para inglês ver

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• pra inglês ver

Etymology

Literally, “for the English to see”. Different historical origins proposed. A popular one connects the expression to the fact that, when England pressured Brazil to end slave trade in the 19th century, the government enacted anti-slavery laws that weren't applied in practice, but still convinced the English that there was some progress against slave trade.

Adjective

para inglês ver (invariable)

1. (idiomatic, especially of laws) mostly demagogic or symbolic and with little to no effect in practice