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Unit 15 · Services and paperworkA2Lesson 1 of 5: Offices and IDs

Offices and IDs in European Portuguese

This lesson opens Unit 15, Services and paperwork (Serviços e burocracia), an A2 unit in which you deal with Finanças, the bank, the post office and your landlord: tickets, forms and appointments. The new words are o NIF (tax number), as Finanças (tax office), precisar de (to need) and 5 more, practised in 10 example sentences. By the end you can say things like Tu tens NIF? (“Do you have a tax number?”). The unit’s grammar notes cover “The NIF and Finanças” and “Senhas, filas and marcações”.

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Words in this lesson

PortugueseEnglish
o NIFalso o número de contribuinte
tax numberNIF = número de identificação fiscal. People also call it o número de contribuinte.
as Finanças
tax officeAlways plural: Vou às Finanças.
precisar de
to needAlways with de: Eu preciso de um NIF. Eu preciso de ir ao banco.
a autorização de residência
residence permit
a AIMA
immigration agencyThe Portuguese agency that handles residence permits. Say à AIMA, na AIMA.
a Segurança Social
Social Security
o Cartão de Cidadão
citizen cardThe Portuguese identity card.
a junta de freguesiaalso a junta
parish councilThe office of your freguesia (parish), the most local level of government. People often just say a junta.

Example sentences

  • Eu preciso de um NIF.I need a tax number.Precisar always takes de: preciso de.
  • Onde ficam as Finanças?Where is the tax office?As Finanças is plural, so the verb is plural too: ficam.
  • Qual é o seu NIF?What's your tax number?Officials usually say o seu, with extra respect. With friends: o teu.
  • Eu preciso de ir à Segurança Social.I need to go to Social Security.Precisar de + infinitive: preciso de ir.
  • O meu marido vai à AIMA amanhã.My husband is going to AIMA tomorrow.À = a + a: ir à AIMA.
  • A minha mulher tem autorização de residência.My wife has a residence permit.
  • Tu tens NIF?Do you have a tax number?
  • Desculpe, onde fica a junta de freguesia?Excuse me, where is the parish council?
  • Eu vou às Finanças pedir o NIF.I'm going to the tax office to apply for a tax number.Às = a + as. Pedir = to ask for, to apply for. People also say tirar o NIF.
  • O meu Cartão de Cidadão está em casa.My citizen card is at home.

Grammar notes

The grammar notes for this lesson are on the page for Unit 15: Services and paperwork:

All lessons in Unit 15: Services and paperwork

Unit 15 overview · See all 16 units