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B1 noun 10 Min. Lesezeit

sociais

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Erklärung sociais in your Level:

At the A1 level, you primarily see 'sociais' in the phrase 'redes sociais' (social networks). You should learn that it is the plural of 'social'. In Portuguese, adjectives that end in '-al' change to '-ais' when they describe more than one thing. For example, one 'rede social' (social network) becomes two 'redes sociais'. You don't need to worry about complex sociology yet; just focus on using it with plural nouns like 'amigos' or 'redes'.

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By A2, you will encounter 'sociais' in common daily phrases like 'problemas sociais' (social problems) or 'eventos sociais' (social events). You should start noticing that 'sociais' doesn't change for masculine or feminine nouns. It is always 'sociais' as long as the noun is plural. You might also hear about 'assistentes sociais' (social workers) in the news or when talking about community services. Focus on matching the word correctly with its noun.

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At the B1 level, you begin to use 'sociais' as a noun shorthand for 'Ciências Sociais' (Social Sciences). This is common in academic or professional discussions. You should be able to talk about your field of study or interest using this word. You will also encounter 'movimentos sociais' (social movements) and 'classes sociais' (social classes) in more complex reading materials. This is the stage where you distinguish between 'social' (about society) and 'sociável' (about being friendly).

At B2, you are expected to use 'sociais' in professional and abstract contexts. You will deal with 'encargos sociais' (labor taxes/social charges) in business or 'políticas sociais' (social policies) in political discussions. You should understand the nuances of 'responsabilidade social' (social responsibility) and be able to debate social issues with a wider vocabulary. You can use 'sociais' to categorize topics in a presentation or a structured argument.

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For C1 learners, 'sociais' is a versatile tool for high-level discourse. You understand its role in 'substantivation', where the adjective becomes a noun representing an entire field of thought. You can discuss the 'impacto das ciências sociais' on public policy with precision. You are also aware of regional variations in how the word is used and the historical weight it carries in Lusophone academic traditions, particularly in relation to critical theory and social justice.

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At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'sociais' in all its forms. You can use it in academic writing, legal documents, and literary analysis. You understand the subtle difference between 'socioeconômico' and 'social' in complex reports. You can navigate the most informal slang of university 'sociais' and the most formal declarations of 'direitos sociais' (social rights) in a constitution. The word becomes a window into the deep structural organization of Lusophone societies.

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sociais in 30 Sekunden

Plural form of 'social', used for multiple items related to society or human interaction.
Commonly used as a shorthand noun for 'Social Sciences' in academic and student contexts.
Essential component of 'redes sociais' (social media), the most common modern usage of the word.
Invariable for gender but must agree in number; predictable pluralization pattern for words ending in '-al'.

The word sociais is the plural form of the adjective social, but in specific academic and colloquial contexts in Brazil and Portugal, it functions as a shorthand noun referring to the Social Sciences (Ciências Sociais). When a student says, "Eu estudo sociais," they are not just saying they study 'social things'; they are identifying their major or field of study, encompassing sociology, anthropology, and political science. This linguistic shortcut is common in university settings where academic disciplines are frequently abbreviated. Understanding this word requires a grasp of how Portuguese handles pluralization and how adjectives can undergo 'substantivation'—the process of becoming a noun through frequent use in a specific context.

Academic Context: In universities, 'sociais' refers to the faculty or the specific set of disciplines that study human society and social relationships. It is the core of the humanities block.

Muitos alunos de sociais participam de debates políticos intensos no campus.

Translation: Many social sciences students participate in intense political debates on campus.

Beyond the university, the word is ubiquitous in the phrase redes sociais (social networks). While 'sociais' here is technically an adjective modifying 'redes', in modern digital slang, people might simply refer to their 'sociais' when talking about their online presence, though this is much more informal. The term carries a weight of human interaction; it implies a collective rather than an individual focus. Historically, the study of 'sociais' in the Lusophone world has been deeply tied to political movements and the democratization of Brazil and Portugal, making the term feel vibrant and often politically charged.

Professional Usage: Social workers often refer to 'assistentes sociais', where the word describes their professional identity and the nature of their intervention in community issues.

