Phrase · 🧩 Everyday idioms
Ele está com a pulga atrás da orelha.
He smells a rat.
C2expressing suspicioninformalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Elepronounhe, it3rd sing.está1verbisestar · present · 3rd sing.com1prepositionwithadeterminertheo · fem. · sing. · definitepulga1nounfleafem. · sing.atrásadverbbehinddaprepositionof thede + a · fem. · sing. · definiteorelhanounearfem. · sing..
- está → pulga: estar com a pulga atrás da orelha
- atrás → orelha: atrás da orelha
Word for word: “He has the flea behind his ear.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1«estar com a pulga atrás da orelha» = to be suspicious. Spanish uses a fly (la mosca).