A2 noun 3 Min. Lesezeit

empenhado

When you're really determined to achieve a goal, like learning Portuguese, you can describe yourself as empenhado. This word means you are strongly committed and engaged in the effort. It's often used to show dedication to a task or a cause. For example, a student who studies hard every day is empenhado in their studies.

§ Understanding "Empenhado"

Let's talk about the word empenhado. This isn't just about being busy; it's about being deeply invested. It's a fantastic word to add to your Portuguese vocabulary because it describes a level of commitment that goes beyond simple effort.

DEFINITION
Strongly committed to achieving something; engaged.

Think of it this way: when someone is empenhado, they're not just doing a task; they're putting their heart and soul into it. They're dedicated, focused, and determined to see it through to a successful conclusion.

§ Where you'll hear "Empenhado"

You'll frequently encounter empenhado in situations where commitment and dedication are key. This means you'll hear it in professional settings, educational environments, and even in news reports about significant efforts.

  • At Work: In the workplace, you'll hear colleagues and managers talking about being empenhado in projects, goals, or improving performance. It signifies a strong work ethic.
  • At School: Students who are serious about their studies or teachers who are dedicated to their students' success are often described as empenhado.
  • In the News: When there are big initiatives, reforms, or efforts to solve a problem, journalists will use empenhado to highlight the commitment of individuals or groups involved.

Let's look at some practical examples so you can see how it fits into real Portuguese conversations:

Ele está muito empenhado em terminar o projeto até sexta-feira. (He is very committed to finishing the project by Friday.)

Here, the person isn't just hoping to finish; they are actively working hard and dedicated to meeting the deadline.

A equipe está empenhada em alcançar os objetivos deste trimestre. (The team is committed to achieving this quarter's goals.)

This sentence shows collective commitment. The entire team is focused and working hard towards a common goal.

O governo está empenhado na reforma da educação. (The government is engaged in education reform.)

This example, often seen in news, implies that the government is seriously dedicated to making changes in the educational system. They are not just talking about it, but actively working on it.

Os alunos estão muito empenhados nos seus estudos para os exames finais. (The students are very dedicated to their studies for the final exams.)

Here, it highlights the students' strong focus and hard work to prepare for their exams.

Wusstest du?

The word 'penhor' means 'pledge' or 'security'. So, 'empenhado' literally means 'in pledge' or 'committed as if in a pledge', highlighting the strong dedication.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 1/5

Short, common word.

Schreiben 1/5

Straightforward spelling.

Sprechen 1/5

Pronunciation is regular.

Hören 1/5

Clearly articulated in spoken Portuguese.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

trabalho (work) serviços (services) pessoa (person) muito (very)

Als Nächstes lernen

dedicado (dedicated) comprometido (committed) esforçar-se (to make an effort)

Fortgeschritten

empenhar-se (to commit oneself) dedicação (dedication) compromisso (commitment)

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

Ele está empenhado em aprender português.

He is committed to learning Portuguese.

2

Ela está muito empenhada no trabalho.

She is very engaged in her work.

3

Nós estamos empenhados em ajudar.

We are committed to helping.

4

Eles estão empenhados com o projeto.

They are engaged with the project.

5

Eu estou empenhado em fazer o meu melhor.

I am committed to doing my best.

6

Você está empenhado em seus estudos?

Are you committed to your studies?

7

Ele sempre está empenhado em tudo que faz.

He is always engaged in everything he does.

8

A equipe está empenhada no sucesso.

The team is committed to success.

Tipps

Context is key for 'empenhado'

Remember that 'empenhado' means committed or dedicated. It's often used when someone is working hard towards a goal.

Associate 'empenhado' with effort

Think of 'empenhado' as someone putting in a lot of effort and showing strong dedication. It's a positive trait.

Pronunciation practice for 'empenhado'

Practice saying 'em-peen-YAH-doo'. The 'nh' sound is similar to the 'ny' in canyon. Getting the pronunciation right helps with recall.

Gender agreement for 'empenhado'

Like many Portuguese adjectives, 'empenhado' changes based on gender. It's 'empenhada' for feminine subjects. Pay attention to agreement.

Use 'empenhado' in a simple sentence

Try forming a simple sentence: 'Ele está muito empenhado no projeto.' (He is very committed to the project.)

Don't confuse 'empenhado' with 'ocupado'

While someone committed might be busy, 'empenhado' specifically means dedicated, not just occupied. There's a nuance.

'Empenhado' reflects value of dedication

In Portuguese-speaking cultures, being 'empenhado' is a highly valued quality, showing someone is reliable and hardworking.

Look for synonyms of 'empenhado'

Other words that convey similar meaning include 'dedicado' (dedicated) or 'comprometido' (committed). This helps expand your vocabulary.