A área de sociais exige uma leitura crítica da realidade brasileira.

Translation: The field of social sciences requires a critical reading of the Brazilian reality.

In terms of grammar, 'sociais' is the plural of 'social'. Words ending in '-al' in Portuguese usually change to '-ais' in the plural (e.g., canal to canais, final to finais). This makes it a very predictable and common pattern. However, the use of 'sociais' as a noun is what catches many learners off guard. It represents a shift from a descriptive word to a categorical one. If you are discussing media, 'sociais' is inseparable from 'redes'. If you are discussing government, it is inseparable from 'políticas' (policies). It is a word that fundamentally connects the individual to the group.

Societal Impact: The term is often associated with 'movimentos sociais' (social movements), which are groups organized to achieve a specific goal, usually of a political or social nature.

Os movimentos sociais ganharam força na última década.

Using sociais correctly involves understanding its role as both a plural adjective and a collective noun. As an adjective, it must agree in number with the noun it modifies. Since it ends in '-is', it is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns, which simplifies things for English speakers. For example, problemas sociais (social problems - masculine) and questões sociais (social issues - feminine) both use the same form. This neutrality is a key feature of Portuguese adjectives ending in '-al' when they become plural.

Agreement Rule: Always use 'sociais' for plural nouns. The singular is 'social'. Example: Um impacto social, dois impactos sociais.

Ela é formada em sociais pela USP.

Translation: She graduated in social sciences from USP (University of São Paulo).

When used as a noun, 'sociais' is usually preceded by a preposition like em (in) or de (of). In the sentence "Eu gosto de sociais," the speaker is expressing a preference for the social sciences as a field of interest. In more formal writing, you would almost always see the full phrase ciências sociais or relações sociais. However, in news headlines or bulleted lists, you might see 'Sociais' standing alone to categorize a section of news, much like 'Lifestyle' or 'Economy'.

Common Pairings: Redes sociais (social media), classes sociais (social classes), desigualdades sociais (social inequalities).

As redes sociais mudaram a forma como nos comunicamos.

In a professional setting, you might encounter 'Encargos Sociais'. This refers to the social security and labor taxes that companies must pay for their employees. This is a very specific, technical use of the word that every business owner or HR professional in Brazil or Portugal knows well. Here, 'sociais' refers to the social safety net provided by the state. Using it in this context shows a high level of proficiency and understanding of Lusophone bureaucratic systems.

O governo anunciou novas políticas sociais para combater a fome.

If you walk onto any university campus in a Portuguese-speaking country, you will hear sociais constantly. Students of Sociologia, Antropologia, and Ciência Política often cluster together in the 'Prédio das Sociais' (Social Sciences Building). It’s a word that evokes the smell of old books, the sound of heated debates over coffee, and the sight of posters for student protests. In this environment, 'sociais' is a badge of identity. It distinguishes the 'humanas' (humanities) students from the 'exatas' (exact sciences) and 'biológicas' (biological sciences) students.

TV and News: News anchors use 'sociais' daily when discussing 'programas sociais' like Bolsa Família in Brazil or social housing in Portugal.

"O impacto das redes sociais nas eleições é o tema de hoje."

Translation: "The impact of social networks on elections is today's topic."

In the workplace, specifically in HR (Recursos Humanos), 'sociais' is heard during discussions about 'benefícios sociais' (social benefits) or 'responsabilidade social' (social responsibility). Companies today are obsessed with their 'impacto social', and you will hear managers using this word to justify corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. It’s a word that has moved from the radical fringes of sociology departments into the boardrooms of major corporations, though the meaning often shifts from 'systemic change' to 'brand image'.

Daily Life: You'll hear it in the phrase 'eventos sociais', referring to parties, dinners, or gatherings that aren't strictly work-related but involve networking.

Não tenho tempo para compromissos sociais esta semana.

