cantar

Senses

1. 1.

   to sing

   to produce musical sounds with the voice

2. 2.

   to chirp; to cry out

   to make characteristic sounds (of birds, animals)

3. 3.

   to confess; to squeal

   to reveal secrets or information under pressure (slang/informal)

Examples

• "Ela canta muito bem."

  She sings very well.

• "Os pássaros cantam ao amanhecer."

  The birds sing at dawn.

• "O bandido cantou e revelou tudo à polícia."

  The criminal squealed and revealed everything to the police.

Usage

Standard, everyday verb. The sense of "to confess/squeal" is informal/slang, common in crime narratives. Regular -ar conjugation. Often used reflexively in the sense of "to sing one's praises" (cantar-se).