Recognize 'empenhado' in media

Listen for 'empenhado' in Portuguese songs, movies, or news. Hearing it in context helps you understand its natural usage.

'Empenhar-se' as a reflexive verb

The verb form 'empenhar-se' means 'to commit oneself' or 'to endeavor'. This is a more advanced usage but good to know.

Wortherkunft

em- + penhor + -ado

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: given as security or pledge

Latin

Kultureller Kontext

In Brazilian Portuguese, 'estar empenhado em algo' is a common expression to describe someone who is very dedicated and working hard towards a goal. It often implies a sense of personal investment and responsibility. This word is frequently used in professional and academic settings to convey a strong commitment to a project or study.

Teste dich selbst 48 Fragen

multiple choice A1

Choose the best translation for 'empenhado':

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Committed

'Empenhado' means strongly committed to achieving something.

multiple choice A1

Which word is similar in meaning to 'empenhado'?

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Dedicado (Dedicated)

'Empenhado' and 'dedicado' both convey a sense of strong commitment.

multiple choice A1

If someone is 'empenhado' in a project, what are they doing?

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Working hard on it

Being 'empenhado' means being actively and strongly committed, which implies working hard.

true false A1

If you are 'empenhado' in learning Portuguese, you are trying your best to learn it.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Richtig

Yes, 'empenhado' means you are strongly committed and putting in effort.

true false A1

Being 'empenhado' means you are not interested in something.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Falsch

No, 'empenhado' means you are strongly interested and committed.

true false A1

When you are 'empenhado', you are lazy.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Falsch

No, 'empenhado' means the opposite of lazy; it means you are engaged and committed.

sentence order A1

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ele está empenhado no trabalho.

This sentence means 'He is committed to work.'

sentence order A1

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Nós estamos empenhados em aprender.

This sentence means 'We are committed to learning.'

sentence order A1

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Você está muito empenhado hoje.

This sentence means 'You are very committed today.'

sentence order A2

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ele está muito empenhado no projeto.

This sentence means 'He is very committed to the project.' The word 'empenhado' describes his commitment.

sentence order A2

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Nós estamos empenhados em aprender português.

This means 'We are committed to learning Portuguese.' 'Empenhados' is the plural form for 'we'.

sentence order A2

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ela está empenhada em sua nova tarefa.

This sentence means 'She is committed to her new task.' 'Empenhada' is the feminine form.

fill blank B1

A equipe está muito ___ em entregar o projeto a tempo. (The team is very ___ in delivering the project on time.)

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: empenhada

The context implies strong commitment to a task, which 'empenhada' conveys. The other options suggest negative states that don't fit.

fill blank B1

Ele se mostrou bastante ___ em aprender o novo idioma. (He proved to be quite ___ in learning the new language.)

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: empenhado

'Empenhado' fits best here as it implies a strong dedication and effort towards learning the language, more so than just being 'interested'.

fill blank B1

Estamos ___ em encontrar uma solução para este problema. (We are ___ in finding a solution to this problem.)

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: empenhados

To be 'empenhados' means to be strongly committed and putting effort into finding a solution. The other verbs don't express this level of commitment.

fill blank B1

Os voluntários estão ___ com a causa social. (The volunteers are ___ with the social cause.)

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: empenhados

Volunteers typically show strong commitment to a cause, making 'empenhados' the most appropriate choice.

fill blank B1

É preciso estar ___ para superar os desafios. (It is necessary to be ___ to overcome challenges.)

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: empenhado

Overcoming challenges requires strong dedication and commitment, which 'empenhado' signifies.

fill blank B1

Ela está muito ___ em sua carreira profissional. (She is very ___ in her professional career.)

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: empenhada

Being 'empenhada' in a career implies strong dedication and effort towards it, which is a key aspect of professional growth.

listening B1

He is committed to learning Portuguese.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ele está empenhado em aprender português.
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
listening B1

The team is committed to finishing the project on time.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: A equipe está empenhada em terminar o projeto a tempo.
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
listening B1

I am very committed to my studies.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Sou muito empenhada nos meus estudos.
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
speaking B1

Read this aloud:

Diga 'Estou empenhado em ajudar.'

Focus: empenhado

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
speaking B1

Read this aloud:

Diga 'Eles estão empenhados com a causa.'

Focus: empenhados

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
speaking B1

Read this aloud:

Diga 'Ela é uma pessoa empenhada.'

Focus: empenhada

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
sentence order B1

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ele está muito empenhado em aprender português.

This sentence means 'He is very committed to learning Portuguese.' The structure follows the common subject-verb-adverb-adjective-preposition-infinitive pattern.

sentence order B1

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: A equipe está empenhada em entregar o projeto a tempo.

