Hey, Gringo!

Gringoes always stand out in a crowd

If there’s one word you’ll get accustomed to hearing during your time in Rio de Janeiro, it’s ‘gringo’ (or, gringa for us girlies…).

But while some visitors may bristle at the word, there’s very rarely any harm meant by it. The word, used all over Brazil, is a slang term for foreigner and can literally be applied to anybody from outside the country.

It makes little difference how long you stay here, if you ‘look’ foreign and talk with a funny accent, you’ll be a gringo/a.

While extra-polite Brazilians may well take care to refer to you as an ‘estranjeiro/a’ instead, you’ll hear the G word all over the place during your time in Rio. While the word itself is not offensive, standing out as a gringo can make you vulnerable to scams and on-the-spot price hikes. Locals often jokingly refer to the ‘preco especial’ (special price) that everybody from taxi drivers to tour operators may try to impose, so stand your ground if you think you are being ripped off. The notion of the ‘burro gringo’ (stupid foreigner) is widely held in some sections of Rio, so be wise to any attempts to relieve you of your tourist dollar.

When handing over money in a large denomination bill, for example, say the amount aloud as you hand it over, or the recipient may claim that you gave them a smaller amount and not give you the correct change. (It’s well worth familiarising yourself with numbers in order to make dealing with money easier).

While there’s no harm meant by the term itself, being a gringo/gringa will attract attention – which can be a positive or negative thing, depending on the situation.

Be savvy and keep your eye on the ball, and make sure you don’t live up to the ‘burro gringo’ stereotype.