This is an alphabet book of memorable Maquista (Macanese) words and colloquialisms. Some words are in English or Cantonese because like English, Maquista borrows words from foreign languages. Most Macanese are multi-lingual (English, Cantonese, Maquista, Portuguese...)

Maquista or Macaista is the creole language of the Macanese "filhos de Macau". It is usually referred to as a "patua". Maquista is also affectionately referred to as "Maquista chapado" (chapado = flattened or crushed) to reflect the humble origins and roots of the language.

The word "chapado" can be found in a big Portuguese dictionary (eg. Dicionario de Portugues-Ingles, Porto, Porto Editora, 1986). This dictionary gives these examples - "tolo chapado" (perfect fool), "doido chapado" (stark mad), "tolice chapada" (downright nonsense). Do these examples tell you anything?

This is not a picture book but please use your imagination and try to visualize the objects as you read. By visualizing this becomes an imaginary picture book.

In the text (PV) means "Please visualize".

A

Amah. The Portuguese first used this word for maid or servant or domestic help. In Portuguese "ama" means "nurse, house-keeper, governess". Many Macanese children learned Cantonese from their amahs. (PV)

Aiyaa! Cantonese expression adopted by the Macanese. "Aiyaa! The "ah mui" (a young amah, a coy and demure maiden) dropped the Christmas empada (fish pie) on the floor!"

Asunguh (this one). Angusa (thing). Typical Maquista words. Did you hear about the filho de Macau who walked into a boutique in Lisbon and said "Kee bonito! Yo quero comprar asunguh angusa" (I want to buy this thing). The shopkeeper was bewildered and ignored him.

Auntie. The Macanese "Auntie" is unlike the North American "Aunt". Auntie is the preserver of Macanese culture, the arbitrator of refinement, the mediator of good taste, the intercessor of "maneira" and "boa educacao", the exterminator of "asneira", the terminator of "boborisa", the "cozinheira" of Macanese food and the advocate of all things Macanese. Auntie is Ann Landers, Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, Julia Child and Jennifer Lopez rolled into one. In our youth we saluted her, "Hello Auntie" a million times (pronounced only in a Macanese accent)

B

Batadada. This is a potato cake that uses ingredients from East and West (coconut and potatoes). Macanese culture blends East and West so this could be our "national cake". (PV)

Balichao (Balichung) The Macanese people identify themselves with this shrimp paste. Even if you do not eat it you keep a bottle in the refrigerator so that people will know yours is a Macanese household (PV)

Beefy. An Englishman or "eenglesh". Sort of the FM equivalent of the Cantonese "kwai lo". Please note the same bovine metaphor as in Ngau sook under "N" below. Is it because they eat too much "carne de vaca" (beef)?

Bicho. Insect. A child who wants to eat "bicho bicho" does not necessarily want to eat many insects because "bicho bicho" can also be a merenda snack. (PV)

Bafo comprido. "Long breath" or long-winded or "cheung hei" in Cantonese. This expression is a literal translation of the Cantonese. It is Maquista chapado and not standard Portuguese.

C

Caracol. This is a snail or curly swirl of hair at the back of the head. Also pronounced as "caricol" by garotos (kids). Anthropologists say that the Macanese are the only ethnic group whose children check out each other's caracol as a childhood ritual. (PV)

Chico. This is the short form of "Francisco". It also means "nosey" (or "nosy"). The female equivalent is Chica. "Chico is chico" could be a pun. Similar to chuchumecco and chuchumecca (gossiper)

Cha Cha. Some people called their grandmother "cha cha". Cha cha is also the red bean "chook" (porridge) made with red beans, "wu tao" (taro), sago and coconut. The sentence "Cha Cha loves cha cha" does not mean that Grandma is sick of self-love like Malvolio in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night". It just means she loves this version of "hung tao chook" (red bean porridge)

Chipir e Chubir. Squeeze and Pinch. When you see a garoto (kid) who is also "amor chai" (Portuguese-Cantonese word for "cute, charming") and "Kee amor!" and "ting chiste" (has natural grace, wit and ability to jest) and is "chistoso" (witty, sharp-witted, humourous, jocular) then you want to chipir and chubir his or her cheeks.

D

Dali. This means to "hit" or "beat". This is an example of the evolution of words from Portuguese to Maquista. In Hong Kong you "dali" someone but not in Lisbon.

Demonio. Demonia. Devil, demon. A popular word for scolding someone. eg. "Kee demonio!" or "Kee demonia!" depending on the gender of the person being scolded. Similar to the Cantonese "Sei kwai!"

E

Escola Camoes or Portuguese Community School in Hong Kong, breeding ground of young FM's.
[Editor's note: the school is now run by the Po Leung Kuk, and has its own website]

Estupido. Stupid. That is the way the dictionary spells it but don't pronounce the first "e". Pronounce it as "shtoopidoo" in Macau, Hong Kong and Portugal. Typical expression - "Iou sa marido muito shtoopidoo".

Eurasian. Though most FM are Eurasian either biologically or culturally, "nossa gente" (our people) generally do not use this word to describe themselves. Nor do we use "Mestizo" as the Spanish-Filipinos do. We prefer "Macanese", which implies "Eurasian" and "Mestico". In colloquial (jook yu) Cantonese we are "chap chung" and this term can be derogatory or impolite. An educated Chinese gentleman would ask you "Are you "wun huet"?", which is a more literary and elegant (mun ngar) way of saying it. If you are asked this question you know the answer.

F

FM or Filhos de Macau. Children of Macau, that is the Macanese people. This includes persons of both genders. Also known as Filomacs. Are Filomacs in Scotland known as MacFilo?

Feijoada. A stew of meat (galinha or chicken for example), beans (preferably kidney beans) and Portuguese "paio" or "chourico" (sausage). One of our national dishes. (PV)

Fuss Pot. An example of FM use of English in Hong Kong. It has nothing to do with gardening. It means a fussy person, someone who is "garrida". Why "pot"? (PV)

Fuzo. Horny. Or what we say in Cantonese "harm sup" (salty wet). "Dirty old man" would be "harm sup lo" or "velho velho fuzo". Popular expression - "You are bloody fuzo, you know!" This human characteristic is found in all ethnic and social groups and is more commonly found in the male of the species.

G

Galinha. Macanese eat galinha (chicken) but Portuguese eat "frango" (chicken) (PV)

Gente. People. The highest compliment you can pay is to include someone in the FM tribe by declaring him/her "Nossa gente" (Our people).

Gong doong. A swelling in the head caused, for example, by a "pancada" (a blow, a hit) from a woman scorned (Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned)

H

Homem. When I was young I heard "homee" for "man". So this is how you spell it! Do not confuse with the Spanish "Hombre".

I

Ingles. English language. Macanese people in Hong Kong speak ingles (eenglesh) (English). In North America people tell us "You speak English very well!" and we reply "So do you!"

Igreja. The church is a very important place for many Macanese. eg. St. Teresa's Church. Every week Avo (grandma) would ask "Ja vai Missa nunca?" (Did you go to Mass?)

Impostor. Pronounced as "eem-pos-tor". Every social and ethnic group has people who are "eem-pos-tor" or put on airs. When you meet them you curl your lips and sneer "Kee eem-pos-tor", dragging out the "eem" for emphasis if required

Iou. Pronounced by Macanese more like the Spanish "Yo". This means the subject pronoun "I" ("eu" in Portuguese). Also used to mean the object pronoun "me" in Maquista. eg. "Voce quer matar iou?" (Do you want to kill me?")

J

Janota. When you go to pot luck dinners at FM clubs you have to be "janota" or well dressed. Janota is janota and you cannot "feenjee" (fingir = to pretend)

Jogar. That means to play or to gamble. Popular pastimes among FM eg. Jogar mah jong, jogar dado farinha, jogar bola.

Joao. John. This name is usually mispronounced as "Jowl" by North Americans who are not used to the "ao" in Portuguese spelling. It rhymes with "balichao", "pao" (bread), "cao" (dog) and so on. I cringe everytime I hear the famous Portuguese pianist "Maria Joao Pires" pronounced on the radio as "Maria Jowl Pires"

K (There is no K in the Portuguese alphabet. Only for foreign words used in Portuguese and in international symbols and abbreviations. So I have to settle for the following non-dictionary words)

Kapi. eg. "Nos kapi soong with our fie chee" (We "grip" or pick up food with our chopsticks)

Karaar. A mixture of sweat and dirt on the body when it is hot and humid. In the Diaspora the Macanese people went through further Darwinian evolution and now no longer produce karaar. (PV)

Kee. Written as "Que". Macanese like to use "kee" exclamations. "Kee sortee!" (How lucky). "Kee valee!" (How worth it!). "Kee ramede!" (How awful, dreadful!). "Kee medonho!" (How terrible, awful). "Kee coitado!" (How pitiful, you poor thing!"). "Kee barato! (How cheap). "Kee feder!" (How stinky). The all time classic is "Kee saiyung!" (saiam, sayao, saiao) (Aiyaa! What a pity! Woe is me! It is fate! What a bloody shame!)

