palpitar

Senses

1. 1.

   to palpitate, to throb

   to beat rapidly or strongly (heart)

2. 2.

   to guess, to have a hunch

   to make an intuitive prediction or guess (informal)

3. 3.

   to give unsolicited opinions

   to meddle or opine without being asked (colloquial, often negative)

Examples

• "Meu coração começou a palpitar quando vi o resultado da prova."

  My heart started to palpitate when I saw the test result.

• "Eu palpito que vai chover amanhã."

  I have a hunch it's going to rain tomorrow.

• "Ele adora palpitar nos assuntos dos outros."

  He loves to give his opinion on other people's business.

Usage

The literal meaning refers to heart palpitations, but colloquially "palpitar" is very common in informal Brazilian Portuguese meaning "to give one's two cents" or make a guess. The noun form "palpite" (hunch, guess, tip) is extremely common. When used for meddling, it often carries a slightly negative connotation of interfering.