Portuguese · Everyday Verbs
"to work" in Portuguese: trabalhar
trabalhar
To work in Portuguese is trabalhar. Say eu trabalho and você trabalha. Trabalho also means the job or the work itself as a noun.
Job small talk
Eu trabalho em um escritório perto do metrô.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce trabalhar
Say it
trah-bah-LYAHR / trah-BAH-lyoo / trah-BAH-lyah
/tɾa.ba.ˈʎaʁ/
trah-bah-LYAHR. Eu trabalho is trah-BAH-lyoo; você trabalha is trah-BAH-lyah.
"to work" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| trabalhar | to work Dictionary form. | Dictionary form. |
| eu trabalho | I work Present first person. | Present first person. |
| você trabalha | you work Questions and statements. | Questions and statements. |
| trabalhar em casa | to work from home Remote work. | Remote work. |
| horário de trabalho | work schedule / hours Office talk. | Office talk. |
How to use trabalhar in real life
- 1Job small talk
Eu trabalho em um escritório perto do metrô.
I work in an office near the metro.
Trabalho is the everyday conjugation.
- 2Asking a new friend
Você trabalha de home office ou presencial?
Do you work from home or in person?
Você trabalha opens job questions.
- 3Weekend boundary
No domingo eu não trabalho de jeito nenhum.
On Sunday I do not work at all.
Não trabalho sets a clear boundary.
Mistakes English speakers make with trabalhar
Incorrect: Eu trabalhar amanhã.
Correct: Eu trabalho amanhã. / Vou trabalhar amanhã.
Conjugate: eu trabalho, or use ir + infinitive.
Incorrect: Eu work no banco.
Correct: Eu trabalho no banco.
Use trabalhar, not English work.
Good to know
Brazilians ask O que você faz? as much as Onde você trabalha? Trabalho can mean both the activity and the workplace vibe. Remote work talk mixes English home office with trabalhar de casa.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching up at a reunion
ChatPal
Você ainda trabalha naquela startup?
Do you still work at that startup?
You
Trabalho sim, mas agora em outro time.
Yes I work there, but now on another team.
ChatPal
Que bom. Eu trabalho perto da praça.
Nice. I work near the square.
You
Legal. A gente trabalha os dois no centro então.
Cool. So we both work downtown then.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to work" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to work" in Portuguese
How do I say I work?
Eu trabalho.
How do I ask where do you work?
Onde você trabalha?
Is trabalho a noun too?
Yes. O trabalho means the job or the work.
How do I say work from home?
Trabalhar em casa or trabalhar de home office.
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