Finally, you hear it in the context of 'justiça social' (social justice). This is a powerful phrase used by activists, religious leaders, and politicians alike. Whether it’s a priest in a favela or a politician in the parliament, 'sociais' is the adjective that grounds their arguments in the lived reality of the people. It’s a word that bridges the gap between abstract theory and the concrete needs of a community. Hearing 'sociais' often signals that the conversation is about to get serious, moving away from individuals and toward the collective welfare.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with sociais is failing to pluralize it when the noun it modifies is plural. In English, 'social' doesn't change: 'social problem' and 'social problems'. In Portuguese, you must change 'social' to 'sociais'. Saying "problemas social" sounds very uneducated to a native ear. Remember the '-al' to '-ais' rule; it applies to almost all adjectives ending in 'l' (legal/legais, real/reais, fatal/fatais).

The 'S' Sound: Don't forget the 'i' before the 's'. It's not 'socals', it's 'so-ci-ais'. Three distinct syllables in the plural form.

Incorrect: As rede social são viciantes.
Correct: As redes sociais são viciantes.

Another mistake is confusing 'sociais' with 'sociáveis'. While 'sociais' refers to things related to society or the social sciences, 'sociáveis' means 'sociable' (as in people who like to socialize). If you want to say your friends are very social/sociable, you should say "Meus amigos são muito sociáveis." If you say "Meus amigos são sociais," it sounds like you are saying your friends are 'societal' or that they are social science subjects, which makes little sense in a casual conversation.

Gender Agreement: Luckily, 'sociais' is invariable for gender. However, the article before it must match the noun. Example: OS problemas sociais (masc), AS causas sociais (fem).

Estudamos as desigualdades sociais na aula de hoje.

Lastly, learners often forget the article when using 'sociais' as a noun. In Portuguese, we usually say "As sociais" or "As ciências sociais." Just saying "Eu estudo sociais" is very colloquial. In a formal essay, you should always use the full term. Also, be careful with the word 'sócio'. While it looks related, 'sócio' usually means a 'partner' or 'member' (of a club or business). Don't use 'sócio' when you mean 'social'.

When you want to avoid repeating sociais or need a more specific term, there are several alternatives depending on the context. If you are talking about the academic field, humanidades (humanities) or ciências humanas are excellent, broader alternatives. While 'sociais' is a subset of 'humanas', they are often used interchangeably in casual academic talk. If the focus is on the community, comunitário (community-related) might be more appropriate.

Sociais vs. Sociológicas: 'Sociais' is broad; 'Sociológicas' refers specifically to the science of Sociology. Use the latter for academic rigor.

A pesquisa foca em aspectos sociológicos da migração.

Translation: The research focuses on sociological aspects of migration.

In the context of 'social media', you can use mídias sociais. While redes sociais is more common for the platforms (Facebook, Instagram), mídias sociais is often used by marketing professionals to describe the content and the channel as a medium. If you are talking about social gatherings, you can use festas (parties), eventos (events), or confraternizações (get-togethers). This last one is very common in Brazilian corporate culture for end-of-year 'social' events.

Collective Terms: Coletivo (collective), público (public), and civil (as in 'sociedade civil') are often used to replace 'social/sociais' in political discourse.

A sociedade civil deve cobrar transparência do governo.

For those interested in the more 'extroverted' side of the word, consider extrovertido or comunicativo. If you say someone has a 'vida social ativa' (active social life), you are using 'social' correctly as an adjective. If you want to say they are a 'socialite', Portuguese uses the same word (socialite), but it is often used with a hint of irony or specifically for the very wealthy. Understanding these nuances helps you navigate between being a student of the 'sociais' and a butterfly in the 'vida social'.

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The root 'socius' is also the ancestor of the word 'soccer' (via 'association' football). So, in a weird way, 'sociais' and 'soccer' are distant linguistic cousins!

Aussprachehilfe

UK /soʊ.siˈaɪs/

US /soʊ.siˈaɪs/

The stress is on the last syllable: so-ci-AIS.

Reimt sich auf

canais finais reais legais atuais locais animais gerais

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing it as 'socals' (missing the 'i').
Stressing the first syllable.
Making the 'ci' sound like 'chi' as in Italian.
Omitting the 's' at the end.
Pronouncing 'ais' as 'ace'.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 2/5

Easy to recognize because it looks like 'social' in English.

Schreiben 3/5

Requires remembering the -al to -ais plural rule.

Sprechen 3/5

The three syllables (so-ci-ais) can be tricky for fast speech.

