# The term "Beijos" in Portugeuse

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-term-beijos-in-portugeuse/492421>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 8, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-term-beijos-in-portugeuse/492421 "2009-04-08T19:44:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-term-beijos-in-portugeuse/492421/1 "2009-04-08T19:44:19Z")

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I know that the word literally means “kisses” but when it is used as a salutation, is it more of a friendly type of kisses, or is it exclusively a romantic thing?

Thanks…

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**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-term-beijos-in-portugeuse/492421/2 "2009-04-08T19:52:13Z")

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> [@jtgain](#):
>
> I know that the word literally means “kisses” but when it is used as a salutation, is it more of a friendly type of kisses, or is it exclusively a romantic thing?
> 
> Thanks..

I hear it from many females who aren’t my wife, so it’s more of a friendly thing.

…Just called her and verified: friendly kisses, and it’s OK for a woman to say this to a woman, man to woman, woman to man, but not man to a man.

Similar to the rules for giving those little kisses on the cheek when greeting.

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-term-beijos-in-portugeuse/492421/3 "2009-04-08T20:03:26Z")

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> [@minor7flat5](#):
>
> I hear it from many females who aren’t my wife, so it’s more of a friendly thing.
> 
> …Just called her and verified: friendly kisses, and it’s OK for a woman to say this to a woman, man to woman, woman to man, but not man to a man.
> 
> Similar to the rules for giving those little kisses on the cheek when greeting.

Same in Spanish. Except that a guy can say it jokingly to another guy. Even funnier if used in diminutive.

Besitos

Sailor

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**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-term-beijos-in-portugeuse/492421/4 "2009-04-09T14:10:20Z")

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Many thanks for the answers.