How to Say ‘Take Notes’ in Portuguese: Anotar and Fazer Anotações — Practice

Use anotar for writing information down

Anotar means to write down or take note of information. It is a flexible verb for class, a meeting, or a phone call. You can say anotar uma ideia or anotar o endereço.

Use fazer anotações for the activity or your notes

Fazer anotações means to take notes or make notes. Anotações can also refer to the notes you wrote. For a class note packet or a classmate’s notes, say minhas anotações or suas anotações.

Ask permission or request notes from someone

If you are recording someone else’s explanation, ask before doing so. If you missed class, request one specific set of notes and offer to share something useful in return.

Remember: Use anotar for the action and anotações for the notes or note-taking 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.

1. I’m going to take notes on the main points of class.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vou anotar os pontos principais da aula.

2. Can I write down your number?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Posso anotar seu número?

3. The teacher left time to take notes.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A professora deixou tempo para fazer anotações.

4. Can I compare my notes with yours?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Posso comparar minhas anotações com as suas?

5. Is it okay if I take a few notes while you explain?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Tudo bem se eu fizer algumas anotações enquanto você explica?

6. Could you share your notes from the last class?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você poderia compartilhar as anotações da última aula?

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 anotar for the action and anotações for the notes or note-taking 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 How to Say ‘Take Notes’ in Portuguese: Anotar and Fazer Anotações 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.