Pegajoso vs. grudento vs. adesivo
While pegajoso, grudento, and adesivo can all be translated as sticky in English, they denote different types of adhesion and textures in Portuguese. Pegajoso and grudento generally refer to messy or unpleasant substances, often differing slightly in frequency between Brazil and Portugal, while adesivo describes a functional or technical property of a material intended to stick.
Pegajoso
B1This word describes something covered in a viscous, slimy, or gummy substance that feels unpleasant to the touch. It is often used for liquids that have dried partially (like spilled juice) or for the feeling of sweat on the skin. It captures the texture of gooeyness. This term is widely used in both Brazil and Portugal.
O chão da cozinha ficou pegajoso depois que derrubei o refrigerante.
(The kitchen floor became sticky after I spilled the soda.)
Não gosto de usar este creme porque deixa as minhas mãos pegajosas.
(I do not like using this cream because it leaves my hands sticky.)
O clima tropical faz com que a roupa fique pegajosa de suor.
(The tropical climate makes clothes feel sticky with sweat.)
A massa do bolo está muito pegajosa e precisa de mais farinha.
(The cake batter is too sticky and needs more flour.)
Grudento
B1Derived from the verb grudar (to glue/stick), this word describes something that sticks enthusiastically or completely. It is very similar to pegajoso but emphasizes the strength of the bond rather than just the texture. It is extremely common in Brazil for everyday messes (like melted candy). In Portugal, while understood, pegajoso is often preferred for general stickiness, making grudento sound slightly more informal or Brazilian in frequency.
Lave o rosto, ele está todo grudento de chocolate.
(Wash your face, it is all sticky with chocolate.)
O arroz ficou papa e muito grudento.
(The rice got mushy and very sticky.)
Pisei numa pastilha elástica e o sapato ficou grudento.
(I stepped on chewing gum and the shoe became sticky.)
Esse caramelo é tão grudento que cola nos dentes.
(This caramel is so sticky that it sticks to your teeth.)
Adesivo
B2This is a more formal or technical term referring to the chemical or physical property of being able to adhere to surfaces. Unlike the previous words, adesivo implies a positive, intended function (like glue, tape, or cement) rather than an accidental mess. It is used identically in both Brazil and Portugal.
Precisamos de uma fita com um lado adesivo mais forte.
(We need a tape with a stronger sticky side.)
Este material não é naturalmente adesivo, precisamos de cola.
(This material is not naturally sticky, we need glue.)
O penso rápido perdeu a sua capacidade adesiva na água.
(The bandage lost its sticky capacity in the water.)
Usei uma substância adesiva industrial para consertar o vaso.
(I used an industrial sticky substance to fix the vase.)
Summary
To choose the right word, consider the context: if the stickiness is accidental, messy, or has a gross texture, use pegajoso (universal) or grudento (very common in Brazil, emphasizes the sticking action). If the stickiness is a functional feature of the object, such as tape or glue intended to bond things together, use adesivo.