Portuguese · Travel & Getting Around

"Bank" in Portuguese: banco

o banco

Say it: BAHN-koomasculine · o banconoun/ˈbɐn.ku/

Bank in Portuguese is o banco. Go to the bank with ir ao banco. Banco also means bench, so context matters.

Morning errand

Preciso ir ao banco antes do almoço.
I need to go to the bank before lunch.
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How to pronounce banco

Say it

BAHN-koo

/ˈbɐn.ku/

BAHN-koo — nasal an.

"Bank" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
o bancothe bank / a bench

Finance default; also seating.

ir ao bancoto go to the bank

Errands.

conta do bancobank account

Account talk.

agência bancáriabank branch

Physical location.

How to use banco in real life

  1. 1Morning errand

    Preciso ir ao banco antes do almoço.

    I need to go to the bank before lunch.

    Ir ao banco contracts a + o.

  2. 2Asking hours

    O banco abre às dez neste sábado?

    Does the bank open at ten this Saturday?

    O banco as subject.

  3. 3Clarifying meaning

    Sentei no banco da praça, não no banco da esquina.

    I sat on the park bench, not at the corner bank.

    Same word, two meanings.

Mistakes English speakers make with banco

Incorrect: A banco está fechado.

Correct: O banco está fechado.

Banco is masculine: o banco.

Incorrect: Vou no bank agora.

Correct: Vou ao banco agora.

Use banco, and ao for a + o.

Good to know

Many Brazilian errands that used to mean waiting at o banco now happen in apps. People still say banco for the institution even when they never enter a branch.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Deciding whether to visit a branch

  1. ChatPal

    Você ainda vai ao banco resolver isso?

    Are you still going to the bank to sort that out?

  2. You

    Vou. O banco pediu um documento original.

    I am. The bank asked for an original document.

  3. ChatPal

    Leva senha. O banco fica cheio perto do meio-dia.

    Take a ticket number. The bank gets busy around noon.

  4. You

    Boa dica. Quero sair do banco rápido.

    Good tip. I want to leave the bank quickly.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Bank" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Bank" in Portuguese

Does banco also mean bench?

Yes. Context tells finance bank from park bench.

How do I say go to the bank?

Ir ao banco.

How do I say bank account?

Conta bancária or conta do banco.

Is banco masculine?

Yes: o banco.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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