Portuguese Phrase
Usa uma frigideira bem quente.
Meaning
The sentence is a cooking instruction telling someone to use a skillet that is very hot. It emphasizes the temperature needed for a quick sear or to prevent food from sticking.
When to use
You’ll find this phrase in recipe books, cooking videos, or when a friend gives you a quick tip in the kitchen. It’s informal, so it’s best used with people you know well or in written recipes.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Usaumafrigideirabemquente
Imperativo (tu)
‘Usa’ is the informal second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘usar’, used in casual speech and recipes.
Artigo indefinido
‘uma’ agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) with ‘frigideira’.
Advérbio de intensidade
‘bem’ intensifies the adjective that follows, meaning ‘very’ or ‘quite’.
Adjetivo posposto
In Portuguese adjectives often follow the noun; ‘quente’ describes the pan.
🗨In Conversation
Como faço o ovo frito perfeito?
How do I make the perfect fried egg?
Usa uma frigideira bem quente.
Use a very hot pan.
✕Common Mistakes
Usa uma frigideira bem quente.
When speaking formally or to someone you don’t know well, use the formal imperative ‘Use’.
Usa um frigideira bem quente.
‘Frigideira’ is feminine; the article must be ‘uma’, not ‘um’.
Usa uma frigideira quente.
If you want to stress the temperature, add the adverb ‘bem’; ‘Usa uma frigideira quente’ is correct but less emphatic.
↔Alternatives
Use uma panela bem quente.
Use a very hot pot.
Empregue uma frigideira bem quente.
Employ a very hot skillet.
Coloque a frigideira bem quente.
Put a very hot skillet.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese the informal imperative ‘Usa’ is common in recipes and among friends. In a more formal context (e.g., a cooking class) you would use ‘Use’. Also, ‘frigideira’ is the typical word for a skillet, while ‘panela’ can refer to a deeper pot.