rolar

Rolar is a Portuguese verb that primarily describes moving something by rolling or turning it over and over. It is used both in literal senses, for physical motion, and in figurative or specialized contexts, such as games and digital interfaces. The word is common across Portuguese-speaking communities, especially in Brazilian Portuguese.

Etymology and form: Rolar derives from the noun rolo (roll), which in turn comes from Latin rotulus, meaning a small roll or scroll. The verb is regular in its conjugation, described by standard -ar verb endings.

Literal usage: In everyday speech, rolar describes objects moving along a surface due to rolling action. Examples include “A bola rolou pelo chão” (The ball rolled across the floor) and “O carro rola pela estrada” (The car rolls along the road). The sense emphasizes a rolling motion rather than a sliding or lifting action.

Gaming and probability: In gaming contexts, rolar dados refers to rolling dice to generate random results. This usage is common in role-playing games, board games, and other activities that depend on dice outcomes; for example, “Vamos rolar os dados para ver quem começa.”

Computing and digital media: In digital and online environments, rolar is used to describe scrolling content on a screen. Common expressions include “rolar a página” or “rolar o feed” to indicate moving content vertically.

See also: rolar in relation to other motion verbs, and the related noun rolagem (the act of rolling).