Portuguese · Everyday Verbs

"to carry" in Portuguese: carregar

carregar

Say it: kah-heh-GAHR / kah-HEH-gooverb/ka.ʁe.ˈɡaʁ/

Note: also: levar

To carry in Portuguese is carregar. Say eu carrego a mala for hauling weight; levar is related but more about taking something somewhere.

Moving day

Eu carrego as caixas pesadas; você pega as leves.
I carry the heavy boxes; you take the light ones.
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How to pronounce carregar

Say it

kah-heh-GAHR / kah-HEH-goo

/ka.ʁe.ˈɡaʁ/

kah-heh-GAHR. Eu carrego is kah-HEH-goo.

"to carry" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
carregarto carry / to load

Dictionary form.

eu carregoI carry

Present first person.

você carregayou carry

Questions and habits.

carregueiI carried

Simple past.

carregar a caixato carry the box

Object phrase.

How to use carregar in real life

  1. 1Moving day

    Eu carrego as caixas pesadas; você pega as leves.

    I carry the heavy boxes; you take the light ones.

    Carrego is clearly the verb.

  2. 2Airport help

    Você carrega essa mala por mim?

    Will you carry this suitcase for me?

    Polite ask.

  3. 3After shopping

    Carreguei três sacolas até o carro.

    I carried three bags to the car.

    Carreguei = I carried.

Mistakes English speakers make with carregar

Incorrect: Eu carregar a mala.

Correct: Eu carrego a mala.

Conjugate: eu carrego.

Incorrect: O carregador da mala (meaning carrying).

Correct: Eu carrego a mala.

Carregador is a charger/device; use the verb carregar.

Good to know

In markets and metro cars, offering to carregar a bag for an elderly person is polite. Levar often wins for take this to…, while carregar stresses the physical load.

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Unloading groceries

  1. ChatPal

    Eu carrego a água. É pesada.

    I'll carry the water. It's heavy.

  2. You

    Obrigada. Eu carrego as frutas.

    Thanks. I'll carry the fruit.

  3. ChatPal

    Cuidado com o degrau.

    Watch the step.

  4. You

    Vi sim!

    I see it!

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"to carry" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "to carry" in Portuguese

Carregar vs levar?

Carregar emphasizes hauling; levar is take somewhere.

I carried?

Eu carreguei.

Charge a phone?

Also carregar o celular—context decides.

Carrier bag?

Sacola / bolsa; not carregador.

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