ser básico; ser comum; ser ordinário
1. To lack originality, sophistication, or depth; to conform to mainstream or conventional standards
That outfit is so basic; everyone wears the same thing.
Aquele outfit é tão básico; todo mundo usa a mesma coisa.
2. To have simple, unsophisticated tastes or preferences
He's being basic with his music choices—just listening to pop songs everyone knows.
Ele está sendo básico com suas escolhas musicais—apenas ouvindo músicas pop que todos conhecem.
3. To behave in a stereotypical or unoriginal manner
Stop being basic and try something different for once.
Deixe de ser básico e tente algo diferente por uma vez.
This phrase emerged from African-American vernacular in the 2010s and became widespread in American pop culture through social media. In Brazil, it has been adopted primarily by younger, urban populations familiar with English-language internet culture. The term can be considered mildly derogatory when used about people, though it's often used humorously or self-deprecatingly. In Portugal, the direct translation is less commonly used in casual speech.
NYC Slang
be basic; be basic af
Related Idioms & Phrases
basic bitch (pejorative term for someone considered unoriginal)
that's so basic (expressing dismissal of something conventional)
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