166 Portuguese Abbreviations, Acronyms and Contractions for Concise Communication

Portuguese abbreviations make communication quick and easy. 

After all, you don’t ask guests to “respond if you please” to your party, you ask them to “RSVP.” 

Likewise, you might say “Sra.” instead of Senhora (Missus) and “fds” instead of fim de semana (weekend) in Portuguese.

Get to know the most common and most useful Portuguese abbreviations, acronyms and contractions for all your communication needs

Contents

Portuguese Abbreviations

Below are some of the most common Portuguese abbreviations, organized by theme. Abbreviations are typically used in writing, and you’ll generally see these in letters, emails and text messages. 

Address abbreviations

AbbreviationExpanded FormEnglish Meaning
Al. Alameda Alley
And. Andar Floor
Apt. Apartamento Apartment
Av. Avenida Avenue
Bl. Bloco Block
Cond. Condomínio Condominium
Cx. Caixa Box
Dir. Direita Right
Ed. Edifício Building
Esq. Esquerda Left
Lg. Largo Square
Lj. Loja Store
Número Number
Pç. Praça Square
Qd. Quadra Block
R. Rua Street
S/N Sem Número Without Number
Trav. Travessa Alley

Books and literature abbreviations

AbbreviationExpanded FormEnglish Meaning
aut. Autor Author
bib. Biblioteca Library
bibl. Bibliografia Bibliography
cap. Capítulo Chapter
coord. Coordenador Coordinator
ed. Edição Edition
il. Ilustração Illustration
inf. Informação Information
org. Organizador Editor (organizer)
pág. Página Page
pref. Prefácio Preface
rev. Revisão Review
trad. Tradução Translation
vol. Volume Volume

Measurement abbreviations

AbbreviationExpanded FormMeaning
cm Centímetro Centimeter
g Grama Gram
h Hora Hour
kg Quilograma Kilogram
km Quilômetro Kilometer
L Litro Liter
m Metro Meter
mg Miligrama Milligram
min Minuto Minute
mL Mililitro Milliliter
mm Milímetro Millimeter
seg Segundo Second

Title and name abbreviations

AbbreviationExpanded FormEnglish Meaning
Adv. Advogado Lawyer
Advª. Advogada Lawyer (female)
Dr. Doutor Doctor
Drª. Doutora Doctor (female)
Eng. Engenheiro Engineer
Engª. Engenheira Engineer (female)
Prof. Professor Professor
Profª. Professora Professor (female)
Sr. Senhor Mister
Sra. Senhora Missus/Mrs.
Sras. Senhoras Ladies
Srs. Senhores Gentlemen

Day and month abbreviations

AbbreviationExpanded FormEnglish Meaning
Seg. Segunda-feira Monday
Ter. Terça-feira Tuesday
Qua. Quarta-feira Wednesday
Qui. Quinta-feira Thursday
Sex. Sexta-feira Friday
Sáb. Sábado Saturday
Dom. Domingo Sunday
Jan. Janeiro January
Fev. Fevereiro February
Mar. Março March
Abr. Abril April
Mai. Maio May
Jun. Junho June
Jul. Julho July
Ago. Agosto August
Set. Setembro September
Out. Outubro October
Nov. Novembro November
Dez. Dezembro December

Miscellaneous abbreviations

AbbreviationExpanded FormEnglish Meaning
adm. Administração Administration
dep. Departamento Department
dúv. Dúvida Doubt
ex. Exemplo Example
máx. Máximo Maximum
min. Mínimo Minimum
mt. Muito Very
obs. Observação Observation
pag. Pagar To pay
ref. Referência Reference
resp. Responsável Responsible
seg. Seguinte Following
tel. Telefone Telephone

Portuguese Acronyms

An acronym is formed by taking the initial letters of words in a phrase or name. For example, UNESCO stands for “United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.” Check out the table below for a breakdown of some common Portuguese acronyms. 

AbbreviationWhat It Stands ForEnglish Meaning
AMIB Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine
BNDES Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social Brazilian Development Bank
EPI Equipamento de Proteção Individual Personal Protective Equipment
FMI Fundo Monetário Internacional International Monetary Fund
INSS Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social National Institute of Social Security
IPTU Imposto Predial e Territorial Urbano Urban Property Tax
IPVA Imposto sobre a Propriedade de Veículos Automotores Vehicle Property Tax
MP Medida Provisória Provisional Measure
OAB Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil Brazilian Bar Association
OIT Organização Internacional do Trabalho International Labour Organization
OMC Organização Mundial do Comércio World Trade Organization
OMS Organização Mundial da Saúde World Health Organization
ONU Organização das Nações Unidas United Nations
OTAN Organização do Tratado do Atlântico Norte North Atlantic Treaty Organization
PC Polícia Civil Civil Police
PIB Produto Interno Bruto Gross Domestic Product
PM Polícia Militar Military Police
SBT Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão Brazilian Television System
STF Supremo Tribunal Federal Supreme Federal Court
UE União Europeia European Union
VLT Veículo Leve sobre Trilhos Light Rail Vehicle

Portuguese Contractions

Portuguese, like English, occasionally sticks words together. Here are some of the most common contractions you’ll see used in everyday Portuguese. Unlike most other shortenings, you’ll actually hear these spoken in addition to seeing them written. 

ContractionsExpanded FormMeaning
na em + ain the (feminine singular)
no em + oin the (masculine singular)
nos em + osin the (masculine plural)
nas em + asin the (feminine plural)
do de + oof the (masculine singular)
da de + aof the (feminine singular)
dos de + osof the (masculine plural)
das de + asof the (feminine plural)
num em + umin a (masculine singular)
numa em + umain a (feminine singular)
nuns em + unsin a (masculine singular)
numas em + umasin a (feminine singular)
prum para + umto a (masculine singular, informal)
pruma para + umato a (feminine singular, informal)
pruns para + unsto some (masculine plural, informal)
prumas para + umasto some (feminine plural, informal)
dum de + umof a (masculine singular, informal)
duma de + umaof a (feminine singular, informal)
duns de + unsof some (masculine plural, informal)
dumas de + umasof some (feminine plural, informal)
nalgum em + algumin some (masculine singular)
nalguma em + algumain some (feminine singular)
nalguns em + algunsin some (masculine plural)
nalgumas em + algumasin some (feminine plural)
daqui de + aquifrom here (masculine singular)
pro para + ofor the (masculine singular)
pra para + afor the (feminine singular)
pros para + osto the (masculine plural)
pras para + asfor the (feminine plural)

Text Abbreviations in Portuguese

When you’re sending text messages, use these abbreviations to make your Portuguese chats quick and casual. 

AbbreviationExpanded FormEnglish Meaning
aki aqui here
bj beijo kiss
c/ com with
qdo quando when
cmg comigo with me
ctg contigo with you
ctz certeza certainty
daki de aqui from here
dms demais too much
dps depois later
fds fim de semana weekend
hj hoje today
kd cadê where is
kkk / rsrsrs risadas laughs (like "haha")
msm mesmo same
mto muito very
p/ para for, to
pq porque because
qdo quando when
qm quem who
s/ sem without
smp sempre always
t+ até mais see you later
tb também also
td tudo everything
tds todos everyone
vc você you
vlw valeu thanks

 

You’re all caught up on Portuguese abbreviations, contractions and acronyms! You can save some time when texting, or look just like a native Portuguese speaker thanks to these quick terms!

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