personal issue

[ˈpɜːrsənəl ˈɪʃuː]
noun phrasepl: personal issues
questão pessoal
1. A private matter or problem that affects an individual, often of a sensitive or intimate nature
I can't attend the meeting because I have a personal issue to deal with.
Não posso participar da reunião porque tenho uma questão pessoal para resolver.
2. An emotional or psychological difficulty that someone is experiencing
He's been struggling with personal issues related to his past.
Ele tem enfrentado questões pessoais relacionadas ao seu passado.
3. A conflict or disagreement between individuals on a non-professional level
Their argument stemmed from personal issues rather than work-related matters.
A discussão deles surgiu de questões pessoais em vez de assuntos profissionais.
In both Brazilian and American contexts, citing 'personal issues' is a socially acceptable way to maintain privacy without providing detailed explanations. In professional settings, it's commonly used to politely decline participation or request time off. In Brazil, while the phrase is understood and used, people may be slightly more direct about personal matters in casual conversation compared to formal American business culture.
NYC Slang
my own thing / my business
Synonyms / Sinônimos
personal matterprivate matterpersonal problemprivate concernpersonal difficulty
Antonyms / Antônimos
public issueprofessional matterwork-related issue

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
questão pessoal
Most common and formal usage
Rio de Janeiro
coisa pessoal
More informal, colloquial variant
São Paulo
assunto pessoal
Formal business context preference
Portugal
questão pessoal
Equivalent usage, same as Brazil

Related Words

personal lifeprivacyconfidentialsensitiveemotionalintimate

Related Idioms & Phrases

keep it personal
take it personally
personal demons
on a personal level
personal baggage
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