L

Lamber (laam beh). This is the verb "to lick". Also referred to as "lamber ku". Has the connotation of metaphorically but not literally "kissing ass" (beijar rabo). This activity is found in all social groups especially those climbing the social ladder. (PV)

Luso and Lusitano. This is the adjective that means "Portuguese". For example, Lusitano Club and Luso Apartments in Hong Kong, better known as "The Bank Flats", from which the pride of Macanese youth came. Also, check out "Lusitania" in an encyclopaedia.

M

Mato Mouro. The oldest Macanese stomping ground (neighbourhood) in Hong Kong. For Hong Kong FM to trace their ancestry back to Mato Mouro is like Bostonians tracing their ancestry to the Mayflower. Some will make claims to enhance their social status. If you are FMM (filho de Mato Mouro) that is like having Macanese "blue blood".

Meesar. To pee. Everyone has done this. "Meesar na cahlsung" (calcao) (pee in your pants). Everyone has done this too though few will admit to it. (PV)

Minchee. Ground beef/pork cooked with onions and diced potatoes and thick soya sauce (dik yau). Hardly haute cuisine but FM consider this one of our national dishes. (PV)

Merenda. Snacks. A merenda man used to go door to door selling chilicote, pao recheardo, appa bico, bicho bicho, coqueira etc. (PV)

Mufino and Mufina. A jerk, a wretch, whatever. This is the male and female of this undesirable species. When you wish to "scompor" (descompor = to scold) someone you use these words. This is an archaic word not found in a Portuguese dictionary. Young Macanese mothers in the Diaspora should beware that "Mufina" is definitely not a cute girl's name like Angelina, Tina, Thumbelina etc. Nor should you name your muffin shop "Mufina's Muffins"

N

Ngau sook. Literally, sweaty and smelly cow. FM affectionately refer to "europeu" Portuguese in this fashion because in the hot and humid weather in Macau one tends to get "sook sook" (sweaty). Of course, we use the Cantonese phrase "ngau sook" instead of "vaca de mau cheiro" or "vaca suada" so that they will not understand. Please note the same bovine metaphor as in "Beefy" under "B" above.

Nojo (nojoo). Nausea. FM use this word to mean nauseating or disgusting. At some time or other everyone is guilty of this. I prefer the Cantonese word "yuk suen" because the sound of the words suggests the meaning.

O

Ongsung. I love this typical Maquista word. When a socialite from Lisbon invites you to tea, you say "Iou ving ongsung" (I come by myself). That will baffle her.

Ooi di. Another typical Maquista word used to emphasize "very". eg. "Ooi di saboroso!" (So very very delicious!)

Obrigado. Thank you. Some FM forget and sometimes say "Gracias" (Spanish) instead.

P

Patua. The literature refers to Maquista as a "patua". Do not ever refer to Maquista as "Pidgin Portuguese". That is derogatory and insulting. By the way, it is not "Pigeon Portuguese" either. Pigeons don't speak.

Papa. This is boiled rice, not as watery as "chook" (congee) but more "molhado" (wet) than the bowl of rice at dinner. Cooked with bones or meat balls for example. It is not part of Macanese "haute cuisine" and is usually eaten by children. If you hear a filho de Macau exclaim "I love papa" he is not necessarily talking about his father or the Pope. (PV)

Poofis. Classic Macanese exclamation. eg. "Poofis! Who cooked this?" (implies the food is not saboroso). It is one of the 3 "P" exclamations in Macanese. The other 2 are "Porra" and "Puta", which some may think not too "polite" but in an exclamation they are quite harmless.

Peido. Fart. FM "tirar peido" in Hong Kong but in Portugal they are more inclined to "soltar um peido". This is in the dictionary (Portuguese Dictionary. London, Collins, 1986. Collins Gem dictionary). In the horror movie "Macanese Psycho" the most scary moment is not the "shower scene" as in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" but the "crowded elevator scene" where a breathless voice, gasping for air, barely manages to ask "Keen ja tirar peido?" (Who farted?) (PV)

Q

"Quem sa?" (Whose) (pronounced as "kayng" or "keen" in Maquista). When you gossip about strangers you always ask in Maquista "Quem sa filho?" (Whose son?). You can also say "Filho de quem?". It is important to be socially connected to the right person even if by "six degrees of separation".

