Portuguese Phrase
Encoste já. Desliga o motor. Deixa ele esfriar.
Meaning
These three short commands are given when a vehicle is overheating. The speaker tells the driver to pull the car over immediately, turn the engine off, and allow the engine to cool before checking the problem.
When to use
Use this phrase on the roadside when a car starts to overheat, after a long climb, or when a mechanic asks you to stop the vehicle for safety. It’s also useful in driving‑school role‑plays that simulate emergency situations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Encoste jáDesliga o motorDeixa ele esfriar
Imperative of regular -ar verbs
For verbs ending in -ar, the affirmative imperative for 'tu' drops the final -r and adds -e (e.g., encostar → encoste).
Já = immediately
The adverb já adds urgency, meaning ‘right now’ or ‘already’.
Object article o
In Portuguese the definite article o is used before masculine singular nouns like motor.
Deixar + infinitive
Deixar followed by a pronoun and an infinitive expresses permission or suggestion: ‘let him/it …’
Pronoun placement
When a personal pronoun follows a verb in the affirmative, it is attached with a hyphen (deixa‑o). In informal speech the pronoun can appear after the verb as a separate word (deixa ele).
🗨In Conversation
Encoste já. Desliga o motor. Deixa ele esfriar.
Pull over now. Turn off the engine. Let it cool down.
Ok, vou fazer isso agora.
Okay, I’ll do that right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Desliga o motor.
In formal Portuguese the imperative for ‘tu’ should be ‘Desliga‑o’ or ‘Desligue o motor’ (formal you).
Deixa ele esfriar.
The clitic pronoun should be attached: ‘Deixe‑o esfriar’ (formal) or ‘Deixa‑o esfriar’ (informal).
Encoste já.
If you want a more polite command, use ‘Encoste‑se já’ (reflexive) or ‘Pare já’. ‘Encoste’ is informal and used mainly in Brazil.
↔Alternatives
Pare aqui agora. Apague o motor. Deixe‑o esfriar.
Stop here now. Turn the engine off. Let it cool.
Estacione imediatamente. Desligue o motor. Deixe o carro esfriar.
Park immediately. Switch off the engine. Let the car cool.
Pare o carro já. Desligue o motor. Deixe esfriar.
Stop the car now. Turn off the engine. Let it cool.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, when a car overheats drivers are taught to pull over in a safe spot, turn off the ignition and wait at least 10‑15 minutes before opening the hood. Opening a hot engine too early can cause burns or damage the cooling system. The informal pronoun placement (deixa ele) is common in spoken Portuguese, but in formal writing the clitic form (deixe‑o) is preferred.