Desenrolos

Desenrolos is a Portuguese noun used mainly in informal Brazilian Portuguese to refer to entanglements, complications, or tricky situations. The term is the plural form of desenrolamento from the verb desenrolar, which literally means to unwind, unroll, or sort out. In everyday use, desenrolos describe events, arrangements, or gossip that are messy or require effort to resolve. Related concepts include enredos, confusões, burocracias and trapalhadas.

Etymology and sense

Desenrolar combines des- (a prefix indicating removal or reversal) with enrolar (to roll up or coil). Metaphorically, desenrolar means to straighten out a tangle or to make a situation clear. As a noun, desenrolos can denote the state of being entangled or the process of resolving such entanglements. The term is predominantly heard in colloquial speech and less common in formal writing, though widely understood across Portuguese-speaking regions.

Usage and nuance

Desenrolos often carry a neutral to mildly negative nuance, signaling complications that require attention or negotiation. They can refer to personal, professional, or bureaucratic contexts. For example, one might say: “Os desenrolos do contrato atrasaram o projeto,” meaning the contract complications delayed the project. Alternatively, to describe someone who handles tough situations well, one can encounter phrases like “ele tem bom desenrolar” or “ela desenrola bem as situações,” describing a deftness in navigating problems.

See also

Related terms include enredo, confusão, complicação, papelada, and desenrolar (the verb). Desenrolos can also appear in discussions of social dynamics, workplace dynamics, or narrative plots where multiple subplots create entanglements.