Explicar vs. Ensinar in Portuguese: Explain an Idea or Teach a Skill — Practice

Use explicar when you clarify information or a process

Explicar means to explain. You can explain an idea, a reason, a rule, or how a process works. A common pattern is explicar algo a alguém: explicar o problema à equipe (explain the problem to the team).

When the explanation is followed by a full clause, use explicar que: ela explicou que o prazo mudou (she explained that the deadline changed). If you need help, ask someone to explain one part rather than repeating a general request.

Use ensinar when someone learns knowledge or a skill

Ensinar means to teach or instruct. It often names the learner and the subject or skill: ensinar português a alguém (teach Portuguese to someone) or ensinar uma criança a nadar (teach a child to swim).

A teacher may explain one point while teaching a broader skill, so the verbs can describe different parts of the same lesson. Choose explicar for the clarification and ensinar for the learning process.

Remember: Explicar makes a point or process clear; ensinar helps a person learn a subject or skill. A lesson can involve both actions.

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. Can you explain this rule with an example?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você pode explicar essa regra com um exemplo?

2. The manager explained the process to the team.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O gerente explicou o processo para a equipe.

3. She explained that the address was incomplete.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela explicou que o endereço estava incompleto.

4. My grandfather taught me how to make bread.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Meu avô me ensinou a fazer pão.

5. The teacher explained the difference between the two verbs.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A professora explicou a diferença entre os dois verbos.

6. Can you teach me how to use this app?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você pode me ensinar a usar esse aplicativo?

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.

Explicar makes a point or process clear; ensinar helps a person learn a subject or skill. A lesson can involve both actions.

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 Explicar vs. Ensinar in Portuguese: Explain an Idea or Teach a Skill? 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.