Pronunciation:
r - is a rolling R sound
rr - is a 'h' sound, see 'arrastao' below
ao - is 'ow' (as in 'town'), see arrastao below
eir - in the middle of a word is pronounced 'air'
aqu - in the middle of a word is 'ack', see ataque below
que - in the middle of a work is 'ke', see baqueta below
xi - pronounced 'shi'
nha - pronounced 'nya' or 'ia', see cocorinha below = cocorinya
char - in a word is 'sha', see 'fechar' below
A
Academia - Capoeira school
Aluno - Pupil
Angola - A traditional Capoeira style
Angoleiro - A practitioner of Capoeira Angola
Arame - The metal string of the berimbau.
Arrastão -Capoeira takedown,pulling both legs from under an opponent
Ataque - Attack
Aú - Cartwheel
Atabaque - drum
B
Baqueta - Stick used to play the berimbau
Balanço - Balance part of the basic capoeira move (ginga); torso rocks forward and back as the weight shifts
Bamba - Someone adept at verbal or physical sparring; capoeira expert
Banda - A takedown
Base - initial stance in Capoeira
Batizado - Baptise and grading ceremony
Benção - Frontal kick
Berimbau - Lead instrument used in Capoeira
Brincar - to play like a child
C
Cabaça - The gourd part of the berimbau
Cabecada - Headbutt
Camará - Friend
Capoeirista - Capoeira practitioner
Cavalaria - Berimbau rhythm used to warn capoeiristas that the police were coming
Caxixi - Wooden rattle used with the berimbau
Chamada - "greeting " used in a Angola game/play.
Cocorinha - A technique in squatting position
Comprar o jogô - Buy the game
Contra golpe - counter attack
Cordão/Corda/Cordel - Belt/Rope
Corridos - Verses
D
Dá volta ao munto - Walk around the earth (Rodan), (A technique in Capoeira to let the person rest)
Defensa - Defence
Dobrão - Coin used to play the berimbau
E
Esquiva - Defensive position
F
Fechar o corpo - Closed body (A way for the capoeirista to protect himself while playing.)
Floreios - Acrobatic movements
Formatura - Grading of a new master
G
Ginga - The fundamental capoeira movement
Golpe - Kick
J
Jogador - Player
Jogar - (to) play
Jogo - Game
L
Ladainha - Opening vocals in an Angola game
Ligeiro - Fast, Quick thinking
M
Maculelê - War dance were one uses sticks or facão (machetes, knives)
Malandragem - Hooliganism, shady activities; synonym for capoeira play
Malandro - Hooligan,street tough, hoodlum, scoundrel, con man,bad guy
Malicia - Malice
Mandigueiro - Healer
Martelo - Round kick
Meia-lua de Compasso - Low spinning kick, a half-moon of the compass
Mestre - Champ, master
Moeda - coin used to play the berimbau.
Moleque - Street urchin
N
Nome de guerra - Warname, nickname
Negativa - Negative, position on floor with one leg outstretched used to initiate floor movements
P
Pandeiro - Like a tambourine but with a drum skin.
Patuá - Protective amulet
Pé - Foot
Pião de mão - To spin on one hand.
Q
Queda - Takedown (this term , unlike 'banda') is not exclusive to capoeira
Quilombo - The refuge of escaped slaves
R
Rasteira - A sweep intended to bring down an opponent
Regional - A modern style of Capoeira
Roda - The circle were Capoeira is played
S
Saída - Exit
Samba duro - Hard Samba
Sequencia - Sequence of movements
T
Tocar - To play music
V
Vadiação - Old word for Capoeira
Vadiar- Hang out
