get monotonous

[/ɡɛt məˈnɑːtənəs/]
verb phrase
ficar monótono / tornar-se monótono / virar monótono
1. to become tedious, repetitive, or lacking in variety; to cease being interesting or engaging
The daily routine started to get monotonous after a few weeks.
A rotina diária começou a ficar monótona após algumas semanas.
2. to gradually lose appeal or become dull through repetition
Watching the same TV show every night can get monotonous.
Assistir ao mesmo programa de TV toda noite pode se tornar monótono.
In both American and Brazilian contexts, this phrase is commonly used to describe the fatigue with repetitive tasks, entertainment, or relationships. It reflects a cultural emphasis on novelty and variety as desirable qualities. In Brazil, it's often used in casual conversation about work, relationships, or entertainment, with 'ficar chato' being more colloquial and friendly than the formal 'monotonous.'
NYC Slang
gets old / gets played out / becomes a drag
Synonyms / Sinônimos
become tediousgrow dullturn repetitivebecome boringget tiresomegrow wearisome
Antonyms / Antônimos
get interestingbecome engaginggrow excitingturn captivating

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
ficar monótono / ficar chato
Most common in everyday speech; 'ficar chato' is more colloquial
Rio de Janeiro
virar chato / ficar sem graça
More informal and conversational usage
São Paulo
ficar monótono / virar maçante
'Maçante' is commonly used in the region
Portugal
ficar monótono / tornar-se aborrecido
Portuguese Portuguese favors 'aborrecido' over 'chato'

Related Words

monotonymonotonoustediousrepetitivedullboringvarietystimulation

Related Idioms & Phrases

same old, same old
get into a rut
go through the motions
day in, day out
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →