How to Say ‘Make an Effort’ in Portuguese: Fazer um Esforço — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use fazer um esforço for ‘make an effort’
Fazer um esforço means to make an effort. You can describe your own effort or ask someone to try. Add para + infinitive to name the goal.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Fiz um esforço para chegar no horário. | I made an effort to arrive on time. |
| Vamos fazer um esforço para falar português durante o almoço. | Let’s make an effort to speak Portuguese during lunch. |
Use se esforçar to say ‘try hard’
Esforçar-se means to make an effort or try hard. In Brazilian speech, the pronoun commonly appears before the verb: estou me esforçando (I’m trying hard).
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Estou me esforçando para entender as conversas rápidas. | I’m making an effort to understand fast conversations. |
| Ela se esforçou muito neste projeto. | She tried very hard on this project. |
Recognize someone’s effort
You can thank someone for their esforço or say valeu pelo esforço in a casual setting. To keep encouragement supportive, describe the specific progress you noticed.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Obrigado pelo esforço e pela paciência. | Thank you for the effort and patience. |
| Dá para perceber o quanto você está se esforçando. | I can see how hard you’re trying. |
Remember: Use fazer um esforço as a noun phrase and se esforçar as the verb ‘try hard.’
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.
I made an effort to arrive on time.
Show a Portuguese answer
Fiz um esforço para chegar no horário.
Let’s make an effort to speak Portuguese during lunch.
Show a Portuguese answer
Vamos fazer um esforço para falar português durante o almoço.
I’m making an effort to understand fast conversations.
Show a Portuguese answer
Estou me esforçando para entender as conversas rápidas.
She tried very hard on this project.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ela se esforçou muito neste projeto.
Thank you for the effort and patience.
Show a Portuguese answer
Obrigado pelo esforço e pela paciência.
I can see how hard you’re trying.
Show a Portuguese answer
Dá para perceber o quanto você está se esforçando.
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.
Use fazer um esforço as a noun phrase and se esforçar as the verb ‘try hard.’
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 How to Say ‘Make an Effort’ in Portuguese: Fazer um Esforço 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.
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