Hören 2/5

Clearly audible, but context determines if it's a noun or adjective.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

social sociedade ciência rede problema

Als Nächstes lernen

sociologia antropologia política desigualdade comunidade

Fortgeschritten

estratificação dialética fenomenologia infraestrutura superestrutura

Wichtige Grammatik

Plural of adjectives ending in -al

Original -> Originais, Social -> Sociais.

Substantivization of adjectives

Using 'as sociais' instead of 'as ciências sociais'.

Adjective-Noun Agreement

Problemas (masc pl) sociais (invariable for gender).

Contractions with articles

Nas (em + as) redes sociais.

Placement of adjectives

Usually follows the noun: Redes sociais.

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Beispiele nach Niveau

Eu uso muitas redes sociais.

I use many social networks.

Plural agreement: redes (plural) + sociais (plural).

Eles têm problemas sociais.

They have social problems.

Adjectives ending in -al change to -ais in plural.

As redes sociais são divertidas.

Social networks are fun.

Use 'as' for feminine plural 'redes'.

Você gosta de redes sociais?

Do you like social networks?

Interrogative sentence structure.

Meus amigos estão nas redes sociais.

My friends are on social networks.

Preposition 'nas' (em + as).

O Facebook é uma das redes sociais.

Facebook is one of the social networks.

Partitive construction: 'uma das'.

Não gosto de eventos sociais.

I don't like social events.

Negative sentence with plural adjective.

Ela estuda ciências sociais.

She studies social sciences.

Introductory use of the full noun phrase.

Existem muitas desigualdades sociais no mundo.

There are many social inequalities in the world.

Verb 'existir' in the plural.

As assistentes sociais ajudam a comunidade.

The social workers help the community.

Professional title: assistente social (sing) -> assistentes sociais (plur).

Temos muitos compromissos sociais esta semana.

We have many social commitments this week.

Noun-adjective agreement.

O governo criou novos programas sociais.

The government created new social programs.

Past tense 'criou'.

As classes sociais são divididas por renda.

Social classes are divided by income.

Passive voice: 'são divididas'.

O impacto das redes sociais é grande.

The impact of social networks is big.

Contraction 'das' (de + as).

Eles discutem temas sociais na escola.

They discuss social themes at school.

Present tense verb 'discutem'.

A empresa tem responsabilidade social.

The company has social responsibility.

Singular 'social' used here for contrast.

Eu decidi fazer o curso de sociais.

I decided to take the social sciences course.

Colloquial use of 'sociais' as a noun.

Os movimentos sociais lutam por direitos.

Social movements fight for rights.

Subject-verb agreement: movimentos... lutam.

A faculdade de sociais fica naquele prédio.

The social sciences faculty is in that building.

Prepositional phrase 'de sociais'.

Precisamos analisar as relações sociais.

We need to analyze social relations.

Infinitive verb 'analisar'.

O projeto foca em grupos sociais vulneráveis.

The project focuses on vulnerable social groups.

Multiple adjectives: sociais, vulneráveis.

Quais são os principais problemas sociais hoje?

What are the main social problems today?

Question word 'quais'.

Ele é um especialista em questões sociais.

He is an expert in social issues.

Preposition 'em' before 'questões'.

As interações sociais mudaram com a tecnologia.

Social interactions changed with technology.

Past tense 'mudaram'.

Os encargos sociais aumentaram este ano.

The social charges/labor taxes increased this year.

Technical business term.

A justiça social é um pilar da democracia.

Social justice is a pillar of democracy.

Abstract noun phrase.

A empresa investe em projetos sociais locais.

The company invests in local social projects.

Verb 'investir' + 'em'.

As ciências sociais oferecem ferramentas críticas.

Social sciences offer critical tools.

Formal use of the full term.

Houve uma ruptura nos laços sociais.

There was a rupture in social ties.

Existential 'houve' (impersonal).

O relatório aborda as disparidades sociais.

The report addresses social disparities.

Formal verb 'abordar'.

Ele trabalha na área de serviços sociais.

He works in the area of social services.

Compound noun phrase.

As políticas sociais devem ser sustentáveis.

Social policies must be sustainable.

Modal verb 'devem ser'.

