Portuguese · People & Family
"Colleague" in Portuguese: colega
o/a colega
Colleague in Portuguese is o colega or a colega — same noun, article marks gender. Use meus colegas for coworkers in casual office chat.
Introductions
Esta é a Ana, colega do time de produto.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce colega
Say it
ko-LEH-gah
/ˈo/
ko-LEH-gah. Soft g as in get.
"Colleague" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o colega / a colega | the colleague Gender via article. | Gender via article. |
| meus colegas | my colleagues Team plural. | Team plural. |
| colega de trabalho | work colleague Clear workplace link. | Clear workplace link. |
| ex-colega | former colleague Past jobs. | Past jobs. |
How to use colega in real life
- 1Introductions
Esta é a Ana, colega do time de produto.
This is Ana, a colleague from the product team.
Intro line.
- 2Covering shifts
Um colega vai cobrir minha reunião das três.
A colleague will cover my three o’clock meeting.
Help at work.
- 3Lunch plans
Vou almoçar com os colegas perto do escritório.
I’m having lunch with colleagues near the office.
Social plural.
Mistakes English speakers make with colega
Incorrect: Minha colego chegou.
Correct: Meu colega chegou. / Minha colega chegou.
The noun stays colega; change the article/possessive.
Incorrect: Meu colleague mandou e-mail.
Correct: Meu colega mandou e-mail.
Use colega, not English colleague.
Good to know
Colega is warmer and more equal than chefe. Brazilians also use colega for classmates. Colega de trabalho removes school ambiguity when needed.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Figuring out who can help
ChatPal
Algum colega conhece bem essa planilha?
Does any colleague know this spreadsheet well?
You
A colega do financeiro resolve rapidinho.
The colleague in finance can fix it quickly.
ChatPal
Perfeito. Posso citar seu nome para a colega?
Perfect. Can I mention your name to the colleague?
You
Pode — ela já me ajudou ontem.
Yes — she already helped me yesterday.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Colleague" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Colleague" in Portuguese
How does gender work?
O colega / a colega — same word, different article.
Plural?
Os colegas / as colegas.
Work vs school?
Add de trabalho if you need to be clear.
Boss vs colleague?
Chefe is boss; colega is peer.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
