B2 · 50 words
Energy and raw materials in Portuguese
Grid, generation, storage, demand — the words behind any report on the price of electricity.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The thirty-fourth entry is a bomba de calor do ar, and the first word of it does two jobs that English never lets one word do. Uma bomba is the machine that moves a fluid — a bomba de água, a bomba da bicicleta, with the verb bombear beside it — and uma bomba is equally the thing that explodes, so that encontraram uma bomba na obra waits for the rest of the sentence before it means anything at all. English keeps the two apart and never lets them meet. « A pump » is the machine, and every figure of speech built on it runs towards effort or supply: « to pump iron », « to pump money into a project », « to pump somebody for information ». « A bomb » is the weapon, and its figures run the other way, towards failure and speed — in British usage « the play bombed » says that it failed badly. The trap works in both directions, which is worth remembering at the till: a bomba de gasolina is a petrol pump, and a whole petrol station with it.
The words
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Verb (2)
abastecerto supplyVerbB2
A linha abastece dois bairros.The line supplies two neighbourhoods.
dissiparto lose (as waste heat)VerbB2
A instalação antiga dissipa metade do calor.The old plant loses half the heat.
Adjective (1)
Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands
intermitenteintermittentAdjectiveB2
A fonte é intermitente por natureza.The source is intermittent by its very nature.
Phrase (6)
produzir energiato generate energyPhraseB2
A instalação produz energia para toda a cidade.The plant generates energy for the whole city.
injetar na redeto feed into the gridPhraseB2
O excedente é injetado na rede.The surplus is fed into the grid.
no período noturnoon the night ratePhraseB2
O termoacumulador funciona no período noturno.The immersion heater runs on the night rate.
em autoconsumofor own usePhraseB2
Metade é usada em autoconsumo.Half of it goes to own consumption.
fora de serviçoout of servicePhraseB2
Dois grupos estão fora de serviço.Two of the units are out of service.
em plena cargaat full loadPhraseB2
A instalação raramente trabalha em plena carga.The plant rarely works at full load.
Noun (f) (25)
Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo
a produção de eletricidadeelectricity generationNoun (f)B2
A produção de eletricidade varia com o vento.Electricity generation varies with the wind.
a central elétricathe power stationNoun (f)B2
A central elétrica está parada para manutenção.The power station is shut down for maintenance.
a linha de alta tensãothe high-voltage lineNoun (f)B2
A linha de alta tensão atravessa o vale.The high-voltage line crosses the valley.
a ligação à redethe grid connectionNoun (f)B2
A ligação à rede demora meses.The grid connection takes months.
a potência instaladathe installed capacityNoun (f)B2
A potência instalada não é a produção real.Installed capacity is not the same as actual output.
a bombagem hidroelétricathe pumped-storage schemeNoun (f)B2
A bombagem hidroelétrica é a única reserva de grande escala.The pumped-storage scheme is the only large-scale reserve.
a pilha de combustívelthe fuel cellNoun (f)B2
A pilha de combustível só liberta água.The fuel cell gives off nothing but water.
a albufeirathe reservoirNoun (f)B2
A albufeira serve também de reserva no verão.The reservoir doubles as a store for the summer.
a geotermiageothermal heatNoun (f)B2
A geotermia aquece o bairro inteiro.Geothermal heat warms the whole neighbourhood.
a biomassathe biomassNoun (f)B2
A biomassa vem sobretudo das serrações.Biomass comes mainly from sawmills.
a fonte fóssilthe fossil sourceNoun (f)B2
A fonte fóssil continua maioritária nos transportes.The fossil source is still the majority one in transport.
a refinariathe refineryNoun (f)B2
A refinaria trabalha a meio gás.The refinery is working at half throttle.
a jazidathe depositNoun (f)B2
A jazida é explorada há quarenta anos.The deposit has been worked for forty years.
a minathe mineNoun (f)B2
A mina fechou sem plano de reconversão.The mine closed with no plan for what came next.
