Atrapalhas

Atrapalhas is a term found in Portuguese-language usage that does not point to a single, universally recognized concept. In its most common function, atrapalhas is the second-person singular present indicative form of the verb atrapalhar, meaning to hinder or obstruct. In everyday speech, it describes someone who hinders an ongoing action, as in informal dialects that preserve the tu form (tu atrapalhas). In regions where the standard form uses the você construction, the corresponding form is atrapalha.

Etymology and note on form: The word derives from atrapalhar, a regular Portuguese verb, with conjugation that produces the second-person singular form atrapalhas in dialects that use the informal tu. It is less common to encounter atrapalhas as a standalone noun in standard reference usage, and it is not established as a fixed proper noun in mainstream sources.

Cultural and reference status: There are no widely cited, canonical uses of Atrapalhas as a place name, character, or title in major encyclopedias or dictionaries. When encountered as a name, it tends to be a localized or fictional usage specific to a particular work or setting, rather than a broadly documented term.

See also: atrapalhar; Portuguese verbs of hindrance.