When you're talking about a shower in Portugal, you might hear the word poliban. This isn't just any shower; it specifically refers to a shower stall. Think of it as the complete unit with a tray at the bottom and often an enclosure. It's a common term to describe this type of shower setup, especially in bathrooms.
When you're talking about bathrooms in Portugal, poliban is the word you'll hear for a shower stall. It's often a pre-made unit with a base and glass or plastic walls, common in many apartments and hotels.
You might also hear base de duche, which specifically refers to the shower tray or base. So, if you're looking to describe a shower unit, poliban is a very practical and commonly understood term.
When discussing bathing facilities in Portugal, especially within the context of home renovations, real estate, or even just describing a hotel room, poliban is the precise and common term for a shower stall. It specifically refers to the entire unit: the shower tray, the surrounding walls or enclosure, and often the door. It’s not just a generic "shower," but the contained structure you step into. Using poliban demonstrates a nuanced understanding of Portuguese domestic vocabulary, distinguishing it from a simple shower head (chuveiro) or a bathroom more broadly (casa de banho).
How Formal Is It?
"A cabine de duche no quarto principal oferece comodidade e privacidade."
"O poliban está a precisar de uma limpeza profunda."
"Vou tomar um chuveiro rápido antes de sair."
"Vamos para o chuveirinho lavar o cabelo."
"Preciso de um duche para acordar."
Nivel de dificultad
short and straightforward
short and straightforward
easy to pronounce
distinct sound
Qué aprender después
Requisitos previos
Aprende después
Avanzado
Gramática que debes saber
Portuguese nouns have gender (masculine or feminine). 'Poliban' is masculine.
O poliban (The shower stall)
Definite articles (the) must agree in gender and number with the noun. For masculine singular, use 'o'.
Eu limpei o poliban. (I cleaned the shower stall.)
Indefinite articles (a/an) must also agree in gender and number. For masculine singular, use 'um'.
Preciso de um poliban novo. (I need a new shower stall.)
Adjectives describing the noun 'poliban' will also be masculine singular.
Um poliban moderno. (A modern shower stall.)
In spoken European Portuguese, 'poliban' is commonly used, while in Brazil, 'box de chuveiro' or 'chuveiro' is more common.
O hotel tem um poliban excelente. (The hotel has an excellent shower stall.)
Ejemplos por nivel
O hotel tem quartos com banheira e outros com poliban.
The hotel has rooms with a bathtub and others with a shower stall.
Preferia ter um poliban na casa de banho em vez de banheira.
I'd prefer to have a shower stall in the bathroom instead of a bathtub.
O poliban novo é muito mais espaçoso que o antigo.
The new shower stall is much more spacious than the old one.
Precisamos de limpar o poliban, está com muito calcário.
We need to clean the shower stall, it has a lot of limescale.
O técnico veio consertar o vazamento no poliban.
The technician came to fix the leak in the shower stall.
Comprei um tapete antiderrapante para o poliban.
I bought an anti-slip mat for the shower stall.
A instalação do poliban foi rápida e eficiente.
The installation of the shower stall was quick and efficient.
Muitos apartamentos pequenos têm apenas poliban, sem banheira.
Many small apartments only have a shower stall, without a bathtub.
O hotel tinha um poliban moderno e espaçoso no quarto de banho.
The hotel had a modern and spacious shower stall in the bathroom.
Preferimos casas de banho com poliban em vez de banheira, por ser mais prático.
We prefer bathrooms with a shower stall instead of a bathtub, as it's more practical.
A instalação do novo poliban transformou completamente o nosso pequeno espaço.
The installation of the new shower stall completely transformed our small space.
Certifica-te de limpar o poliban regularmente para evitar acumulação de calcário.
Make sure to clean the shower stall regularly to avoid limescale buildup.
O poliban sem porta, estilo walk-in, é muito popular em design contemporâneo.
The doorless, walk-in style shower stall is very popular in contemporary design.
Quando viajamos, procuro sempre um alojamento que tenha um bom poliban.
When we travel, I always look for accommodation that has a good shower stall.
A água escorria perfeitamente pelo poliban, sem qualquer problema de entupimento.
The water drained perfectly through the shower stall, without any clogging issues.
O técnico veio consertar a fuga que estava a acontecer no nosso poliban.
The technician came to fix the leak that was happening in our shower stall.
Modismos y expresiones
"cair o carmo e a trindade"
for all hell to break loose (literally: the Carmo and the Trinity to fall)
Quando ele contou a verdade, caiu o carmo e a trindade. (When he told the truth, all hell broke loose.)
informal"estar com a corda no pescoço"
to be in a tight spot, under pressure (literally: to have the rope around one's neck)
Com tantas dívidas, ele está com a corda no pescoço. (With so many debts, he's in a tight spot.)
neutral"ter macaquinhos na cabeça"
to have strange ideas, be a bit crazy (literally: to have little monkeys in one's head)
Ele está com macaquinhos na cabeça, sempre a inventar coisas. (He has strange ideas, always inventing things.)
informal"não ter papas na língua"
to be outspoken, to speak one's mind (literally: to not have mush on one's tongue)
Ela não tem papas na língua, diz sempre o que pensa. (She speaks her mind, always says what she thinks.)
neutral"dar com a língua nos dentes"
to spill the beans, blurt out a secret (literally: to hit the tongue on the teeth)
Ele acabou por dar com a língua nos dentes e contou tudo. (He ended up spilling the beans and told everything.)
informal"ficar com a pulga atrás da orelha"
to be suspicious, to have a nagging doubt (literally: to be left with the flea behind the ear)
A história dele fez-me ficar com a pulga atrás da orelha. (His story made me suspicious.)
neutral"água pela barba"
to be overwhelmed, have too much to do (literally: water up to the beard)
Com este projeto, estou com água pela barba. (With this project, I'm overwhelmed.)
informal"estar com os azeites"
to be in a bad mood, irritable (literally: to be with the oils)
Cuidado com ele, hoje está com os azeites. (Be careful with him, he's in a bad mood today.)
informal"ter a faca e o queijo na mão"
to be in a position of power, to have control (literally: to have the knife and the cheese in hand)
Com a nova proposta, ele tem a faca e o queijo na mão. (With the new proposal, he has control.)
neutral"meter água"
to mess up, to fail (literally: to put water in)
Ele meteu água no exame, não estudou nada. (He messed up the exam, he didn't study anything.)
informalFamilia de palabras
Sustantivos
Verbos
Cómo usarlo
A poliban is a common sight in Portuguese bathrooms, especially in apartments or smaller houses where a full bathtub might not fit. It refers specifically to the shower unit itself, which typically includes the shower tray and the surrounding enclosure (glass, acrylic, or tiled walls). You'll hear this term frequently when discussing bathroom fixtures or renovations.
A common mistake for English speakers is to directly translate 'shower' as 'chuveiro' when they mean the entire shower stall. While 'chuveiro' is correct for the shower head, it doesn't encompass the whole enclosure. If you're talking about the structure you stand in to shower, use poliban.
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasA poliban is a common term in Portugal for a shower stall, typically featuring a shower tray and an enclosure. It's the kind of shower you might find in many homes or hotels.
No, poliban is primarily used in European Portuguese. In Brazil, you'd more commonly hear terms like 'box de chuveiro' or simply 'chuveiro' (which can also refer to the shower head itself).
You pronounce poliban like this: po-lee-bahn. The stress is on the last syllable, and the 'an' sound is similar to the 'ahn' in 'John' but a bit more nasal.
While 'chuveiro' refers to the shower fixture itself, it's not the same as a poliban. You could say 'tomar um duche' (to take a shower) or 'tomar banho' (to take a bath/shower), but if you mean the physical shower stall, 'poliban' is the correct term in Portugal.
The word poliban is thought to be derived from the brand name 'Polibain', which was an early manufacturer of shower trays and enclosures. It became so common that it's now used as a generic term.
Poliban is a standard, everyday word. It's not particularly formal or informal; it's just the common term used in Portuguese households and businesses.
While poliban is very common, you might also hear 'base de duche' (shower tray) or 'cabine de duche' (shower cabin), especially in more technical or descriptive contexts. However, 'poliban' is generally understood to mean the whole unit.
You could ask: 'O quarto tem poliban?' (Does the room have a shower stall?) or 'Há um poliban na casa de banho?' (Is there a shower stall in the bathroom?)
Yes, the plural of poliban is 'polibans'. For example: 'Há dois polibans neste hotel.' (There are two shower stalls in this hotel.)
Poliban specifically refers to a shower stall, not a bathtub. If you want to talk about a bathtub, you would use the word 'banheira'.
