At University Orientation in Brazil: Ask About Campus Services — 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.
Ask where to find essential campus services
Recepção is reception, secretaria acadêmica is academic office, and apoio ao estudante is student support. Ask the guide to point out the services most relevant to your program.
A campus map or institution website may use different names for each office. Write down the label you hear so you can find it later.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Onde fica a secretaria acadêmica? | Where is the academic office? |
| Que setor ajuda estudantes internacionais? | Which office helps international students? |
Check schedules and how to book support
Ask when an office is open and whether it takes walk-ins or appointments. Use atendimento for service or support and agendamento for a scheduled appointment.
Do not assume the same office handles course questions, housing, and student wellbeing; ask which team is responsible for each issue.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Qual é o horário de atendimento deste setor? | What are this office's service hours? |
| Preciso agendar para conversar com alguém? | Do I need to make an appointment to speak with someone? |
Ask where official updates are posted
Portal do aluno is a student portal and mural is a notice board. Ask where the university posts schedule changes, academic deadlines, and service announcements.
Use the institution's official channel for dates and procedures. Orientation remarks are helpful, but written notices can contain the exact current instructions.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Onde encontro os avisos oficiais da universidade? | Where can I find the university's official announcements? |
| As mudanças de horário aparecem no portal do aluno? | Do schedule changes appear in the student portal? |
Remember: Learn the names of key offices, ask how to reach them, and find the official channel for campus updates.
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.
Where is the academic office?
Show a Portuguese answer
Onde fica a secretaria acadêmica?
Which office helps international students?
Show a Portuguese answer
Que setor ajuda estudantes internacionais?
What are this office's service hours?
Show a Portuguese answer
Qual é o horário de atendimento deste setor?
Do I need to make an appointment to speak with someone?
Show a Portuguese answer
Preciso agendar para conversar com alguém?
Where can I find the university's official announcements?
Show a Portuguese answer
Onde encontro os avisos oficiais da universidade?
Do schedule changes appear in the student portal?
Show a Portuguese answer
As mudanças de horário aparecem no portal do aluno?
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.
Learn the names of key offices, ask how to reach them, and find the official channel for campus updates.
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 At University Orientation in Brazil: Ask About Campus Services 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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