Portuguese vocabulary: upper intermediate (B2)
The 168 words and phrases taught in the upper intermediate chapters, in the order the course teaches them. Press ▶ to hear each one.
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1. Discussing and debating
From chapter 1: learn these words in context
- emboraalthough · always + subjunctive:
- ficar de forato be left out · : gets left out of everything
- a rede socialsocial network · : social media
- o perigodanger · masculine
- a telascreen · : in front of a screen; Portugal:
- Desculpa te interromper.Sorry to interrupt. · more formal:
- Deixa eu terminar.Let me finish. · written standard:
- no entantohowever
- impor limitesto set limits · is conjugated like
- por um lado… por outro (lado)…on the one hand… on the other (hand)…
- a vantagem / a desvantagemadvantage / disadvantage, drawback · both feminine
- mesmo queeven if · + subjunctive; also
- a regrarule · feminine
- Conversando a gente se entende.We understand each other by talking. (saying)
2. Work in depth
From chapter 2: learn these words in context
- a diretoriathe board (of directors), management
- agradecerto thank · : Thank you. (in reply to thanks)
- fornecerto supply · : supplier
- acima deabove, over · : above our budget
- o orçamentobudget; quote · masculine
- o descontodiscount · masculine
- a margemmargin · feminine; : profit margin
- justo / justafair · : a fair price; : That seems fair.
- talvezmaybe, perhaps · + subjunctive before the verb:
- o pedidoorder · masculine
- cumprirto meet, to keep (a deadline, a promise)
- a entregadelivery · feminine; : to deliver
- comprometer-se ato commit to, to undertake to ·
- fechar negócioto close a deal
3. Film, books and media
From chapter 3: learn these words in context
- escolherto choose · : I was the one who chose
- lento / lentaslow
- a atuaçãoperformance, acting · feminine
- o / a protagonistamain character; lead actor or actress
- ganharto win; to earn; to get · : to win an award
- o prêmioaward, prize · masculine
- baseado embased on · for a feminine noun
- o romancenovel · masculine; also “romance”
- morrerto die
- tratar deto deal with, to be about
- o roteiroscript, screenplay · masculine; : to cut
- parecerto seem · : the ending seemed strange to me
- a críticathe critics; review · feminine; : a critic
- emprestarto lend · : Will you lend it to me?
4. Science and technology
From chapter 4: learn these words in context
- a usina eólicawind farm · feminine; also ; : power station
- o aerogeradorwind turbine · masculine
- devido abecause of, due to
- o ventowind · masculine
- graças athanks to
- gerarto generate · : the energy is generated
- a páblade (of a turbine); shovel · feminine
- girarto turn, to spin
- cerca deabout, around (a number) · : about a hundred metres
- o caminhãolorry, truck · : by lorry; Portugal:
- armazenarto store
- a rede elétricapower grid · feminine
- segurarto hold · : to keep the price down
- portantotherefore, so
5. Society and the environment
From chapter 5: learn these words in context
- a florestaforest · feminine; : the Amazon rainforest
- pegar fogoto catch fire, to burn
- o incêndiofire (a large, destructive one) · masculine; : fire in general
- a secadrought; the dry season · feminine; : the riverbank
- a queimadathe burning of land (to clear it) · feminine
- espalhar-seto spread · : the fire spread
- o gadocattle · masculine, used in the singular
- o bombeiro / a bombeirafirefighter
- a tempoin time
- a pescafishing · feminine; : to fish
- voltar a…to do again, to start doing again · + infinitive: : they've started coming again
- o apoiosupport · masculine; : to support
- divulgarto share, to spread the word about · : to share on social media
- Toda ajuda é pouca.Every little helps. (lit. all help is little)
6. Public life
From chapter 6: learn these words in context
- a coletiva de imprensapress conference · feminine; often just
- a linha de ônibusbus route · feminine
- prometerto promise · : he'd already promised that
- reconhecerto admit, to acknowledge; to recognise ·
- garantirto assure, to guarantee
- a falta delack of · : for lack of money
- o impostotax · masculine
- aumentarto increase, to go up
- negarto deny · + subjunctive
- acrescentarto add (to what was said)
- a bibliotecalibrary · feminine
- a câmara municipalcity council · feminine
- o vereador / a vereadoracity councillor
- conferirto check · : check the dates; : in quotation marks
7. Education and learning
From chapter 7: learn these words in context
- o ensino médioupper secondary school · masculine
- o curso técnicotechnical or vocational course · masculine; often just
- o aluno / a alunapupil, student
- passar de ano / repetir de anoto move up a year / to repeat a year
- a turmaclass, group (of students) · : the best in the class
- a informáticaIT, computing · feminine
- o ENEMnational secondary school exam · masculine;
- a matériaschool subject · feminine
- largar os estudosto drop out of school, to give up studying
- arrepender-se deto regret ·
- nunca é tarde para…it's never too late to…
- como seas if · + imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive
- orientarto guide, to advise · : someone to guide me
- o vestibularuniversity entrance exam · masculine
8. Idioms and everyday speech
From chapter 8: learn these words in context
- a entrevistainterview · : job interview
- estar morto de cansaçoto be dead tired, exhausted · for a woman; informal
- não pregar o olhonot to sleep a wink
- pois éyeah, exactly; that's right · agreeing or reacting
- o chefe / a chefeboss, head
- dar brancofor your mind to go blank · : my mind went blank
- pagar micoto embarrass yourself · : I totally embarrassed myself
- pisar na bolato slip up, to let someone down
- ser molezato be a piece of cake, very easy · : it was easy
- estar prestes a…to be about to do something · + infinitive: : I was about to leave
- brincarto joke; to play (children) · : You're kidding!