A complexidade das estruturas sociais é vasta.

The complexity of social structures is vast.

High-level abstract vocabulary.

O autor discute a erosão dos valores sociais.

The author discusses the erosion of social values.

Metaphorical use of 'erosão'.

As transformações sociais exigem adaptação célere.

Social transformations require swift adaptation.

Advanced adjective 'célere'.

Ela publicou um artigo sobre estratificações sociais.

She published an article about social stratifications.

Academic term 'estratificações'.

A coesão social é fundamental para a paz.

Social cohesion is fundamental for peace.

Sociological concept 'coesão'.

O debate sobre as causas sociais é polarizado.

The debate on social causes is polarized.

Participle 'polarizado'.

Analisamos o fenômeno sob óticas sociais distintas.

We analyzed the phenomenon through distinct social perspectives.

Idiomatic 'sob óticas'.

A dinâmica das redes sociais é imprevisível.

The dynamics of social networks are unpredictable.

Noun 'dinâmica'.

A fenomenologia das interações sociais é intrincada.

The phenomenology of social interactions is intricate.

Highly academic terminology.

O Estado deve mitigar as clivagens sociais.

The State must mitigate social cleavages/divisions.

Sophisticated verb 'mitigar' and noun 'clivagens'.

A práxis social precede a teorização acadêmica.

Social praxis precedes academic theorization.

Philosophical term 'práxis'.

Articulamos uma crítica às convenções sociais vigentes.

We articulated a critique of current social conventions.

Formal verb 'articular' and adjective 'vigentes'.

A entropia social pode levar ao colapso das instituições.

Social entropy can lead to the collapse of institutions.

Scientific metaphor 'entropia'.

A dialética das relações sociais é o motor da história.

The dialectic of social relations is the motor of history.

Marxist/Hegelian terminology.

A ubiquidade das redes sociais altera a percepção do eu.

The ubiquity of social networks alters the perception of the self.

Advanced noun 'ubiquidade'.

É imperativo considerar as externalidades sociais.

It is imperative to consider social externalities.

Economic/Sociological term 'externalidades'.

Häufige Kollokationen

redes sociais

ciências sociais

classes sociais

movimentos sociais

problemas sociais

assistente social

encargos sociais

justiça social

relações sociais

impacto social

Häufige Phrasen

Fazer sociais

— To major in Social Sciences at a university.

Meu irmão vai fazer sociais na USP.

Vida social

— The part of one's life spent with friends and at events.

Minha vida social está parada.

Meios sociais

— Social circles or environments.

Ele frequenta meios sociais elevados.

Páginas sociais

— Society pages in a newspaper.

Eles apareceram nas páginas sociais ontem.

Causas sociais

— Philanthropic or activist goals.

Ela dedica seu tempo a causas sociais.

Interesses sociais

— Interests related to the welfare of society.

Devemos priorizar os interesses sociais.

Estruturas sociais

— The organized pattern of social relationships.

As estruturas sociais estão mudando.

Grupos sociais

— Collections of people who interact.

Diferentes grupos sociais convivem na cidade.

Benefícios sociais

— Government welfare or company perks.

O governo cortou os benefícios sociais.

Normas sociais

— Rules of behavior in a society.

As normas sociais variam entre culturas.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

sociais vs sociáveis

Means 'sociable' (personality). 'Sociais' refers to society/science.

sociais vs sócios

Means 'partners' or 'members' of a club/company.

sociais vs sociais (adjective)

Often confused with the noun shorthand; look for a preceding noun.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"Fazer uma social"

— To make a brief appearance at a party or to have a small, casual gathering.

Vou só fazer uma social e já volto.

Informal

"Escada social"

— The path to social climbing or improving status.

Ele está tentando subir a escada social.

Neutral

"Pacto social"

— An agreement between members of a society to cooperate.

Precisamos de um novo pacto social.

Formal

"Abismo social"

— A huge gap between different social classes.

Há um abismo social entre os bairros.

Journalistic

"Tecido social"

— The connections that hold a society together.

A crise rasgou o tecido social.

Literary

"Isolamento social"

— Staying away from others (common during pandemics).

O isolamento social foi necessário.

