Phrase · 🎶 Cultural references & allusions

Isso é puro complexo de vira-lata.

That's just our national inferiority complex talking.

C2cultural critiqueAudio · coming soon

Why every word is where it is

Issopronounthatmasc. · sing.éverbisser · present · 3rd sing.puroadjectivepure, sheermasc. · sing.complexo1nouncomplexmasc. · sing.deprepositionof, fromvira-lata1nounmongrel (lit. can-tipper)masc. · sing..

complexo → vira-lata: complexo de vira-lata
puro → complexo: puro + noun = sheer

Why it's built this way

The notes match the numbers above.

1
Nelson Rodrigues's term (1958) for Brazilians' habit of feeling inferior to foreigners; born after the 1950 World Cup defeat.