, Harry Potter e o Cálice de Fogo, Rocco, page 514:

     E quantos serão bastante tolos para ficar longe de mim?

     And how many will be foolish enough to stay away from me?

4. (intransitive) to remain (to be left over)

   Só ficaram algumas migalhas.

   Only a few crumbs remained.

5. (transitive with em) to stay (to remain in a particular place)

   Fiquei três dias em Munique.

   I stayed three days in Munich.

6. (figuratively, intransitive) not to go any further

   A discussão fica por aqui.

   The discussion stops here.

7. (auxiliary, followed by a verb in the gerund) forms the habitual aspect

   João fica lendo o dia inteiro.

   John keeps reading the whole day.

   Eu ficava falando besteira.

   I kept saying nonsense.

8. (Brazil, slang, intransitive, or transitive with com) to engage in a romantic relationship with someone for one night or some short period of time

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *fīccō, from earlier *fīgicō, from Latin fīgō (“I fasten”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeygʷ- (“to stick”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fiˈkaɾ/

Verb

ficar (first-person singular present fico, first-person singular preterite fiqué, past participle ficado)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) to stay

   Synonym: quedar

Further reading

• “ficar” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.