as terras rarasthe rare earthsNoun (f)B2
As terras raras põem sobretudo um problema de refinação.With the rare earths the problem is mainly one of refining.
a valorização de resíduosthe recovery of wasteNoun (f)B2
A valorização de resíduos do cobre é antiga e eficaz.The recovery of copper from waste is old and effective.
a procura de eletricidadethe demand for electricityNoun (f)B2
A procura de eletricidade desce quando o preço sobe.Demand for electricity falls when the price rises.
a sobriedade energéticaenergy restraintNoun (f)B2
A sobriedade energética custa menos do que uma central.Energy restraint costs less than a power station.
a eficiência energéticaenergy efficiencyNoun (f)B2
A eficiência energética do edifício vai da classe A à classe G.The building’s energy efficiency runs from class A to class G.
a reabilitação energéticathe retrofitNoun (f)B2
A reabilitação energética do sótão paga-se depressa.Retrofitting the loft pays for itself quickly.
a bomba de calor do arthe air source heat pumpNoun (f)B2
A bomba de calor do ar substitui a caldeira a gasóleo.The air source heat pump replaces the oil boiler.
a rede de calorthe district heating networkNoun (f)B2
A rede de calor serve dois mil fogos.The district heating network serves two thousand homes.
a tarifa reguladathe regulated tariffNoun (f)B2
A tarifa regulada muda duas vezes por ano.The regulated tariff changes twice a year.
a fatura da energiathe energy billNoun (f)B2
A fatura da energia pesa sobretudo nos rendimentos baixos.The energy bill weighs most on low incomes.
a dependência externathe dependence on importsNoun (f)B2
A dependência externa de um só fornecedor é um risco.Dependence on a single supplier abroad is a risk.
Noun (m) (16)
Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo
o reatorthe reactorNoun (m)B2
O reator foi reativado em janeiro.The reactor was brought back on line in January.
o operador de redethe grid operatorNoun (m)B2
O operador de rede define as prioridades.The grid operator sets the order of priority.
o rendimento energéticothe efficiency (of conversion)Noun (m)B2
O rendimento energético mal passa de metade.The efficiency barely gets past half.
o armazenamento de energiaenergy storageNoun (m)B2
O armazenamento de energia continua a ser o ponto fraco.Energy storage remains the weak point.
o parque eólicothe wind farmNoun (m)B2
O parque eólico tem doze torres.The wind farm has twelve towers.
o painel fotovoltaicothe solar panelNoun (m)B2
O painel fotovoltaico produz mesmo com céu encoberto.The solar panel produces even under an overcast sky.
o mix energéticothe energy mixNoun (m)B2
O mix energético muda devagar.The energy mix changes slowly.
o carvãothe coalNoun (m)B2
O carvão foi reativado durante um inverno.Coal was brought back for one winter.
o gás naturalthe natural gasNoun (m)B2
O gás natural chega por dois terminais.Natural gas arrives through two terminals.
o petróleo brutothe crude oilNoun (m)B2
O petróleo bruto é refinado na costa.The crude oil is refined on the coast.
o minériothe oreNoun (m)B2
O minério é demasiado pobre para compensar.The ore is too poor to be worth it.
o pico de consumothe peak in consumptionNoun (m)B2
O pico de consumo é por volta das dezanove horas.The peak in consumption comes at about seven in the evening.
o deslastre de cargaload sheddingNoun (m)B2
O deslastre de carga acabou por não acontecer.In the end there was no load shedding.
o balanço de emissõesthe emissions balanceNoun (m)B2
O balanço de emissões da viagem é calculado por pessoa.The emissions balance for the trip is worked out per person.
o gás com efeito de estufathe greenhouse gasNoun (m)B2
Os gases com efeito de estufa do setor caíram para metade.The sector’s greenhouse gases have halved.
o abastecimento energéticothe energy supplyNoun (m)B2
O abastecimento energético assenta em três fontes.The energy supply rests on three sources.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Buildings, cities and energy — three lists and 150 words that can also be practised as a whole.