Brazilian Portuguese Advanced Verb List

LIST OF ADVANCED LEVEL / DIFFICULT PORTUGUESE VERBS

print out and memorize this list of advanced portuguese verbs to expand your portuguese vocabulary!

abafar – to suffocate, stifle, choke, swelter
abalar – to shake, shock, jolt
abastecer – to supply, provision, provide
abater – to depress, humiliate, slaughter (livestock)
abrigar – to shelter, shield
acampar-se – to camp
acolher – to welcome, greet, receive
aderir – to adhere (to), attach, approve of, subscribe to, agree with
adiantar – to advance, hasten, improve, further, promote
admitir – to admit, concede, acknowledge
afinar – to tune (up), refine, purify
afiar – to sharpen, grind
agachar-se – to crouch, squat
afundar-se – to sink, submerge
alargar – to enlarge, broaden, widen
alcançar/atingir – to achieve, attain, reach
aleijar – to cripple, main, disable (incapacitar – to incapacitate, disable, cripple)
amaciar/amolecer – to soften
amarrar/atar – to tie up, bind (desamarrar/desatar – to untie, unfasten, unbind)
amarrotar – to wrinkle, crumple, crease
apoderar-se (de) – to take possession of, seize control of
apor – appose
arranhar – to scratch, scrape
arrastar – to drag, draw
arrepiar – to frighten, give someone goosebumps, shudder with fear
aspirar – to vacuum, breathe in, inhale, sniff, smell
assegurar – to assure, guarantee
assoar-se – to blow/wipe ones nose
aterrissar – to land, touch down (as an airplane)
atropelar – to run over (as with car etc.), trample, trip up
bisbilhotar – to snoop, pry, gossip
brindar – to toast (a drink to)
brotar – to sprout, bud, spurt/gush out (jorrar – to spout, spurt, gush/stream out)
buzinar – to honk, blow a horn
calhar -to be fitting/appropriate/opportune
cercar – to fence (in), enclose, surround, encircle
cogitar – to contemplate, meditate, weigh
colher – to harvest, gather
compor – to compose, repair, put/set in order
conceber – to conceive, imagine, become pregnant
costurar – to sew, stitch
cravar – to nail, fasten, fix
decolar – to take off, lift off (as an airplane)
decorar – to decorate, learn by heart, memorize
deparar-se com – to meet, come/run across (as by chance)
derramar – to scatter, spread, spill (as in blood, tears, etc.) (with -se – to overflow)
derrotar – to defeat
derrubar – to knock/throw/bring down, tackle, demolish
desabafar – to unburden, get something off ones chest
desabar-se – to cave in, collapse, crumble
desafiar – to challenge, defy
desamparar/desapoiar – to deny/withdraw support/help
desaproveitar – to misuse, waste
desatender – to disregard, neglect, ignore
desencantar – to disenchant, disillusion
desencher – to empty (esvaziar – to empty)
desenferrujar – to remove rust from (enferrujar – to rust, corrode)
desentupir – to unclog, unblock, unstop (entupir – to clog, plug/stop up)
desfalcar – to embezzle, misappropriate
desfiar – to unravel, fray (with -se – to become unraveled/frayed)
desgastar – to wear out
deslizar-se – to slip, slide, skid
desmanchar – to rip up/apart, undo, take apart
destacar – to detach, point out, make salient, underscore, emphasize (with -se – to stand out, surpass, distinguish oneself)
deter – to detain, stop, arrest
deturpar – to distort, disfigure, misrepresent
discar – to dial (as in a phone)
efetuar – to effect, bring about, accomplish
embaralhar – to confuse, mix (up), entangle, shuffle (cards)
embranquecer-se – to become/turn white
embriagar-se – to get drunk, inebriated, intoxicated
emendar – to correct, remove errors, amend, mend, repair, fix
emitir – to emit, broadcast (exalar – to emit, give off (as in odor)
empatar – to tie (as in games/sports)
empenhar-se – to exhert oneself, make every effort to(a)/ in(em)/ for(para,por)
empreender – to undertake, attempt, endeavor
encaixar – to box/pack up, encase, fit well, suit the purpose, fall into place
encaminhar-se (a/para) – to set out for, make one’s way to
encarar – to face, confront, stare at, look straight at (enfrentar -to face, confront, stand/face up to)
encerar – to wax, polish
encerrar – to enclose, confine, encircle, encompass, embrace, comprehend, comprise, terminate, close
