C1grammar· 7 min· +35 XP

Formal vs Informal Register

The same idea can be said five different ways in Portuguese, each landing in a different register. "Manda aí", "me manda?", "você pode me mandar?", "poderia me enviar?", "o senhor poderia me enviar?" — all "send me that", but in five social distances.

The register ladder for "can you send me…?"

Phrase Register Where you'd use it
Manda aí. very informal friend group
Me manda? informal colleague you know well
Você pode me mandar? neutral most workplace contexts
Você poderia me enviar? polite client, supervisor
O(A) senhor(a) poderia me enviar? formal first contact, senior person

Switch from informal to formal

Vocab map: the same meaning in two registers

Informal Formal
Manda Envie / encaminhe
Aí, ó Conforme exposto
Tá bom Está adequado
Beleza Compreendido / De acordo
Resolver Solucionar / providenciar
Falar com Entrar em contato com
Falar de Tratar de / abordar
Pedir Solicitar
Falar pra Comunicar a
Ver Verificar / analisar

Cloze — formalize the sentence

Choose the right register for the audience

Translate — same meaning, two registers

Translate each idea twice: once for a friend, once for a client.

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