← Back to Fala2Me
be stingy
[/bi ˈstɪndʒi/]
verb phrase
ser mesquinho
1.
to be unwilling to spend money or give generously; to be miserly or cheap
He always begs for discounts and never leaves tips—he can really be stingy.
Ele sempre pede descontos e nunca deixa gorjetas—ele pode ser bem mesquinho.
2.
to be reluctant to give or share something in limited quantities
Don't be stingy with the salt when cooking this dish.
Não seja mesquinho com o sal ao cozinhar este prato.
NYC Slang
be cheap / be a cheapskate
Synonyms
be miserly
be cheap
be tight-fisted
be parsimonious
be frugal to excess
Antonyms
be generous
be liberal
be lavish
be open-handed
Regional Variations
General Brazilian
ser mesquinho
most common usage across Brazil
Brazil
ser avarento
common colloquial alternative
Brazil
ser mão-de-vaca
very informal/slang expression
Portugal
ser pão-duro
colloquial Portuguese expression
Related Idioms & Phrases
tighten the purse strings
watch the pennies
pinch pennies
não soltar a bolsa
amarrado
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →