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B2  ·  50 words

The state and its institutions in Portuguese

Parliament, decree-law, second round, separation of powers — the words a state uses to speak about itself.

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-seventh entry is nomear, and the English word it looks like is the one to keep away from. O presidente nomeou um novo ministro says that the minister now holds the post: the act is over, and the ordinary English for it is « appointed ». To « nominate » somebody is to do something else entirely — to put a name forward for a post, a prize or a seat, and to leave the deciding to whoever comes next. A party nominates a candidate, who is then elected; a film is nominated for an award, and then loses. The gap matters most where the two stages are written into the procedure, since a judge may be nominated by a head of state and confirmed by a chamber afterwards, so that the two verbs name two separate moments of one appointment. English does have a verb that behaves like nomear, and it is the plainest one on the shelf: « to name ». « She was named chairman » means the job is already hers. The Portuguese nouns split the same way, because a nomeação is an appointment while « a nomination » is still only a proposal.

The words

Verb (8)

governarto governVerbB2
Governar sem maioria é difícil.Governing without a majority is hard.
legislarto legislateVerbB2
O Parlamento legisla, o governo aplica.Parliament legislates, the government applies the law.
elegerto electVerbB2
Os deputados elegem-se por quatro anos.Members are elected for four years.
nomearto appointVerbB2
O presidente nomeou um novo ministro.The President appointed a new minister.
destituirto remove from officeVerbB2
O presidente da câmara foi destituído pelo tribunal.The mayor was removed from office by the court.
aprovarto passVerbB2
O texto foi aprovado com cem votos.The text was passed with a hundred votes.

Conjugation of aprovar →

revogarto repealVerbB2
A lei de 1990 foi revogada.The law of 1990 was repealed.
promulgarto sign into lawVerbB2
O presidente promulgou a lei.The President signed the law.

Adjective (7)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands

parlamentarparliamentaryAdjectiveB2
O debate parlamentar durou três noites.The parliamentary debate went on for three nights.
municipalmunicipalAdjectiveB2
O orçamento municipal é votado em dezembro.The municipal budget is voted on in December.
regionalregionalAdjectiveB2
Os transportes regionais dependem da região.Regional transport depends on the region.
constitucionalconstitutionalAdjectiveB2
A medida não é constitucional.The measure is not constitutional.
executivoexecutiveAdjectiveB2
O poder executivo aplica a lei.The executive branch applies the law.
legislativolegislativeAdjectiveB2
O poder legislativo cabe ao Parlamento.Legislative power rests with Parliament.
judicialjudicialAdjectiveB2
O poder judicial decide os litígios.Judicial power settles disputes.

Phrase (1)

tomar posseto take officePhraseB2
O novo governo vai tomar posse na segunda-feira.The new government takes office on Monday.

Noun (f) (22)

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

a Assembleia da Repúblicathe Assembly of the RepublicNoun (f)B2
A Assembleia da República rejeitou o texto.The Assembly of the Republic rejected the text.
a bancadathe parliamentary groupNoun (f)B2
A bancada votou em bloco.The parliamentary group voted as one bloc.
a legislaturathe parliamentary termNoun (f)B2
A reforma ocupou toda a legislatura.The reform took up the whole parliamentary term.
a segunda voltathe second roundNoun (f)B2
A segunda volta é daqui a duas semanas.The second round is in a fortnight.
a maioria absolutathe absolute majorityNoun (f)B2
O partido perdeu a maioria absoluta.The party lost its absolute majority.
a abstençãothe abstentionNoun (f)B2
A abstenção ultrapassou um terço.Abstention went beyond a third.
a urnathe ballot boxNoun (f)B2
Colocou o boletim na urna.He put the paper in the ballot box.
a portariathe ministerial orderNoun (f)B2
A portaria fixa os prazos.The ministerial order sets the deadlines.
a proposta de leithe government billNoun (f)B2
A proposta de lei vem do governo.The government bill comes from the cabinet.
a alteraçãothe amendmentNoun (f)B2
Foram apresentadas mil alterações.A thousand amendments were tabled.
a promulgaçãothe signing into lawNoun (f)B2
A promulgação ocorreu oito dias depois da votação.The signing into law came eight days after the vote.
a moção de censurathe motion of no confidenceNoun (f)B2
A moção de censura não foi aprovada.The motion of no confidence was not carried.
a remodelaçãothe cabinet reshuffleNoun (f)B2
A remodelação mudou quatro ministérios.The reshuffle changed four ministries.
a coligaçãothe coalitionNoun (f)B2
A coligação aguenta-se por um voto.The coalition is holding on by one vote.
a oposiçãothe oppositionNoun (f)B2
A oposição pede um debate.The opposition is calling for a debate.
a autarquiathe local authorityNoun (f)B2
A autarquia financia as escolas básicas.The local authority pays for the primary schools.
a soberaniathe sovereigntyNoun (f)B2
A soberania pertence ao povo.Sovereignty belongs to the people.
a laicidadethe secularity of the stateNoun (f)B2
A laicidade do Estado é um princípio constitucional.The secularity of the state is a constitutional principle.
a separação de poderesthe separation of powersNoun (f)B2
A separação de poderes limita o governo.The separation of powers keeps the government in check.
a função públicathe civil serviceNoun (f)B2
Trabalha na função pública há dez anos.She has worked in the civil service for ten years.
a comissão de inquéritothe committee of inquiryNoun (f)B2
A comissão de inquérito ouviu vinte testemunhas.The committee of inquiry heard twenty witnesses.
a transparênciathe transparencyNoun (f)B2
A transparência dos concursos é obrigatória.Transparency in public tenders is compulsory.

Noun (m) (12)

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

o deputadothe Member of ParliamentNoun (m)B2
O deputado fez uma pergunta ao governo.The Member of Parliament put a question to the government.
o mandatothe term of officeNoun (m)B2
O seu mandato termina na primavera.His term of office ends in the spring.
o círculo eleitoralthe constituencyNoun (m)B2
O círculo eleitoral tem oitenta mil habitantes.The constituency has eighty thousand inhabitants.
o decreto-leithe decree-lawNoun (m)B2
O decreto-lei entra em vigor em janeiro.The decree-law comes into force in January.
o projeto de leithe parliamentary billNoun (m)B2
O projeto de lei chega em junho.The parliamentary bill arrives in June.
o Tribunal Constitucionalthe Constitutional CourtNoun (m)B2
O Tribunal Constitucional chumbou dois artigos.The Constitutional Court struck down two articles.
o porta-vozthe spokespersonNoun (m)B2
O porta-voz leu uma declaração.The spokesperson read out a statement.
o referendothe referendumNoun (m)B2
O referendo está previsto para o outono.The referendum is planned for the autumn.
o Estado de direitothe rule of lawNoun (m)B2
O Estado de direito protege também a minoria.The rule of law protects the minority as well.
o défice públicothe public deficitNoun (m)B2
O défice público tem de ser reduzido.The public deficit has to be brought down.
o orçamento do Estadothe state budgetNoun (m)B2
O orçamento do Estado é votado em outubro.The state budget is voted on in October.
o provedor de justiçathe ombudsmanNoun (m)B2
O provedor de justiça recebe as queixas dos cidadãos.The ombudsman receives complaints from citizens.

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This list belongs to Government, health care, education — three lists and 150 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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