Portuguese Phrase
Toca no ícone do app.
Meaning
A direct command meaning ‘Tap the app’s icon.’ It is used when giving someone a quick, practical instruction on a smartphone or tablet.
When to use
Use this phrase in tech‑related tutorials, onboarding screens, or when you’re helping a friend navigate a device. It’s informal, so it fits casual conversation or spoken instructions.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tocanoíconedoapp
Imperative (tocar)
‘Toca’ is the informal second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘tocar’ (to touch/tap).
Contraction ‘no’
‘no’ = ‘em + o’, used to indicate location – ‘on the …’.
Noun gender – ícone
‘ícone’ is masculine; the article ‘o’ is hidden inside the contraction ‘no’.
Contraction ‘do’
‘do’ = ‘de + o’, linking the noun ‘ícone’ to the complement ‘app’.
Borrowed word ‘app’
‘app’ (short for ‘aplicativo’) is usually treated as masculine in Brazilian Portuguese, so the correct contraction is ‘do app’.
🗨In Conversation
Como eu abro o aplicativo?
How do I open the app?
Toca no ícone do app.
Tap the app icon.
✕Common Mistakes
Toca no ícone da app.
‘app’ is usually treated as masculine, so the correct contraction is ‘do app’, not ‘da app’.
Toca no ícone do app.
In very formal written instructions you might prefer ‘pressione’, but ‘toca’ is perfectly natural in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
↔Alternatives
Pressione o ícone do aplicativo.
Press the application’s icon.
Clique no ícone do app.
Click on the app icon.
Toque no ícone do app.
Touch the app icon.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘tocar’ is the everyday verb for tapping a screen, while in Portugal people often say ‘pressionar’ or ‘clicar’. The informal ‘app’ is common in spoken language; in formal writing you’ll see ‘aplicativo’. Keep the register in mind: use ‘toca’ with friends or in tutorials, but switch to ‘pressione’ for a more formal manual.