Home › Vocabulary › People and feelings › Origins and Life Events
B2 · 48 words
Origins and Life Events in Portuguese
Family tree, certificates, inheritance, farewell.
Practise this list
Ways to practise
From these 48 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 entry vir de família looks like a phrase a reader can assemble from its parts, and that is exactly why it goes wrong. A teimosia vem de família is the stubbornness runs in the family, and nobody writing English would say that a trait comes from the family. The two languages chose different verbs for the same observation, and each verb brings its own picture. Portuguese takes vir , a verb of arrival: the trait travelled out of the household and reached this person, so the family is a source and the person is where the line arrives. English takes « run », a verb of continued motion: the trait moves along the family, through one generation and into the next, and nobody is the endpoint. That is why the English version needs « in » while the Portuguese one needs de — one puts the trait inside a channel, the other has it leaving a place. A small thing follows for anybody building the sentence: English insists on the article, « it runs in the family », whereas família here stands bare, with no a in front of it.
The words
View Compact With examples
Verb (1)
estar de luto to be in mourning Verb B2 Está de luto desde o inverno. She has been in mourning since the winter.
Noun (1)
Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo
os pêsames the condolences Noun B2 Deixaram os pêsames à porta. They left their condolences at the door.
Adjective (1)
Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands
desavindo estranged Adjective B2 Os irmãos andam desavindos há anos. The brothers have been estranged for years.
Phrase (25)
traçar a árvore genealógica to trace the family tree Phrase B2 Traçámos a árvore genealógica até ao século passado. We traced the family tree back to the last century.
o familiar mais próximo the next of kin Phrase B2 Avisaram primeiro o familiar mais próximo. They notified the next of kin first.
ter o nome de to be named after Phrase B2 Tem o nome do avô materno. He is named after his grandfather on his mother’s side.
o ar de família the family resemblance Phrase B2 Têm todos o mesmo ar de família. They all have the same family resemblance.
vir de família to run in the family Phrase B2 A teimosia vem de família. The stubbornness runs in the family.
voltar a juntar-se to be reunited Phrase B2 Voltaram a juntar-se depois de muitos anos. They were reunited after many years apart.
o álbum de família the family album Phrase B2 O álbum de família estava numa caixa de sapatos. The family album was in a shoebox.
passar de geração em geração to be handed down from generation to generation Phrase B2 A receita passa de geração em geração. The recipe is handed down from one generation to the next.
a mudança de nome the change of name Phrase B2 A mudança de nome exige um pedido escrito. A change of name requires a written application.
registar um nascimento to register a birth Phrase B2 Há um prazo para registar um nascimento. There is a deadline for registering a birth.
a certidão de casamento the marriage certificate Phrase B2 Pediram a certidão de casamento atualizada. They asked for an up-to-date marriage certificate.
a união de facto the civil partnership Phrase B2 Vivem em união de facto desde o verão. They have been in a civil partnership since the summer.
o nome de solteira the maiden name Phrase B2 Manteve o nome de solteira nos documentos. She kept her maiden name on her documents.
o nome do meio the middle name Phrase B2 O nome do meio é o da bisavó. Her middle name is her great-grandmother’s.
ser adotado to be adopted Phrase B2 Foi adotado ainda bebé. He was adopted while still a baby.
a família de acolhimento the foster family Phrase B2 A família de acolhimento vive na mesma rua. The foster family lives in the same street.
perder um dos pais to lose a parent Phrase B2 Perdeu um dos pais ainda em criança. He lost a parent while still a child.
ficar viúvo to be widowed Phrase B2 Ficou viúva muito cedo. She was widowed very early in life.
prestar a última homenagem to pay one’s last respects Phrase B2 Muita gente veio prestar a última homenagem. A great many people came to pay their last respects.
o aniversário da morte the anniversary of the death Phrase B2 Vão ao cemitério no aniversário da morte. They go to the cemetery on the anniversary of the death.
deixar família to leave a family behind Phrase B2 Deixou família numerosa na aldeia. He left a large family behind in the village.
a certidão de óbito the death certificate Phrase B2 O banco exige a certidão de óbito. The bank requires a death certificate.
as últimas vontades the last will and testament Phrase B2 As últimas vontades estavam num envelope fechado. The last will and testament was in a sealed envelope.
o espólio do falecido the deceased’s estate Phrase B2 O espólio do falecido ainda não foi partilhado. The deceased’s estate has not yet been divided up.
deixar em testamento to bequeath Phrase B2 Deixou a casa em testamento à sobrinha. He bequeathed the house to his niece.
Noun (m) (10)
Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo
o antepassado the ancestor Noun (m) B2 Os antepassados dela vieram do interior. Her ancestors came from the interior of the country.
o descendente the descendant Noun (m) B2 A casa passou para os descendentes diretos. The house passed to the direct descendants.
o padrasto the stepfather Noun (m) B2 O padrasto assinou a autorização. The stepfather signed the consent form.
o meio-irmão the half-brother Noun (m) B2 Só conheceu o meio-irmão em adulto. He only met his half-brother as an adult.
o curador the legal guardian Noun (m) B2 O tribunal nomeou um curador. The court appointed a legal guardian.
o reencontro the reunion Noun (m) B2 O reencontro foi no jardim da aldeia. The reunion took place in the village garden.
o falecimento the bereavement Noun (m) B2 A escola fechou por causa de um falecimento. The school closed because of a bereavement.
o enterro the burial Noun (m) B2 O enterro foi na terra dele. The burial took place in his home village.
o obituário the obituary Noun (m) B2 O obituário saiu no jornal da região. The obituary appeared in the regional paper.
o testamenteiro the executor Noun (m) B2 O testamenteiro convocou os herdeiros. The executor summoned the heirs.
Noun (f) (10)
Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo
a geração the generation Noun (f) B2 A terceira geração já não fala a língua. The third generation no longer speaks the language.
a família por afinidade the relatives by marriage Noun (f) B2 A família por afinidade veio toda ao batizado. The relatives by marriage all came to the christening.
a madrasta the stepmother Noun (f) B2 A madrasta criou os dois desde pequenos. The stepmother brought the two of them up from an early age.
a meia-irmã the half-sister Noun (f) B2 A meia-irmã mora no estrangeiro. The half-sister lives abroad.
a relíquia de família the family heirloom Noun (f) B2 O relógio é uma relíquia de família. The watch is a family heirloom.
a cremação the cremation Noun (f) B2 Escolheu a cremação em vez do enterro. He chose cremation rather than burial.
a sepultura the grave Noun (f) B2 A sepultura fica junto ao muro. The grave is next to the wall.
a lápide the headstone Noun (f) B2 A lápide ainda não tem inscrição. The headstone has no inscription yet.
a herança the inheritance Noun (f) B2 A herança ficou parada no tribunal. The inheritance was held up in court.
a proveniência the provenance, the origin Noun (f) B2 A proveniência do quadro nunca foi esclarecida. The provenance of the painting was never established.
Back to the quiz ↑
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to People and feelings — 13 lists and 467 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer
The quiz needs JavaScript. Everything above works without it.
← Telling a story: books and film Feelings by Degree → 