This sentence means 'The team is committed to delivering the project on time.' The structure is subject-verb-adjective-preposition-infinitive-object.

sentence order B1

Tippe auf die Wörter unten, um den Satz zu bilden
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Para ter sucesso, você precisa estar empenhado no seu trabalho.

This sentence means 'To succeed, you need to be committed to your work.' The structure starts with a purpose clause, followed by the main clause with subject-verb-adjective-preposition-possessive-noun.

listening C1

He is committed to finishing the project by Friday.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ele está empenhado em terminar o projeto até sexta-feira.
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
listening C1

The team is engaged in finding an innovative solution to the problem.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: A equipe está empenhada em encontrar uma solução inovadora para o problema.
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
listening C1

They are very committed to the cause of environmental sustainability.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Eles estão muito empenhados com a causa da sustentabilidade ambiental.
Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
speaking C1

Read this aloud:

Estou empenhado em aprender português fluentemente.

Focus: em-pe-NHA-do

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
speaking C1

Read this aloud:

A empresa está empenhada em melhorar a satisfação do cliente.

Focus: em-pre-za, me-lho-rar

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
speaking C1

Read this aloud:

Nosso objetivo é estar empenhados em cada detalhe.

Focus: de-TA-lhe, o-bje-TI-vo

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
writing C1

Write a short paragraph about a time you were truly dedicated to a project or goal, using 'empenhado' at least once. Describe the project, your involvement, and the outcome.

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Sample answer

Eu estava muito empenhado em terminar meu projeto de pesquisa a tempo. Passei horas na biblioteca e me dediquei a cada detalhe. No final, o resultado foi excelente e recebi muitos elogios.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
writing C1

Imagine you are writing a performance review for an employee. Describe a situation where the employee demonstrated strong commitment ('empenhado') to their work, providing specific examples.

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Sample answer

Nosso funcionário, João, esteve empenhado em melhorar o atendimento ao cliente neste trimestre. Ele organizou workshops adicionais e implementou novas estratégias, o que resultou em um aumento significativo na satisfação do cliente.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
writing C1

You are writing an email to a friend, explaining why you can't attend an event. You need to express that you are deeply committed to another task. Use 'empenhado' to convey this.

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Sample answer

Olá [Nome do Amigo], Sinto muito, mas não poderei ir ao evento no sábado. Estou muito empenhado em finalizar um relatório importante para o trabalho e preciso dedicar todo o meu tempo a isso. Espero que você se divirta!

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
reading C1

Qual é a principal característica da nova diretoria, de acordo com o texto?

Read this passage:

A nova diretoria está empenhada em reestruturar a empresa para enfrentar os desafios do mercado atual. Eles já apresentaram um plano ambicioso que inclui a modernização dos equipamentos e a capacitação dos funcionários. Há um clima de otimismo, mas também de muita expectativa em relação aos resultados.

Qual é a principal característica da nova diretoria, de acordo com o texto?

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Eles estão comprometidos com a reestruturação da empresa.

O texto afirma que 'A nova diretoria está empenhada em reestruturar a empresa', o que significa que estão fortemente comprometidos com esse objetivo.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Eles estão comprometidos com a reestruturação da empresa.

O texto afirma que 'A nova diretoria está empenhada em reestruturar a empresa', o que significa que estão fortemente comprometidos com esse objetivo.

reading C1

O que o texto sugere sobre a dedicação do atleta?

Read this passage:

O atleta olímpico sempre se mostrou empenhado em superar seus próprios limites. Sua rotina de treinos é exaustiva, mas ele a segue com disciplina admirável. Mesmo após lesões graves, sua dedicação nunca diminuiu, o que o levou a conquistar medalhas importantes em sua carreira.

O que o texto sugere sobre a dedicação do atleta?

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Nunca diminuiu, mesmo diante de dificuldades.

O texto afirma explicitamente que 'Mesmo após lesões graves, sua dedicação nunca diminuiu'.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Nunca diminuiu, mesmo diante de dificuldades.

O texto afirma explicitamente que 'Mesmo após lesões graves, sua dedicação nunca diminuiu'.

reading C1

Qual é o principal objetivo da equipe de voluntários?

Read this passage:

A equipe de voluntários está empenhada em organizar o festival de música deste ano, que promete ser o maior já realizado na cidade. Eles se reúnem semanalmente para discutir os preparativos, desde a escolha das bandas até a logística do evento. O objetivo é criar uma experiência inesquecível para todos os participantes.

Qual é o principal objetivo da equipe de voluntários?

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Criar uma experiência inesquecível para os participantes.

A última frase do texto afirma claramente que 'O objetivo é criar uma experiência inesquecível para todos os participantes'.

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Criar uma experiência inesquecível para os participantes.

A última frase do texto afirma claramente que 'O objetivo é criar uma experiência inesquecível para todos os participantes'.

/ 48 correct

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