I know a few in Portuguese. Most of them are… well, bad. Dad joke tier*.
P: Por que chama-se “umbigo”? R: Porque só tem um. Se tivesse dois, seria “doisbigo”. Q: Why is it called “belly button” (umbigo)? A: Because you only got one (um); if you got two (dois), it would be [non-existent word, roughly “belly buttwo”].
P: Que palavra com oito letras continua tendo oito depois de tirar quatro? A: “Biscoito”. Q: Which eight-letters word still has eight (oito) after you remove four letters? A: “Biscoito” (biscuit or cookie, depending on dialect).
P: Por que o três e o sete não se casam? A: Porque são primos. Q: Why don’t the three and the seven marry? A: Because they’re cousins / primes (both “primos”).
Toc, toc. Knock knock
Quem é? Who’s it?
Vinte. Twenty.
Que vinte? Twenty what?
Vim te dizer para abrir a porta. I came tell you to open the door.
I’ll share this joke here as a language curiosity, but do note it relies on homophobic wordplay, so discretion is advised.
P: Se H₂O é água e H₂O₂ é água oxigenada, o que é H₂O₂₄? R: Água fresca! Q: If H₂O is water and H₂O₂ is hydrogen peroxide (lit. “oxygenated water”), what’s H₂O₂₄? A: Fresh water!
This joke is based on a chain of references:
24 = the number of the deer (veado) in a certain popular, illegal gambling game (jogo do bicho, or “critters’ game”).
veado (deer) / viado = slang for homosexual
fresco = literally “fresh”, but also slang for “effeminate”
*they’re locally known as “piadinhas do tio do pavê” (layer cake’s uncle’s jokes). The name is also based on wordplay, albeit it doesn’t involve numbers:
[Someone] Fiz pavê! I made some layer cake!
[Someone else] É pavê ou para comer? Is it [a layer cake / to see it], or to eat it?
It relies on “pavê” /pa’ve/ (layer cake) being homophone with “para ver” /paɾa 'veɾ/~/pa’ve/ (to see), depending on how you pronounce the later.
Seeing the skillful translations of things that very explicitly require the syntax/context of the source language is always a treat, these were very good.
I know a few in Portuguese. Most of them are… well, bad. Dad joke tier*.
P: Por que chama-se “umbigo”? R: Porque só tem um. Se tivesse dois, seria “doisbigo”.
Q: Why is it called “belly button” (umbigo)? A: Because you only got one (um); if you got two (dois), it would be [non-existent word, roughly “belly buttwo”].
P: Que palavra com oito letras continua tendo oito depois de tirar quatro? A: “Biscoito”.
Q: Which eight-letters word still has eight (oito) after you remove four letters? A: “Biscoito” (biscuit or cookie, depending on dialect).
P: Por que o três e o sete não se casam? A: Porque são primos.
Q: Why don’t the three and the seven marry? A: Because they’re cousins / primes (both “primos”).
Note: “vinte” /vĩte/ = twenty; “vim te” /vĩ te/ = “I came” + “you” (object).
Content warning: bigoted wordplay
I’ll share this joke here as a language curiosity, but do note it relies on homophobic wordplay, so discretion is advised.
P: Se H₂O é água e H₂O₂ é água oxigenada, o que é H₂O₂₄? R: Água fresca!
Q: If H₂O is water and H₂O₂ is hydrogen peroxide (lit. “oxygenated water”), what’s H₂O₂₄? A: Fresh water!
This joke is based on a chain of references:
*they’re locally known as “piadinhas do tio do pavê” (layer cake’s uncle’s jokes). The name is also based on wordplay, albeit it doesn’t involve numbers:
It relies on “pavê” /pa’ve/ (layer cake) being homophone with “para ver” /paɾa 'veɾ/~/pa’ve/ (to see), depending on how you pronounce the later.
Seeing the skillful translations of things that very explicitly require the syntax/context of the source language is always a treat, these were very good.
Thanks! Glad it was enjoyable.