Where it is said
- the North· strongly associated
- the Northeast· more common here
- Minas Gerais· more common here
How it is used
A bang or blast — a firework, a burst tyre, an explosion. Aulete also records a figurative use meaning 'first-rate, spectacular' ('uma festa de papoco'), so context matters.
Examples
Deu um papoco na cozinha.
There was a huge bang in the kitchen.
O fogos deram um papoco danado.
The fireworks made a hell of a bang.
Pulei quando ouvi aquele papoco.
I jumped when I heard that bang.
Practise “papoco” in context
Hear it, use it in a sentence and get corrected — Falando’s Real Talk and Idioms Trainer are built for words like this. Free for 7 days.