act naturally

[/ækt ˈnætʃərəli/]
verb phrase
agir naturalmente
1. to behave in a normal, unforced, or genuine manner without pretense or artificiality
Just act naturally and don't worry about the camera.
Apenas aja naturalmente e não se preocupe com a câmera.
2. to behave in one's typical way; to not change one's behavior or appear nervous
When the police arrived, she told him to act naturally so they wouldn't suspect anything.
Quando a polícia chegou, ela lhe disse para agir naturalmente para que não desconfiassem de nada.
This phrase is commonly used in both American and Brazilian cultures as advice to remain calm and authentic in social situations, particularly when someone is nervous or being observed. In Brazil, it's often used in casual contexts to encourage friends to relax and be genuine. In the US, it's frequently used in awkward situations or when someone might be suspected of wrongdoing.
NYC Slang
keep it real / don't fake it
Synonyms / Sinônimos
be yourselfact normalbehave naturallybe authenticstay calm
Antonyms / Antônimos
pretendfake itact unnaturallyput on an actbe artificial

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
agir naturalmente
most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
age naturalmente / seja você mesmo
casual colloquial usage
São Paulo
agir naturalmente / não finja
direct and practical approach
Portugal
agir naturalmente / portar-se naturalmente
more formal variant used in European Portuguese

Related Words

genuineauthenticunforcedspontaneousuninhibited

Related Idioms & Phrases

be yourself
let your hair down
be true to yourself
play it cool
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →