descobrir vs obter
Portuguese word comparison
Listen to descobrir
Listen to obter
| descobrir | obter |
|---|---|
/des-co-BRIR/ verb | /ohb-TER/ verb |
| to discover; to find out something that was unknown before | to obtain; to get hold of something |
How they differ
Obter is about getting or acquiring something, not specifically about learning a fact. It is only a partial match with descobrir, because descobrir can also mean uncovering information, while obter cannot.
When to use each
When to use descobrir: Prefer descobrir when what matters is finding out information or uncovering something unknown.
When to use obter: Prefer obter when you mean to acquire, secure, or receive something tangible or abstract.
Side-by-side examples
- Eu descobri o endereço novo do escritório.
(I found out the office's new address.) - Eu obtive o endereço novo do escritório.
(I obtained the office's new address.)
Register & nuance: Obter is neutral to formal and is common in administrative, academic, and everyday contexts.