Talk to a Building Manager in Brazil: Portuguese for Maintenance Requests — Practice

Name the location and visible problem

A síndico or síndica is the elected manager of a condominium building. Depending on the situation, you may also speak with the property manager or doorman. Start with the location—hallway, elevator, garage, or your unit—and describe what you can see.

Use tem um vazamento (there is a leak), a luz queimou (the light went out), or o portão não está abrindo (the gate is not opening). Avoid assigning blame or guessing the source of a problem before it has been checked.

Ask how to register the request

Ask whether you should send a message, fill out a form, or speak to a specific person. If you report a problem verbally, ask whether the building can confirm that it was registered and how you will hear about an update.

If the issue is inside your apartment, clarify whether the building or the unit owner handles that kind of repair. Responsibility can depend on the building rules and the exact issue, so ask rather than assume.

Ask for an update without creating confusion

If the issue is still present later, refer to the date you first reported it and describe what has changed. Ask whether there is a previsão (estimate) for inspection or repair, while recognizing that the timing may still change.

For an urgent safety issue, use the building’s emergency procedure and contact the appropriate local service. This language guide helps you explain a situation; it does not determine the building’s responsibilities or emergency response.

Remember: Report the location and observable issue, ask how to register it, and confirm who will provide an update.

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. There is a leak near the elevator on the second floor.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Tem um vazamento perto do elevador do segundo andar.

2. The garage light is not turning on.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A luz da garagem não está acendendo.

3. How do I report this problem?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Como faço para registrar esse problema?

4. Is this repair handled by the condominium or the resident?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Esse reparo é feito pelo condomínio ou pelo morador?

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.

Report the location and observable issue, ask how to register it, and confirm who will provide an update.

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 Talk to a Building Manager in Brazil: Portuguese for Maintenance Requests 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.