The Falando Atlas of Brazilian Portuguese
bola de gude, peteca, bila, bolita, búrica, biloca, birosca or boleba — bola de gude (nationwide); peteca (the North); bila (the Northeast); bolita (the South); búrica (the South); biloca (Minas Gerais, the South); birosca (Minas Gerais); boleba (Rio de Janeiro).
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Approximate. Usage varies by age, social group and context; a word can be heard outside the highlighted area.
Bola de gude (often bolinha de gude) is the nationwide umbrella term, but ALiB's question 156 reveals strong regional layers. Peteca dominates the Amazonian dialect area; bila is a major Northeastern answer; and the South has bolita, búrica and biloca alongside bola de gude. Minas records a cluster of birosca/biloca/bilosca, while the Fluminense area records boleba.
These are survey frequencies, not borders. Children can know several names, and the ordinary meaning of peteca is still the hand-struck shuttlecock. The map paints the strongest documented association first and shows lower-frequency forms as “also used.”
| Word | Meaning | Where it is most associated | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| bola de gude | marble | Understood everywhere in Brazil. | neutral |
| peteca | shuttlecock, marble | the North — Strongly associated | neutral |
| bila | marble | the Northeast — More common here | informal |
| bolita | marble | the South — More common here | informal |
| búrica | marble | the South — Also used here | informal |
| biloca | marble | Minas Gerais — Also used here; the South — Also used here | informal |
| birosca | corner shop, dive bar, marble | Minas Gerais — Also used here | slang |
| boleba | marble | Rio de Janeiro — More common here | informal |
marble
The nationwide umbrella term. ALiB found regional alternatives, but bola/bolinha de gude remains the most widely distributed answer.
As crianças jogam bola de gude na calçada.The children play marbles on the sidewalk.
Understood everywhere in Brazil.
shuttlecock, marble
Peteca normally names the hand-struck shuttlecock nationwide. In the Amazonian dialect area, ALiB also records it as the dominant name for a glass marble.
A Ana levou a peteca para brincar no parque.Ana took the shuttlecock to play in the park.
marble
A characteristic Northeastern name for a marble. In the ALiB comparison it was the region’s second-largest response group, behind bola/bolinha de gude.
No Nordeste, as crianças também chamam a bola de gude de bila.In the Northeast, children also call a marble bila.
marble
A Southern name for a marble, clearly documented in ALiB data. Bola de gude is still more frequent across the South, so bolita is regional rather than exclusive.
No Sul, bolita é um nome comum para bola de gude.In the South, bolita is a common name for a marble.
marble
A documented Southern alternative for a marble. It is less frequent than bola de gude and bolita, and boundaries inside the South are soft.
Em partes do Sul, você pode ouvir búrica no jogo de bolinhas de gude.In parts of the South, you may hear búrica in a game of marbles.
marble
One of the biloca/bilosca forms documented in Minas Gerais and also present at lower frequency in the South.
Em Minas Gerais, biloca pode significar bola de gude.In Minas Gerais, biloca can mean a marble.
corner shop, dive bar, marble
Birosca usually means a tiny shop or dive bar. The ALiB Minas data also record birosca among local names for a marble; that secondary sense is what this map shows.
Vou na birosca comprar pão.I'm going to the corner shop to buy bread.
marble
A Fluminense name for a marble documented in the ALiB comparison. It coexists with the nationwide bola de gude.
No Rio de Janeiro, boleba é um nome regional para bola de gude.In Rio de Janeiro, boleba is a regional name for a marble.
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