- Parabéns!Congratulations!
- cair a fichafor something to sink in · : It hasn't sunk in yet.
- dar uma mãoto give a hand, to help · : Can you give me a hand?
9. Humour and informal language
From chapter 9: learn these words in context
- bahwow (surprise or emphasis) · Rio Grande do Sul
- o trampowork, job · masculine; informal
- caramate, guy · informal; to a man or a woman
- reclamarto complain, to moan · : to complain about something
- a mancadablunder, gaffe · feminine; informal
- móreally, such a · informal, from :
- ser gente boato be a nice person · informal; also
- zoarto tease, to make fun of; to mess around · informal
- da horacool, great · informal; São Paulo
- a fofocagossip · feminine; : to gossip
- rapidinhoreally quickly, in no time
- se dar bem / malto do well / badly; to get on well / badly (with someone)
- o rolêgoing out, an outing · masculine; informal; : to go out
- massacool, great · informal; doesn't change:
10. Formal writing
From chapter 10: learn these words in context
- a carta de apresentaçãocover letter · feminine
- a inscriçãoapplication, registration · feminine; : applications close on Friday
- o anúncioadvert, announcement · : the job advert
- o atendimento ao públicocustomer service, dealing with the public · masculine
- prezado / prezadadear (in formal letters)
- candidatar-se ato apply for · formal writing:
- a trilhatrail, hiking path · : to go on a hike
- ademaisfurthermore (formal)
- contar comto have (formal); to count on · : I have experience
- em anexoattached · : Please find attached
- casoif, in case · + subjunctive:
- Fico à disposição.I remain at your disposal. (formal)
- atenciosamenteyours faithfully, yours sincerely (to end a formal letter)
- desde queas long as, provided that · + subjunctive; with the indicative it means “since”
11. Giving a presentation
From chapter 11: learn these words in context
- apresentarto present
- em primeiro lugarfirst (of all)
- em seguidanext, then
- por fimfinally
- surgirto come about, to appear · : how the idea came about
- o sítiosmallholding, small farm · masculine; in Portugal it means “place” or “website”
- o intermediáriomiddleman · masculine; informal:
- perceberto realise, to notice · : that's when I realised
- o agricultor familiarfamily farmer, smallholder · for a woman
- destacarto highlight, to stress
- em médiaon average
- lucrarto make a profit · : profit
- próprio / própriaown; itself, themselves · : the farmers themselves
- o dadopiece of data, figure · masculine; : data
12. Final review
From chapter 12: learn these words in context
- Que saudade!I've missed you so much! / I miss it so much!
- grisalho / grisalhagrey-haired
- fazia séculos que…it had been ages since… ·
- a vida dá muitas voltaslife takes many turns (saying)
- o garçom / a garçonetewaiter / waitress · Portugal:
- o comboiotrain (Portugal) · Brazil:
- o autocarrobus (Portugal) · Brazil:
- o telemóvelmobile phone (Portugal) · Brazil:
- Quem diria.Who'd have thought it.
- apostarto bet · : you can bet on it
- lembrar-se deto remember · in speech also without :
- brindarto (make a) toast
- Saúde!Cheers! (lit. health)
- matar a saudadeto see or have again someone or something you've missed · lit. to kill the longing
Other levels: Beginner (A1) · Elementary (A2) · Intermediate (B1)