Medical/General

"Elevador social"

— Social mobility (often used metaphorically).

A educação é o principal elevador social.

Neutral

"Capital social"

— The value of social networks and relationships.

Ela tem muito capital social na cidade.

Academic/Business

"Controle social"

— Ways society regulates individual behavior.

O controle social é exercido pela mídia.

Sociological

"Fobia social"

— Anxiety related to social situations.

Ele sofre de fobia social.

Medical

Leicht verwechselbar

sociais vs Sociável

Both relate to 'social' in English.

Sociável describes a person's character; Sociais describes systems, sciences, or plural objects.

Ele é muito sociável, mas não entende de problemas sociais.

sociais vs Sócio

Starts with the same root.

Sócio is a partner in business; Social/Sociais is about society.

Meu sócio estuda ciências sociais.

sociais vs Sociedade

The root noun.

Sociedade is 'Society' (the entity); Sociais is the adjective (plural) or the field of study.

A sociedade tem muitos problemas sociais.

sociais vs Socialista

Political connotation.

Socialista is a specific political ideology; Sociais is a broad category of science or interaction.

Nem todo estudante de sociais é socialista.

sociais vs Sociologia

The specific science.

Sociologia is one discipline; Sociais (Ciências Sociais) is the umbrella including anthropology and politics.

Sociologia é a minha matéria favorita em sociais.

Satzmuster

Eu uso [Rede Social].

Eu uso redes sociais.

Há muitos [Substantivo Plural] sociais.

Há muitos problemas sociais.

Eu estudo [Sociais].

Eu estudo sociais na universidade.

O impacto das [Sociais] é [Adjetivo].

O impacto das redes sociais é imenso.

Sob a ótica das [Sociais], [Oração].

Sob a ótica das sociais, a pobreza é estrutural.

A dialética das [Sociais] [Verbo].

A dialética das relações sociais move a história.

Focado em [Questões Sociais].

O governo está focado em questões sociais.

[Assistente Social] trabalha aqui.

A assistente social trabalha aqui.

Wortfamilie

Substantive

sociedade (society)

sociologia (sociology)

sociólogo (sociologist)

socialismo (socialism)

socialite (socialite)

Verben

socializar (to socialize)

sociabilizar (to make sociable)

associar (to associate)

Adjektive

social (singular social)

sociável (sociable)

societário (corporate/partnership-related)

sociocultural (sociocultural)

Verwandt

público

coletivo

humano

comunitário

civil

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So verwendest du es

frequency

Extremely high in both spoken and written Portuguese, especially due to the digital age.

Häufige Fehler

As rede social → As redes sociais
Both the noun and the adjective must be pluralized. Adjectives ending in -al become -ais.
Eu estudo social → Eu estudo sociais
When referring to the field of study (Social Sciences) as a noun shorthand, use the plural.
Meu irmão é muito social → Meu irmão é muito sociável
Use 'sociável' for personality/extroversion. 'Social' is for things related to society.
Problemas socials → Problemas sociais
In Portuguese, the 'l' drops out in the plural of words ending in -al. There is no 'l' in 'sociais'.
O prédio do sociais → O prédio das sociais
Since it stands for 'Ciências Sociais' (feminine plural), the article and contraction must be feminine: 'das'.

Tipps

The -al to -ais Rule

Any adjective ending in -al (social, legal, real) will end in -ais in the plural. This is a 100% consistent rule in Portuguese.

The 'Humanas' Identity

In Brazil, being 'das sociais' is part of a larger identity called 'ser de humanas'. It usually implies you like reading, debating, and perhaps wearing colorful clothes!

Social vs. Sociável

Don't say 'meu amigo é social' unless he is a social project. Say 'meu amigo é sociável' to mean he is friendly.

Open your 'A'

In the ending 'ais', the 'a' is very open and clear. Don't mumble it like the English 'socials'.

Social Responsibility

In business, 'Responsabilidade Social' is a key term. Using 'sociais' in the plural for 'impactos sociais' shows professional depth.

Faculty Shorthand

If you are lost on a campus, ask for 'o prédio das sociais'. Everyone will know where the sociology department is.

Redes Sociais

This is the most frequent use of the word today. You will see it on every website in Brazil and Portugal.

