Tricky Verbs & Words in Portuguese

Here is a long list I created today from the mistakes I made throughout my language learning. I hope this makes it easier for those who are finding themselves in the same situation I was in. I’m sure there’s many more to add to the list, and if I can, I’ll add more or possibly divide them into a multipart post.

Verb Differences

Pensar/Achar – Pensar is to think. Achar is to find, however it is also used like Pensar except in the gerund form (Think of the example of “I found that film very interesting.” and you will understand how it is used in the sense of stating an opinion, ie to think). Initially, it is better to use Pensar as ‘to think’. 

Ex. 1. I am thinking, just a minute. (Only the second one below makes sense).

Estou achando, só um minuto. versus Estou pensando, só um minuto.

Ex. 2. I think you are wrong.

Eu acho que você está errado.

Encontrar/Achar – The verb Encontrar is used both for having contact with a person socially and for finding or discovering something. Achar is the verb Portuguese speakers use in place of Find (and to Think, see above).

Ex. 1. I ran into Zé there on the corner.

Eu encontrei o Zé ali na esquina.

Ex. 2. I found the book.

Achei o livro.

Morar/Viver – For those familiar with Spanish, they would think Viver is correct. In Brazil, Morar means to live somewhere. Viver is more for figurative use and also to speak of being alive.

Ex. I live in the city.

Eu moro na cidade.

Ex. 1. He lives at/in the gym.

Ele vive na academia.

Ex. 2. I can’t live without you.

Eu não vivo sem você.

Pretender/Fingir – Pretend in English sounds like it would be Pretender in Portuguese, but it’s not. Pretender means to Intend to do something. Fingir is Portuguese for Pretend.

Ex. 1. I intend to live in Brazil.

Eu pretendo morar no Brasil.

Ex. 2. I pretended to like Brazil.

Eu fingi gostar do Brasil.

Mexer/Mudar – The verb Mexer(-se) is to move something or mess with something. It can also mean to stir something. Mudar(-se) is to change something or to move somewhere.

Ex. 1. Stir the eggs.

Mexe os ovos.

Ex. 2. Don’t mess with my things!

Não mexe com as minhas coisas!

Ex. 3. Move it!

Se mexe!

Ex. 1. I moved to California.

Eu me mudei para a California.

Ex. 2. I changed a lot as a person.

Eu mudei muito como pessoa.

Mudar/Trocar – Mudar, in addition to what it means above, also can be used in the sense of changing one thing for another. Trocar also takes on this meaning of exchange.

Ex. 1. I changed clothes.

Mudei de roupa.

Ex. 2. I changed clothes.

Troquei de roupa. (why ‘de’ is used in these sentences, you’ll learn as you go)

Invitar/Convidar – Invitar seems like it would mean to invite, as it does in Spanish, but it’s not. In fact, Invitar doesn’t mean anything in Portuguese. Convidar is what Brazilians use for the verb Invite.

Ex. 1. He invited me to the party.

Ele me convidou para a festa.

Deixar/Permitir – Deixar is to allow for something or to leave something with someone. Permitir is more formal and used only in the sense that English speakers use Permit.

Ex. 1. Let me through.

Me deixa passar.

Ex. 2. Leave it (up) to me.

Deixa comigo.

Ex. 3. I won’t let you in my room.

Não vou te permitir entrar no meu quarto.

Estar afim (de)/Topar – Estar afim (de) is used to say you are down for something, that you feel like doing something. Topar is to be down also but its more to agree with an idea and to be willing to do what is being offered.

Ex. 1. I feel like going to the beach.

Estou afim de ir à praia.

Ex. 2. I like you. (Normally, eu gosto de você is used)

Estou afim de você.

Ex. 3. (Do you want to go to the beach?) Ok, I’m down.

(Você quer ir à praia?) Eu topo, sim.

Estragar/Atrapalhar/Atropelar - Estragar is to spoil something while Atrapalhar is both to spoil something and to get in the way of something or someone. Atropelar is to be run over, even though it sounds similar to Atrapalhar.

Ex. 1. The cake spoiled (or went bad).

O bolo estragou.

Ex. 2. You spoil everything.

Você estraga tudo.

Ex. 3. She ran me over.

Ela me atropelou.

Atrapalhar/Enrolar – Now you know that Atrapalhar means to get in the way of something. In almost the same sense, Enrolar means to get tied up or stuck.

Ex. 1. That got in my way of getting other jobs.

Isso me atrapalhou para conseguir outros trabalhos.

Ex. 2. Sorry, I got tied with my work.

Desculpe, eu estava enrolado com o trabalho.

Pertubar/Encher (o saco) – Pertubar is to annoy or to pertube someone. Echer (o saco) is to annoy also, to bother. They are interchangable although Encher is used more.

Ex. 1. Don’t bother me.

Não me pertube.

Ex. 2. You are annoying me.

Você está enchendo meu saco.

Brincar/Jogar – Brincar is to play (as a child does) or to joke around. Jogar is to play (an activity) or to throw something.

Ex. 1. I was just playing around.

Eu estava brincando só.

Ex. 2. I am playing baseball.

Eu estou jogando beisbol.

Ex. 3. She threw away the paper.

Ela jogou fora o papel.

Word Differences

Conversa/Conversação/Conversão – Conversa is a conversation between two people. Conversação is the same but almost never used. Conversão is conversion.

Música/Canção – Música is widely used to refer to music in general and to an individual song. Canção is rarely used to refer to a song although you may see it in older texts.

Pomar/Horta/Jardim – Pomar is an orchard. Horta is a kitchen garden. Jardim is a normal garden. The differences between Horta and Jardim are few from the research that I’ve done. It seems they can be used interchangably. If in doubt, use Jardim.

Dúvida/Questão/Pergunta – Dúvida is doubt, although Brazilians use this as question sometimes. Questão is not question per se, but I’ll explain in the example. Pergunta is how you would say ‘question’ question.

Ex. 1. I have a doubt.

Eu tenho uma dúvida.

Ex. 2. That’s a question of courage.

Essa é uma questão de coragem.

Ex. 3. I have a question for you.

Tenho uma pergunta para você.

Ansioso/Nervoso – They are interchangable and different at the same time. Ansioso is both anxious and nervous. Nervoso can be nervous but it also means angry or bothered.

Ex. 1. I’m anxious about the exam tomorrow.

Estou ansioso para a prova amanhã.

Ex. 2. I’m feeling nervous.

Estou me sentindo ansioso.

Ex. 3.  I got bothered by something today.

Fiquei nervoso com alguma coisa hoje.

Academia/Ginásio- Academia is gym as in health club but it also means academy. Ginásio is gymnasium as in where you do gymnastics or play indoor basketball.

Ex. 1. I went to the gym today.

Eu fui para a academia hoje.

Ex. 2. I was playing in the gymnasium.

Eu estava brincando no ginásio.

Tags: portuguese, verb differences, word differences