serrar en 30 segundos
- Serrar is a regular Portuguese verb meaning 'to saw', used primarily for wood, metal, and stone.
- It is often confused with 'cerrar' (to close) due to similar pronunciation, especially in Brazil.
- The noun form is 'serra' (saw/mountain range) and common tools include 'serrote' (hand saw).
- In Brazilian slang, it can mean 'to snore' or 'to mooch' (bum) something from someone.
The Portuguese verb serrar is a specific action verb that translates directly to the English 'to saw'. While the general verb for cutting is cortar, serrar is reserved for the mechanical or manual process of using a saw (a tool with a jagged blade) to divide hard materials like wood, metal, or stone. It is a fundamental term in carpentry, construction, and DIY hobbies. Understanding this word is essential because it distinguishes the method of cutting; you wouldn't serrar a piece of paper (you would cortar it with scissors), but you must serrar a thick log of oak. In a broader, more figurative sense, particularly in Brazilian Portuguese, serrar can sometimes be heard in the context of snoring, mimicking the back-and-forth sound of a saw hitting wood.
- Technical Application
- The verb describes the back-and-forth motion required to penetrate fibers. It is often used with specific tools like the 'serrote' (hand saw) or 'serra elétrica' (electric saw).
- The Home Context
- When a person is doing home renovations or building furniture, 'serrar' is the go-to verb for preparing the materials to size.
Preciso serrar este tronco para fazer lenha antes que o inverno chegue.
In terms of linguistics, serrar is a regular '-ar' verb, making it relatively easy for beginners to conjugate. However, its phonetic similarity to cerrar (to close/shut) is a classic pitfall. In European Portuguese, the distinction is clear through vowel quality (the 'e' in serrar is open /ɛ/, while in cerrar it is closed /e/). In many Brazilian dialects, they are homophones, and context is the only way to tell if someone is sawing a board or closing their eyes. This verb also gives rise to the noun serra, which means both the tool 'saw' and a 'mountain range', reflecting the jagged, tooth-like appearance of peaks against the horizon. When you use serrar, you are evoking an image of physical labor, precision, and the transformation of raw materials into something structured. It is a word of the workshop, the forest, and the construction site.
Ele passou a tarde toda a serrar tábuas para a nova prateleira.
Using serrar correctly requires understanding the object being acted upon. It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes a direct object—the thing being sawn. You can serrar madeira (saw wood), serrar metal (saw metal), or even serrar ossos (saw bones) in a medical or culinary context. The syntax is straightforward: [Subject] + [Conjugated form of serrar] + [Object]. For example, 'O carpinteiro serra a madeira'. If you want to specify the tool used, you use the preposition 'com' (with): 'Eu serrei o cano com um serrote'. This adds a layer of precision to your Portuguese, showing you know the difference between a general cut and a specialized one.
- Direct Object Usage
- Always identify what is being cut. 'Vou serrar os galhos secos da árvore' (I'm going to saw the dry branches of the tree).
- Instrumental Usage
- Mention the tool for clarity. 'Ela serrou o cadeado com uma serra de arco' (She sawed the padlock with a hacksaw).
Não é fácil serrar este tipo de madeira tropical sem uma lâmina bem afiada.
In more advanced usage, serrar appears in passive constructions or as a gerund to describe ongoing labor. In Brazil, 'está serrando' is common, while in Portugal, 'está a serrar' is the standard form. When discussing the action in the abstract, the infinitive serrar acts as a noun: 'O ato de serrar exige paciência e força' (The act of sawing requires patience and strength). You might also encounter it in compound tenses, like 'tinha serrado' (had sawn). It's important to keep the verb focused on the physical action; for metaphorical 'cutting' (like cutting a budget or cutting a conversation), other verbs like cortar or interromper are much more appropriate. Serrar is visceral, tactile, and noisy.
Nós serramos a tábua ao meio para que ela coubesse no carro.