R

Recreio. Recreation. Clube de Recreio, a famous FM club in Hong Kong. Because of this club a community of 3,000 "filhos de Macau" dominated lawn bowls, field hockey and softball in Hong Kong. (PV)

Real. The English word "real". Sometimes we say that Filhos de Macau are not "real Portuguese". (When you pronounce "real" emphasize it by dragging it out) Are we then an illusion or a hallucination or a dream? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? (Apologies to Shakespeare's Shylock). It is also said that we do not speak "real Portuguese". Do we then speak "false" Portuguese? What we speak is in fact a creole language, known as Maquista (chapado), which is derived from Portuguese, which is derived from Latin. I assure you it is all quite "real" and that Maquista is a "language" in its own right and not a matter of scorn or derision.

S

Senhor. I always "scompor" (descompor) (scold) Filhos de Macau who write the Spanish "Senor" instead of the Portuguese "Senhor". Of all people they should know better. After the scolding they tell me I am "waah dee fierce" (FM use of English in Hong Kong)

St. Michael's Catholic cemetery in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Before World War II and up to the Sixties this was practically a Macanese/Portuguese cemetery.

Singlet. In North America most people do not know what a singlet is. It is an undershirt, athletic shirt or tank top. The defining feature is that the "kar laak tai" (armpit) is exposed, otherwise it is not a singlet. The singlet was the national costume of the FM male in Hong Kong in summer. On hot days the singlet was rolled up to expose the midriff and belly button, much to the delight of the senhoritas. (PV)

Sapeca. Money. When dining in Portugal and you cannot pay the bill do not say "Nung ting sapeca" ( I have no money). The waiter will not understand. Try using "dinheiro" instead. If the waiter knows Macau he might understand "Nung ting pataca" ( I have no Macau dollar)

T

Tacho. A stew with chicken, pig skin, cabagge and lap cheung (Chinese sausage). Served with balichao (balichung) To be a true FM you must eat it all including the chu pei (pig skin). Please note the Asian ingredients. One of our national dishes. (PV)

Toc Toc. Crazy. Every family has a toc toc person in the family tree but will not admit to it. You go through these stages : preocupado, ansia, nervoso, neurotico and finally to toc toc (worried, anxiety, nervous, neurotic and finally to toc toc)

Tifim. Pronounced "teefeen" meaning "tiffin", a word from colonial India. We used to have tiffin in Hong Kong. Now in North America we have "lunch".

U

Umchinho. Very little. Typical Maquista word. Not in the dictionary. Same as "um poucochinho". At Casa de Macau pot luck dinners FM love to eat umchinho of this and umchinho of that until all the umchinho add up to "tanto" (much)

Uncle. The Macanese Uncle does not have the stature of Auntie in FM matriarchal society. Uncle's purpose in life is to bring home the "pao e manteiga, arroz e balichao" (bread and butter, rice and shrimp paste). During the Golden Age of Macau Uncle chased pirates in the South China Sea, "fazer negocio" (do business, wheel and deal) from Japan to Malacca to Goa to Timor and defended Macau from foreign invasion.

V

Vinho. Wine. When Hong Kong FM visited Macau they brought back a bottle of Portuguese vinho and a tin of Portuguese "paio" (sausage) (PV)

W

Waah! Cantonese expression adopted by the Macanese to show amazement. "Waah! Your home made chilicote (merenda snack) is so good meh!"

X

Xavier. A common surname among the Macanese. Also, St. Francis Xavier's School, known as SFX, in Hong Kong, which many Macanese boys went to.

Xarope. Syrup. Pronounced by FM as "sharopee" or "shiropee". The Macanese make a cool refreshing syrup drink from fig leaves. In the Garden of Eden Adam did not know this so he used fig leaves as a fashion statement.

Y (There is no Y in the Portuguese alphabet. Used only for foreign words used in Portuguese and in international symbols and abbreviations)

Ya. Not in the dictionary. FM love to end their sentences with "Ya". eg. "Never mind ya!" or "Pode ya!" (It's OK, it will do, it can be done!) or the quintessentially Macanese phrase "Falar sao ya!" (If you say so! I am resigned to it!)

Z

Ze. This is short for "Jose". If your name is "Jose" you may be called "Ze" or "Ze Ze".