Portuguese Phrase
Isso me dá nojo.
Meaning
Literally ‘That gives me disgust.’ It is the natural way to say that something makes you feel repulsed or sickened.
When to use
Use this phrase when you react to something you find gross, offensive, or morally repugnant – a smell, a sight, a behavior, or even a piece of news.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Issomedánojo
Isso (demonstrative pronoun)
Points to something previously mentioned or visible; works like 'that' in English.
me (indirect object pronoun)
Indicates the person who experiences the feeling; placed before the verb in standard order.
dá (verb dar, 3rd‑person singular present)
In this construction ‘dar + feeling noun’ means ‘to cause/bring a feeling.’
nojo (noun)
Means ‘disgust, revulsion.’ Used after ‘dar’ to express that something makes you feel disgusted.
🗨In Conversation
Você viu o vídeo daquele inseto gigante?
Did you see that video of the giant insect?
Isso me dá nojo.
That disgusts me.
✕Common Mistakes
Isso me da nojo.
Missing the accent changes the meaning to the verb ‘to give’ in the third person without indicating present tense.
Isso é nojo.
‘Ser’ cannot be used to express a feeling caused by something; use ‘dar’ or ‘enojar.’
Isso te dá nojo.
‘Te’ means ‘to you’; if you are talking about your own reaction, keep ‘me.’
↔Alternatives
Isso me causa nojo.
That causes me disgust.
Isso me enoja.
That makes me feel disgusted.
Isso me repulsa.
That repulses me.
Cultural Tip
‘Dar nojo’ is informal and very common in everyday Brazilian Portuguese. In more formal writing you might prefer ‘enojar’ or ‘repulsar.’ In Portugal the expression is understood but less frequent; speakers there often say ‘isso me dá repulsa.’