Portuguese · B1 (Intermediate)
Banking in Portuguese: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Portuguese words for banking are a conta à ordem (the current account), levantar (to withdraw) and depositar (to deposit). The full Portuguese banking phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Portuguese vocabulary for banking, with example sentences and English translations. This is B1 (Intermediate) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Portuguese to live, work, or settle abroad.
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Key banking vocabulary
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| a conta à ordem | the current account |
| levantar | to withdraw |
| depositar | to deposit |
| a transferência bancária | the bank transfer |
| o descoberto | the overdraft |
| o extrato bancário | the bank statement |
| o débito direto | the direct debit |
| as comissões | bank commissions / charges |
| a taxa de juro | the interest rate |
| o empréstimo | the loan |
Example sentences
Abri uma conta à ordem no BCP.
I opened a current account at BCP.
Quero levantar 200 euros.
I would like to withdraw 200 euros.
Faço uma transferência para pagar a renda.
I make a bank transfer to pay the rent.
A conta está a descoberto.
The account is overdrawn.
A electricidade está em débito direto.
The electricity is on direct debit.
Procuro uma conta sem comissões.
I am looking for a commission-free account.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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