piscar

Piscar is a Portuguese verb meaning to blink or to flicker. It is used for both the natural action of closing and opening the eyelids and for the intermittent glow of light sources. When referring to people, it commonly appears with the eyes as the object: “pisco os olhos” means “I blink my eyes.” When referring to lights, “a lâmpada pisca” describes a flicker or irregular glow.

Common phrases include “piscar os olhos” (to blink), “piscar o olho” (to wink), and the noun “piscada” (a blink or wink). The expression “uma piscada de luz” describes a brief flicker of light. The gerund form “piscando” can describe an ongoing action: “Ele está piscando os olhos” or “A lâmpada está piscando.”

Usage notes: the verb is regular in the -ar conjugation. Present tense forms include eu pisco, tu piscas, ele pisca, nós piscamos, eles piscam. Past forms such as eu p exc ei? (pisquei), piscaste, piscou (I blinked, you blinked, he blinked) are standard. In Brazilian Portuguese, piscar can also carry a figurative sense, such as a quick, playful hint or a way to attract attention through a wink or a momentary signal. In all uses, the meaning relies on an action involving rapid closure and opening, whether of eyelids or of a light’s cycle.