Ponte a prueba 54 preguntas
Is the shower stall clean?
I need a new shower stall.
Where is the shower stall?
Read this aloud:
Este poliban é pequeno.
Focus: poliBAN
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Eu gosto do meu poliban.
Focus: GOSto
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Há um poliban no quarto.
Focus: QUARto
Dijiste:
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Eu prefiro tomar banho no ___ do que na banheira. (I prefer to shower in the ___ than in the bathtub.)
The word 'poliban' refers to a shower stall, which fits the context of taking a shower.
O nosso apartamento tem um banheiro pequeno, só com ___. (Our apartment has a small bathroom, only with a ___.)
In a small bathroom, it's common to find a shower stall (poliban) instead of a larger bathtub.
Depois de correr, preciso de um bom banho no ___. (After running, I need a good shower in the ___.)
A shower stall (poliban) is where one would take a shower after exercising.
O ___ do hotel era muito moderno e limpo. (The hotel's ___ was very modern and clean.)
When describing a modern and clean bathroom feature in a hotel, 'poliban' (shower stall) is a suitable choice.
A porta do ___ estava um pouco emperrada. (The door of the ___ was a little stuck.)
Shower stalls (poliban) often have doors that can get stuck.
Para economizar água, sempre tomo banho no ___. (To save water, I always shower in the ___.)
Using a shower stall (poliban) for showering is generally more water-efficient than taking a bath.
You are describing a bathroom to a friend. Mention that it has a shower stall. How would you say this in Portuguese?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
A casa de banho tem um poliban.
You need to ask if a hotel room has a shower stall. How would you phrase this question in Portuguese?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
O quarto tem poliban?
You are telling someone that the shower stall is small. Write this sentence in Portuguese.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
O poliban é pequeno.
O que tem a casa de banho em vez de uma banheira?
Read this passage:
O meu apartamento tem uma casa de banho moderna. A casa de banho tem um lavatório grande e um espelho. Em vez de uma banheira, tem um poliban.
O que tem a casa de banho em vez de uma banheira?
The passage states 'Em vez de uma banheira, tem um poliban.' meaning 'Instead of a bathtub, it has a shower stall.'
The passage states 'Em vez de uma banheira, tem um poliban.' meaning 'Instead of a bathtub, it has a shower stall.'
O que é importante que a casa de banho tenha no apartamento?
Read this passage:
Estou a procurar um apartamento para alugar. Preciso que o apartamento tenha dois quartos e uma cozinha. É importante que a casa de banho tenha um poliban e não apenas uma banheira.
O que é importante que a casa de banho tenha no apartamento?
The text says 'É importante que a casa de banho tenha um poliban e não apenas uma banheira.' meaning 'It is important that the bathroom has a shower stall and not just a bathtub.'
The text says 'É importante que a casa de banho tenha um poliban e não apenas uma banheira.' meaning 'It is important that the bathroom has a shower stall and not just a bathtub.'
Que tipo de chuveiro tem a casa de banho pequena?
Read this passage:
Na minha casa de férias, a casa de banho principal tem uma banheira, mas a casa de banho pequena tem um poliban muito prático.
Que tipo de chuveiro tem a casa de banho pequena?
The passage states 'a casa de banho pequena tem um poliban muito prático' meaning 'the small bathroom has a very practical shower stall.'
The passage states 'a casa de banho pequena tem um poliban muito prático' meaning 'the small bathroom has a very practical shower stall.'
This sentence describes the state of the shower stall.
This sentence expresses a need for a new shower stall.
This sentence indicates the presence of a shower stall in the bathroom.
Choose the correct sentence: Where is the shower stall?
To ask where the 'poliban' (shower stall) is, you say 'Onde fica o poliban?'.
Which of these is typically found in a 'poliban'?
A 'poliban' is a shower stall, so it would typically contain a 'chuveiro' (showerhead).
Which sentence correctly uses 'poliban' in the context of taking a shower?
You 'tomar banho' (take a shower) 'no poliban' (in the shower stall).
A 'poliban' is a type of kitchen appliance.
A 'poliban' is a shower stall, not a kitchen appliance.
You can usually find a 'poliban' in a bathroom.
A 'poliban' (shower stall) is a common fixture in a bathroom.
The word 'poliban' is used for a large swimming pool.
'Poliban' refers to a shower stall, which is much smaller than a swimming pool.
Depois de um longo dia de trabalho, tudo o que eu quero é um banho quente no meu ___.
