Resume vs. Resumo: Ask for a CV or a Summary in Portuguese — 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 currículo for a résumé or CV
For a résumé or CV, Brazilian Portuguese uses currículo. You can send or update your currículo when applying for a job. Resume as a verb, meaning to continue after a pause, is retomar or continuar.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Enviei meu currículo para a vaga ontem. | I sent my résumé for the position yesterday. |
| Vamos retomar a conversa depois do almoço. | Let’s resume the conversation after lunch. |
Use resumo for a summary
Resumo means summary or abstract. It describes a shortened account of a report, lesson, or book. Resumir is the verb “to summarize.” Context usually makes this meaning clear.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Você pode fazer um resumo do relatório? | Can you write a summary of the report? |
| Vou resumir os pontos principais da reunião. | I’m going to summarize the main points of the meeting. |
Match the word to the situation
A job application calls for a currículo. A class assignment may ask for a resumo. When you mean to start an activity again, choose retomar. These related-looking words belong to different tasks.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| A empresa pediu um currículo atualizado. | The company asked for an updated résumé. |
| O professor pediu um resumo de uma página. | The teacher asked for a one-page summary. |
Remember: Currículo is a CV; resumo is a summary; retomar means to resume an activity.
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 sent my résumé for the position yesterday.
Show a Portuguese answer
Enviei meu currículo para a vaga ontem.
Let’s resume the conversation after lunch.
Show a Portuguese answer
Vamos retomar a conversa depois do almoço.
Can you write a summary of the report?
Show a Portuguese answer
Você pode fazer um resumo do relatório?
I’m going to summarize the main points of the meeting.
Show a Portuguese answer
Vou resumir os pontos principais da reunião.
The company asked for an updated résumé.
Show a Portuguese answer
A empresa pediu um currículo atualizado.
The teacher asked for a one-page summary.
Show a Portuguese answer
O professor pediu um resumo de uma página.
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.
Currículo is a CV; resumo is a summary; retomar means to resume an activity.
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 Resume vs. Resumo: Ask for a CV or a Summary in Portuguese 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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