Fazer uma Social

Use this phrase if you want to invite someone for a casual drink or a small gathering at your house.

News Keywords

When you hear 'sociais' on the news, it's almost always followed by 'governo' (government) or 'crise' (crisis).

Avoid 'Socials'

Never add an 'l' before the 's' in the plural. It's 'sociais', not 'socials'.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'Social' + 'Eyes'. To study 'sociais', you need to keep your 'eyes' on 'social' issues. Also, remember the '-al' to '-ais' plural rule by thinking: 'All the AIS (eyes) are on the social.'

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a group of people (society) being looked at through a magnifying glass (science). The magnifying glass has the letters 'AIS' written on the rim.

Word Web

Redes Ciências Classes Problemas Movimentos Justiça Impacto Vida

Herausforderung

Try to name five 'redes sociais' in Portuguese. Then, write a sentence about a 'problema social' in your city using the word 'sociais'.

Wortherkunft

Derived from the Latin 'socialis', which means 'of or belonging to a companion' or 'sociable'. It comes from 'socius', meaning 'companion' or 'ally'.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: Pertaining to companionship or the bonds between allies.

Romance (Latin origin).

Kultureller Kontext

Be careful when discussing 'classes sociais' in Brazil, as it is a deeply sensitive topic due to extreme wealth inequality.

English speakers often use 'social' for personality. In Portuguese, use 'sociável' for that, or you'll sound like you're talking about a textbook.

The 'Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas' (FFLCH) at USP is the heart of 'sociais' in Brazil. The phrase 'redes sociais' is now more common than 'internet' in many casual conversations. Gilberto Freyre and Sérgio Buarque de Holanda are giants of the 'sociais' in the Lusophone world.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

University Life

Prédio das sociais
Calouro de sociais
Livraria de sociais
Debate das sociais

Digital Marketing

Gestão de redes sociais
Métricas sociais
Engajamento nas sociais
Anúncios sociais

Government/Politics

Programas sociais
Assistência social
Fundo social
Pacto social

Human Resources

Clima social
Benefícios sociais
Responsabilidade social
Integração social

Daily News

Conflitos sociais
Avanços sociais
Crise social
Indicadores sociais

Gesprächseinstiege

"Você acha que as redes sociais fazem bem para a saúde mental?"

"Por que você escolheu estudar ciências sociais?"

"Quais são os maiores problemas sociais do seu país hoje?"

"Como podemos melhorar a justiça social no mundo atual?"

"Você prefere eventos sociais grandes ou pequenos jantares?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Reflita sobre como as redes sociais mudaram sua rotina nos últimos cinco anos.

Descreva um movimento social que você admira e explique por quê.

Se você pudesse resolver um problema social hoje, qual seria?

Como a sua 'vida social' mudou desde que você começou a aprender português?

Analise a importância das ciências sociais para a democracia moderna.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

As an adjective, it is invariable for gender (it doesn't change). However, as a noun shorthand for 'Ciências Sociais', it is treated as feminine plural because 'Ciências' is feminine. You say 'As sociais'.

Use 'sociável' when describing a person who likes to talk and make friends. Use 'social' (or 'sociais' in plural) for things related to the structure of society, like 'social classes' or 'social networks'.

It sounds like the English word 'ice', but with a more open 'ah' sound at the beginning. It is a diphthong: /ajs/.

Yes, but it's better to say 'redes sociais'. In very informal slang, some might say 'minhas sociais', but it's not standard.

In a university context, it means to major in Social Sciences. In a party context, 'fazer uma social' means to hang out or make a brief appearance.

Yes, exactly the same way as an adjective. As a noun shorthand, it is slightly more common in Brazil, but Portuguese students use it too.

The singular is 'social'. The plural rule for words ending in '-al' is to replace '-al' with '-ais'.

They are related. 'Humanas' is broader (includes history, philosophy, arts). 'Sociais' is a specific subset (sociology, anthropology, political science).

These are labor-related taxes and social security contributions that employers must pay for their workers in Brazil and Portugal.

It is 'Justiça Social'. If you are talking about multiple instances or types, you would say 'Justiças Sociais', but the singular is more common.

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