🇵🇹 Portuguese · B1 · Money & Services
At the bank
Vocabulary
- a conta bancáriabank account
- o levantamentowithdrawal
- o depósitodeposit
- a transferênciatransfer
- o empréstimoloan
- a taxa de jurointerest rate
- o cartão de débitodebit card
- o multibancoATM
- o saldobalance
- a poupançasavings
At the Bank
Formal Requests with the Conditional
When dealing with bank staff, use the condicional for polite requests:
- Gostaria de abrir uma conta. (I would like to open an account.)
- Poderia explicar-me as condições? (Could you explain the conditions to me?)
Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
Banking transactions often require combining pronouns:
- Pode enviá-lo para esta conta? (Can you send it to this account?)
- O funcionário explicou-me as taxas. (The clerk explained the fees to me.)
Key Verb: "Levantar" vs "Depositar"
- Levantar dinheiro = to withdraw money
- Depositar dinheiro = to deposit money
- Quero levantar 50 euros. (I want to withdraw 50 euros.)
Tip: In Portugal, "multibanco" refers to both the ATM network and the machines themselves. You can say "Vou ao multibanco" (I'm going to the ATM).
Expressions
- Queria abrir uma contaI would like to open an account
- Qual é o saldo da minha conta?What is my account balance?
- Preciso de fazer uma transferênciaI need to make a transfer
- O multibanco engoliu o meu cartãoThe ATM swallowed my card
- Posso pedir um empréstimo?Can I apply for a loan?
- Quero levantar dinheiroI want to withdraw money
Common mistakes
Eu quero abrir um contaEu quero abrir uma conta'Conta' is feminine, so use 'uma' not 'um'
Preciso fazer uma transferênciaPreciso de fazer uma transferência'Precisar' requires the preposition 'de' before the infinitive
Qual é a saldo?Qual é o saldo?'Saldo' is masculine, so use 'o' not 'a'
Quick quiz
Question 1 of 5
How do you say “debit card” in Portuguese?
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