encolher – to shrink, contract
endireitar – to straighten (out), correct, set straight/right
enfeitiçar – to bewitch, charm, put a spell on
enfiar (em) – to thread (a needle), insert/stick in/into
enfocar – to focus
enganchar – to hook, catch, hang from a hook (with -se – to get hooked/caught)
engessar – to plaster, to put in a cast
enrugar – to wrinkle
entornar – to spill, overturn, upset, tip/knock over
entrebater-se – to clash
entrecortar – to intersect, interrupt
enxergar – to discern, distinguish, perceive, make out
enxugar – to dry off, wipe off/dry
escassear – to be(come) scarce, be wanting
esfregar – to rub, scrub, scour
esmagar – to crush, smash
espionar – to spy, snoop
espreitar – to peep, peek, snoop, spy on
espremer – to squeeze, press (out)
espumar – to foam, froth
estorcer – to twist (with -se – to squirm)
estreitar-se – to narrow, tighten (confine within narrow limits)
expulsar – to expel, kick out
faturar – to invoice, bill
faiscar – to emit/give off sparks, sparkle
falhar – to fail, not function properly, misfire (fracassar – to fail, be unsuccessful, flop)
falir – to go bankrupt, fail, go broke, go out of business
fartar – to satiate, satisfy, fill up (with -se – to get sick and tired, fed up with)
fitar – to stare at
formigar – to tingle (as in when limb falls asleep)
forrar – to line (as in put a lining in), cover (as in put covering on)
franzir – to frown, wrinkle ones brow, ruffle, pleat
fungar – to sniffle
furar – to drill, pierce, perforate
furtar – to steal, rob, pilfer (with -se – to evade, dodge, avoid, steal away, escape, take flight)
gabar-se – to brag, boast (louvar-se – to brag, boast)
gaguejar – to stutter, stammer
gargarejar – to gargle
girar – to revolve, rotate, turn, spin, whirl around
golpear – to hit, strike
grampear – to staple
herdar – to inherit
hipotecar – to mortgage
içar – to hoist up, raise
imergir – to immerse
imperar – to reign, rule, govern
incendiar – to set on fire (with -se – to catch fire, burn)
incumbir (de) – to charge, entrust with (with -se – to be charged, entrusted with)
indagar – to investigate, inquire, look into, question
inflar – to inflate, blow up, puff up
ingressar (em) – to enter, go into, become a member of join, enlist in
inscrever-se – to enroll, sign up/in, register (matricular-se – to matriculate, enroll, register, sign up for classes)
inteirar – to let know, make known, make whole or complete (with -se de – to find out/learn about)
irromper – to burst/break out
isentar – to exempt, except, exclude
lanchar – to have a snack (merendar – to snack)
leiloar – to auction
lidar com – to cope/deal with, struggle with
limar – to file (as in smooth or polish)
lisonjear – to flatter
lixar – to sand (as in sandpaper)
louvar – to praise (with -se – to brag, boast) (orgulhar-se de – to be proud of, take pride in)
magoar – to hurt, harm, be harmful to, injure, emotionally wound, upset, distress
mancar – to limp
manejar – to handle, manipulate, amnage, deal with (manipular – to manipulate, handle)
maquinar – to plot, scheme
martelar – to hammer, pound
mascar – to chew (as in gum, tobacco) (mastigar – to chew food)
menosprezar – to distain, scorn, disparage, slight, belittle
metralhar – to machine-gun
mimar – to pamper, spoil (paparicar – to pamper, spoil)
mirar – to aim at
mistificar
moer – to grind
mofar – to get moldy/mildewy
montar – to assemble, put together, install, erect, mount/ride a horse
munir – to arm (with -se de – to arm oneself with, take precautions)
naufragar – to shipwreck
nevoar-se – to get foggy
nublar-se – to get cloudy/overcast
opor-se a – to oppose, object to
oprimir – to oppress
ostentar-se – to show off, flaunt
padronizar – to standardize
paquerar com – to flirt with
partilhar – to partition, divide up (parcelar – to parcel out, allot, divide into portions)
pasmar – to astound, astonish, awe, bewilder
pastar – to graze (as in cattle)
pechinchar – to bargain, haggle
pedir – to ask for, make a request, apply for (as in a job)
penar – to grieve, suffer
pender – to slant, tilt, lean, incline, dangle (pendurar – to hang up)