Practice a Portuguese Business Meeting
Business meetings in Portuguese require precision: agreeing, disagreeing, summarising, and proposing next steps without coming across too aggressive or too vague. This scenario rehearses the meeting verbs ('I propose', 'I disagree respectfully', 'Let's circle back', 'Action item:'), and the polite-but-firm register most Portuguese-speaking corporate cultures expect. You'll practise turn-taking, interrupting tactfully, and closing a meeting with clear ownership of next steps. By the end, you'll contribute meaningfully in a Portuguese meeting instead of staying silent.
Sample Portuguese conversation
Bom dia a todos. Vamos começar. O primeiro ponto da pauta são os resultados trimestrais. Gostaria de começar?
Good morning, everyone. Let's get started. The first item on the agenda is the quarterly results. Would you like to begin?Claro. Preparei um resumo dos números principais.
Of course. I've prepared a summary of the key figures.Obrigado pela apresentação. A receita subiu 12% neste trimestre. O que você acha que contribuiu para esse crescimento?
Thank you for the overview. Revenue is up 12% this quarter. What do you think contributed to this growth?Fechamos com três novos clientes importantes neste trimestre.
We signed three new major clients this quarter.Excelente. Quais são as metas para o próximo trimestre? Alguma nova estratégia que devemos considerar?
Excellent. What are the goals for next quarter? Any new strategies we should consider?Proponho que nos expandamos para dois novos mercados.
I propose we expand into two new markets.
What you'll learn
- Open and close a meeting with the right etiquette
- Agree, disagree, and propose alternatives politely
- Interrupt without being rude
- Summarise discussion and assign action items
- Take notes in Portuguese and follow up
Frequently asked questions
How do I disagree politely in a Portuguese meeting?
Use the formula 'I see your point, but I'd suggest…' — softer than the bare 'I disagree'. The scenario rehearses several variants.
What's the Portuguese for 'action item' or 'next steps'?
There's a specific business term in Portuguese — increasingly an English loanword in some countries. We include both forms.
How formal is Portuguese in business meetings?
Quite formal — formal 'you', complete sentences, avoid slang. The scenario uses corporate register throughout.
How do I close a Portuguese meeting cleanly?
Summarise decisions, assign owners, set a follow-up date. The scenario teaches the closing phrases for each step.