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C2  ·  23 words

Commercial vehicles in Portuguese

Vehicles measured in tonnes rather than in seats.

Practise this list

From these 23 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 thirteenth entry is a perda de eficácia dos travões, and its length is the lesson. English says « brake fade », two words, and the second is the ordinary verb « to fade » pressed into a noun with no suffix at all. That conversion is one of the quietest and most productive rules in the language: « a skid », « a spill », « a leak », « a stall », « a drop », « a run » are all verbs standing still and wearing an article, and a workshop reaches for them before it reaches for anything longer. Portuguese cannot do it. It has to build a proper noun first, a perda, and then hang the rest on with prepositions, de eficácia, dos travões, so that a two-word compound comes out as five. Two habits follow. Going into English, resist « the loss of effectiveness of the brakes », which is grammatical and which nobody says. Coming out of it, expect the chain of de and leave it alone, because there is no way to turn a Portuguese verb into a bare noun on the spot.

The words

Noun (m) (13)

Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo

o peso bruto admissívelthe gross vehicle weightNoun (m)C2
O peso bruto admissível está no documento do veículo.The gross vehicle weight is given in the vehicle’s papers.
o trator rodoviáriothe tractor unitNoun (m)C2
O trator rodoviário puxa o semirreboque e mais nada.The tractor unit pulls the semi-trailer and nothing else.
o semirreboquethe semi-trailerNoun (m)C2
O semirreboque fica no parque enquanto a cabeça vai trabalhar.The semi-trailer stays in the yard while the unit goes off to work.
o prato de engatethe fifth wheel couplingNoun (m)C2
O prato de engate tem de ser lubrificado com regularidade.The fifth wheel coupling has to be greased regularly.
o ponto de amarraçãothe lashing pointNoun (m)C2
Cada ponto de amarração aguenta uma força indicada na caixa.Every lashing point takes a force marked on the body.
o tacógrafothe tachographNoun (m)C2
O tacógrafo regista a condução e as pausas.The tachograph records driving and breaks.
o limite do tempo de conduçãothe driving time limitNoun (m)C2
O limite do tempo de condução vale por dia e por semana.The driving time limit applies per day and per week.
o retardadorthe retarderNoun (m)C2
O retardador segura o camião na descida sem gastar travões.The retarder holds the lorry on a descent without using up the brakes.
o pino-reithe kingpinNoun (m)C2
O pino-rei entra no prato e prende o conjunto.The kingpin goes into the coupling and holds the outfit together.
o raio de viragemthe turning radiusNoun (m)C2
O raio de viragem não dá para esta rotunda.The turning radius is not enough for this roundabout.
o construtor de caixasthe bodybuilderNoun (m)C2
O construtor de caixas entrega o veículo pronto para o serviço.The bodybuilder hands over the vehicle ready for service.
o basculantethe tipperNoun (m)C2
O basculante despeja a areia em poucos segundos.The tipper drops the sand in a few seconds.
o consumo de combustívelthe fuel consumptionNoun (m)C2
O consumo de combustível é o maior custo da viagem.Fuel consumption is the biggest cost of the trip.

Noun (f) (10)

Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo

a tarathe unladen weightNoun (f)C2
A tara desconta-se para saber quanto vai de carga.The unladen weight is deducted to find out how much load can go on.
a configuração dos eixosthe axle configurationNoun (f)C2
A configuração dos eixos decide quanto peso cada um aguenta.The axle configuration decides how much weight each one carries.
a caixa móvelthe swap bodyNoun (f)C2
A caixa móvel fica em pé sobre as próprias pernas.The swap body stands on legs of its own.
a caixa de lonathe curtain-sided bodyNoun (f)C2
A caixa de lona abre de lado e facilita a carga.The curtain-sided body opens at the side and makes loading easier.
a perda de eficácia dos travõesbrake fadeNoun (f)C2
A perda de eficácia dos travões aparece quando tudo aquece demais.Brake fade sets in when everything gets too hot.
a suspensão pneumáticathe air suspensionNoun (f)C2
A suspensão pneumática baixa a caixa até ao nível do cais.The air suspension lowers the body to the level of the loading bay.
a caixa frigoríficathe refrigerated bodyNoun (f)C2
A caixa frigorífica mantém a temperatura durante a descarga.The refrigerated body holds the temperature during unloading as well.
a manutenção preventivapreventive maintenanceNoun (f)C2
A manutenção preventiva evita a paragem na estrada.Preventive maintenance keeps the lorry from stopping on the road.
a norma de emissõesthe emissions standardNoun (f)C2
A norma de emissões decide onde o camião pode entrar.The emissions standard decides where the lorry may go in.
a condução em comboioplatooningNoun (f)C2
Na condução em comboio os veículos seguem ligados uns aos outros.In platooning the vehicles run linked to one another.

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