be tight

[/bi/ /taɪt/]
verb phrase
estar apertado; estar justo; estar difícil
1. to have little money; to be in financial difficulties
Money has been tight since I lost my job.
O dinheiro tem estado apertado desde que perdi meu emprego.
2. to be firmly or closely fixed or fastened
Make sure the bolt is tight before you drive.
Certifique-se de que o parafuso está bem apertado antes de dirigir.
3. to be in a difficult or strained situation
The schedule is tight, but we can make it work.
O cronograma está apertado, mas podemos fazer funcionar.
4. to have a close friendship or relationship
Those two have been tight since childhood.
Aqueles dois são amigos desde a infância.
5. to be emotionally tense or stressed
She felt tight in her chest from the anxiety.
Ela sentiu o peito apertado pela ansiedade.
In both American and Brazilian cultures, 'be tight' is commonly used to describe financial hardship, especially in informal conversation. The slang meaning about close friendships is more prevalent in American English and younger Brazilian Portuguese speakers. In both cultures, it can describe physical tension or stress-related sensations.
NYC Slang
be broke; be struggling; be close (for relationships)
Synonyms / Sinônimos
be strainedbe difficultbe limitedbe securebe firmbe close
Antonyms / Antônimos
be loosebe relaxedbe abundantbe comfortable

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
estar apertado; estar justo
most common usage for financial constraints
Rio de Janeiro
estar apertado; estar na fita
informal expression for being in financial difficulty
São Paulo
estar apertado; estar difícil
used similarly to general Brazilian Portuguese
Portugal
estar apertado; estar difícil; estar justo
similar meanings but with slightly different frequency of use

Related Words

tightentightnesstight spotbudget constraintclose friendshipfinancial difficulty

Related Idioms & Phrases

in a tight spot
in a tight corner
tight as a drum
hold tight
keep a tight rein on something
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →