Avisar vs. Informar in Portuguese: Let Someone Know or Give Information — Practice

Use avisar for a practical heads-up

Avisar is common when you want to alert someone or let them know about a change, delay, arrival, or next step. It often appears with the person first and the information after: avisar alguém de alguma coisa, avisar alguém que…, or simply avisar que… when the person is clear from context.

The tone is everyday and direct. It works well in a message to a friend, colleague, or service provider when the point is that the other person should know something.

Use informar when the focus is the information itself

Informar emphasizes communicating information and can sound more formal or administrative. It is common in notices, workplace instructions, and customer-service exchanges. The person may be introduced with a direct object or with the preposition a, depending on the sentence: informar alguém or informar a alguém.

The two verbs can overlap. Choose based on the situation and the tone you want, then learn the full phrase that follows each verb rather than translating one English word mechanically.

Remember: For a quick personal heads-up, avisar is often a natural choice. Informar fits notices and situations where formally giving information is the focus.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. I’ll let Ana know that I’m going to be late.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vou avisar a Ana que vou me atrasar.

2. Can you let me know when you arrive?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você pode me avisar quando chegar?

3. The hotel informed the guests about the change.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O hotel avisou os hóspedes sobre a mudança.

4. We need to inform customers about the new schedule.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Precisamos informar os clientes sobre o novo horário.

5. Reception informed us that the elevator is under maintenance.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A recepção informou que o elevador está em manutenção.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

For a quick personal heads-up, avisar is often a natural choice. Informar fits notices and situations where formally giving information is the focus.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Avisar vs. Informar in Portuguese: Let Someone Know or Give Information lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.