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pick up a habit

[pɪk ʌp ə ˈhæbɪt]
verb phrase
adquirir um hábito
1. To begin doing something regularly or repeatedly, often unintentionally or without planning
I picked up a habit of drinking coffee every morning during my college years.
Adquiri o hábito de beber café todas as manhãs durante meus anos de faculdade.
2. To start a new practice or custom, especially one that becomes difficult to break
She picked up a habit of biting her nails when she was stressed.
Ela adquiriu o hábito de roer as unhas quando estava estressada.
Synonyms
develop a habitget into a habitform a habitacquire a habitfall into a habit
Antonyms
break a habitquit a habitdrop a habit

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
adquirir um hábito / pegar um hábito
Both forms are commonly used in Brazilian Portuguese
São Paulo
pegar um hábito
More colloquial usage preferred
Rio de Janeiro
adquirir um hábito / pegar um vício
Can also use 'vício' if referring to bad habits
Portugal
adquirir um hábito / ganhar o hábito de
More formal usage; 'ganhar o hábito' also acceptable

Related Idioms & Phrases

fall into a habit
get into a rut
become a creature of habit
break bad
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