The sentence talks about taking a 'hot bath', and 'poliban' is the only option that refers to a shower facility.
O hotel prometeu uma casa de banho moderna, mas o ___ era muito pequeno e não tinha porta.
The context describes a bathroom feature that can be 'small' and 'without a door', which fits 'poliban'.
Temos de limpar o ___ regularmente para evitar o bolor nas juntas.
Cleaning 'joints' to avoid 'mold' suggests a wet area like a shower stall.
A avó tem dificuldades em entrar e sair da banheira, por isso vamos instalar um ___ acessível.
An 'accessible' shower stall ('poliban') is a common solution for people with mobility issues who have trouble with bathtubs.
Para poupar água, prefiro tomar um duche rápido no ___ em vez de encher a banheira.
The action of 'taking a quick shower' in order to 'save water' clearly points to a 'poliban'.
O novo apartamento tem um quarto com casa de banho privativa que inclui um ___ espaçoso.
A 'spacious' 'poliban' is a common feature in a private bathroom within an apartment.
Após um longo dia de trabalho, tudo o que eu queria era um bom banho no meu novo ___. (After a long day of work, all I wanted was a good shower in my new ___.)
The context implies a shower unit, and 'poliban' specifically refers to a shower stall.
O hotel prometeu uma casa de banho luxuosa com um amplo ___, mas era apenas uma pequena cabine. (The hotel promised a luxurious bathroom with a spacious ___, but it was just a small cubicle.)
The sentence discusses a bathroom feature for showering, making 'poliban' the correct choice.
Para otimizar o espaço na casa de banho pequena, decidimos instalar um ___ compacto em vez de uma banheira. (To optimize space in the small bathroom, we decided to install a compact ___ instead of a bathtub.)
A 'poliban' is a space-saving alternative to a bathtub in a small bathroom.
A limpeza regular do ___ é essencial para evitar o acúmulo de mofo e calcário nas suas paredes. (Regular cleaning of the ___ is essential to prevent mold and limescale buildup on its walls.)
The reference to 'walls' and 'mold/limescale buildup' points to a shower enclosure, which is a 'poliban'.
O encanador teve que substituir o ralo do ___ porque estava completamente entupido. (The plumber had to replace the drain of the ___ because it was completely clogged.)
A 'poliban' has a drain that can get clogged, making it the appropriate answer.
A porta de vidro do ___ estava avariada, impedindo o seu uso adequado. (The glass door of the ___ was broken, preventing its proper use.)
A 'poliban' often has a glass door as part of its enclosure, fitting the context.
Focus on the description of the shower stall.
Listen for how the shower stall changed the bathroom.
Pay attention to the reason for replacing the shower stall.
Read this aloud:
Descreva as características ideais de um poliban para um banheiro pequeno, considerando tanto a estética quanto a funcionalidade.
Focus: poliban, estética, funcionalidade
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Compare as vantagens e desvantagens de um poliban com uma banheira, especificamente em termos de sustentabilidade e acessibilidade.
Focus: vantagens, desvantagens, sustentabilidade, acessibilidade
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Imagine que você está aconselhando um amigo sobre a melhor escolha de poliban para sua casa de campo. Quais fatores você consideraria e por quê?
Focus: aconselhando, escolha, fatores, consideraria
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The sentence begins with 'Esta' (This) followed by the noun 'estrutura' (structure). 'complexa' (complex) modifies 'estrutura'. 'da dissertação' (of the dissertation) specifies what kind of structure. The verb 'requer' (requires) follows, then the indefinite article 'uma' (a), the noun 'análise' (analysis), and finally the adjective 'meticulosa' (meticulous) modifying 'análise'.
The sentence starts with the definite article 'O' (The) followed by the noun 'mercado' (market). 'global' (global) and 'instável' (unstable) describe the market. The verb 'criou' (created) comes next. 'um ambiente' (an environment) is the object. 'de profunda incerteza' (of deep uncertainty) describes the environment, with 'económica' (economic) further specifying the type of uncertainty.
The sentence begins with the noun 'Decisões' (Decisions). 'tais' (such) modifies it. The modal verb 'podem' (can) precedes the main verb 'ocasionar' (cause). The objects are 'consequências imprevisíveis' (unpredictable consequences) and 'impactos e repercussões sérios' (serious impacts and repercussions).
/ 54 correct
Perfect score!
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