The most common place to hear serrar is in a practical, hands-on environment. Walk into any marcenaria (carpentry shop) or estaleiro (construction site) in Lisbon, Luanda, or São Paulo, and the word will be constant. You'll hear masters instructing apprentices: 'Serra mais devagar para não lascar a madeira' (Saw slower so you don't splinter the wood). It’s also a frequent word in home improvement stores like Leroy Merlin or local hardware shops. If you are buying a large piece of plywood, you might ask the clerk: 'Vocês podem serrar isto em quatro partes?' (Can you saw this into four parts?).
- Domestic Settings
- Commonly used during DIY projects or gardening, like when pruning large branches that a pair of shears cannot handle.
- Artistic Contexts
- Sculptors working with wood or stone use this verb to describe the initial stages of shaping their work.
O artista começou a serrar o bloco de mármore com extrema precisão.
Beyond the physical act, serrar has a humorous and very common colloquial use in Brazil: serrar madeira (to saw wood) is a popular idiom for snoring loudly. If someone says, 'O meu marido passou a noite toda a serrar madeira', they aren't complaining about late-night carpentry; they are complaining about his loud snoring. This usage is so common that 'serrar' alone can sometimes imply snoring in the right context. Furthermore, in some regional slangs, serrar can mean to 'mooch' or 'bum' something off someone, like 'serrar um cigarro' (to bum a cigarette), though this is highly informal and specific to certain groups. In most standard conversations, however, stick to the woodworking definition to avoid confusion.
Pare de serrar esse cigarro e compre o seu próprio maço!
The most frequent and confusing mistake for learners is the confusion between serrar (to saw) and cerrar (to close). Because they are pronounced identically in many parts of Brazil (both as /se.ˈʁaʁ/), context is vital. If you say 'Eu vou cerrar a porta', you are saying you will close the door (often firmly or completely). If you say 'Eu vou serrar a porta', you are saying you are going to take a saw to the door and cut it! This mistake can lead to hilarious or disastrous misunderstandings. In Portugal, the distinction is audible: serrar has an open 'e' (/sɛ.ˈʁaɾ/), while cerrar has a closed 'e' (/sɨ.ˈʁaɾ/). Learners should practice the vowel difference if they are focusing on European Portuguese.
- Serrar vs. Cortar
- Don't use 'serrar' for everything. If you're using a knife for bread, it's 'cortar'. 'Serrar' specifically requires a toothed blade.
- Spelling Errors
- Writing 'serar' with one 'r' is a common mistake. It must have 'rr' to maintain the strong 'r' sound (the 'h' sound in English 'hat').
Cuidado! Se você serrar (saw) em vez de cerrar (close) os olhos, o resultado será muito diferente!
Another error is using serrar when you mean rasgar (to tear). If you are dividing a piece of fabric or paper by hand, serrar is never used. Furthermore, learners often forget that serrar is a regular verb. Some try to change the stem like in sentir (sinto), but serrar remains serro, serras, serra. Finally, be careful with the slang usage. While 'serrar um cigarro' is common in Brazil, using it in a formal business meeting in Portugal might make you sound very out of place or simply be misunderstood. Always prioritize the literal meaning of sawing wood until you are very comfortable with regional nuances.
Ele serrou o ferro com facilidade, mas errou a medida por dois centímetros.
While serrar is the most precise term for sawing, Portuguese offers several alternatives depending on the material and the method. The most common synonym is cortar. Cortar is the umbrella term for all types of cutting. If you are unsure which verb to use, cortar is almost always safe, whereas serrar is specific. Another related verb is seccionar, which is more technical and means 'to section' or 'to cut into segments', often used in engineering or biology. For splitting wood along the grain (like with an axe), you would use fender or rachar instead of serrar.
- Serrar vs. Cortar
- Serrar uses a saw; Cortar uses anything (knife, scissors, laser). Use 'serrar' for wood/metal tasks.
