Portuguese Phrase
Fiquei com inveja do sucesso dela.
Meaning
This phrase describes the feeling of envy or jealousy triggered by another person's accomplishments. The verb 'ficar' is used here to indicate a state that the speaker entered or a reaction they had to specific news. It conveys a personal, often temporary, emotional response to someone else's gain.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal settings when discussing your feelings about someone else's achievements. It is common in heart-to-heart conversations with friends or when reflecting on personal growth and competitive feelings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Fiqueicominvejadosucessodela
Ficar com
This construction is used to express 'to become' or 'to feel' an emotion or physical state.
Contraction 'do'
The preposition 'de' (of) merges with the masculine article 'o' (the) to form 'do' before 'sucesso'.
🗨In Conversation
A Ana acabou de ganhar um prêmio internacional.
Ana just won an international award.
Nossa, fiquei com inveja do sucesso dela.
Wow, I was jealous of her success.
✕Common Mistakes
Fiquei inveja do sucesso dela.
In Portuguese, you must use the preposition 'com' (with) between 'ficar' and the emotion 'inveja'.
Fiquei com inveja para o sucesso dela.
The correct preposition to use after 'inveja' is 'de', which contracts with 'o' to become 'do'.
↔Alternatives
Senti inveja do sucesso dela.
I felt envy of her success.
Estou com uma invejinha do sucesso dela.
I'm a little bit jealous of her success.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, people sometimes use the term 'inveja branca' (white envy) to describe a 'good' kind of jealousy where they are happy for the person but wish they had the same thing. However, using the standard phrase is quite common among close friends to express honest feelings without necessarily implying malice.