- Serrar vs. Rachar
- Serrar is a clean cut across the grain; Rachar is splitting wood with the grain, usually with an axe.
Em vez de serrar o tronco, ele decidiu rachá-lo com um machado.
In a more figurative or specialized sense, you might encounter tronzar, which specifically means to cut a large log into shorter lengths (trunfos). In the world of metalworking, you might hear esmerilhar if the 'cutting' involves grinding. When talking about the byproduct of the action, serrar gives us serradura (sawdust). If you are 'sawing' through a difficult problem, Portuguese doesn't use serrar; it uses resolver or desvendar. Understanding these distinctions helps you sound like a native speaker who understands the mechanics of the language. Serrar is about the physical struggle of blade against fiber, and its synonyms should be chosen based on how much effort and what kind of tool is involved.
O carpinteiro prefere seccionar as peças antes de começar a serrar os detalhes.
How Formal Is It?
Dato curioso
The word 'serra' used for mountain ranges comes from the jagged appearance of the peaks, which resemble the teeth of a saw.
Guía de pronunciación
- Pronouncing 'rr' like a single English 'r'. It should be like a French 'r' or a Spanish 'j'.
- Confusing the open 'e' of serrar with the closed 'e' of cerrar in Portugal.
- Making the 's' sound like a 'z' (it's always unvoiced).
Nivel de dificultad
Easy to recognize, but watch out for the 'serrar/cerrar' spelling difference.
Requires remembering the double 'rr' and the correct vowel.
The strong 'rr' can be tricky for some English speakers.
In Brazil, it sounds exactly like 'cerrar', making context crucial.
Qué aprender después
Requisitos previos
Aprende después
Avanzado
Gramática que debes saber
Regular -ar verbs in the Pretérito Perfeito
Eu serrei, tu serraste, ele serrou...
Use of 'com' to indicate instrument
Serrar com um serrote.
Difference between 'serrar' and 'cerrar'
Serrar (saw) vs Cerrar (close).
Gerund formation
Serrando (Brazil) / A serrar (Portugal).
Passive voice with 'ser'
A madeira foi serrada pelo carpinteiro.
Ejemplos por nivel
Eu serro a madeira.
I saw the wood.
Present tense, 1st person singular.
Você serra o tronco?
Do you saw the log?
Present tense, 2nd person (você).
Ele serra a mesa velha.
He saws the old table.
Present tense, 3rd person singular.
Nós serramos juntos.
We saw together.
Present tense, 1st person plural.
Eles serram a tábua.
They saw the board.
Present tense, 3rd person plural.
Ela quer serrar a madeira.
She wants to saw the wood.
Infinitive after an auxiliary verb (querer).
Onde está a serra para serrar?
Where is the saw to saw?
Infinitive used to express purpose.
Não serra isso agora!
Don't saw that now!
Imperative (negative).
Eu serrei a madeira ontem.
I sawed the wood yesterday.
Pretérito Perfeito, 1st person singular.
Você serrou o galho da árvore?
Did you saw the tree branch?
Pretérito Perfeito, 2nd person (você).
Nós serramos todos os troncos.
We sawed all the logs.
Pretérito Perfeito, 1st person plural (same as present in some dialects).
Ela vai serrar o cano amanhã.
She is going to saw the pipe tomorrow.
Future with 'ir' + infinitive.
O carpinteiro serrou a porta.
The carpenter sawed the door.
Pretérito Perfeito, 3rd person singular.
Eles estavam a serrar lenha.
They were sawing firewood.
Past continuous (European style).
Eu preciso de serrar este metal.
I need to saw this metal.
Infinitive after 'precisar de'.
A máquina serra muito rápido.
The machine saws very fast.
Present tense describing a capability.
Enquanto eu serrava, o telefone tocou.
While I was sawing, the phone rang.
Pretérito Imperfeito, 1st person singular.
Espero que ele serre a madeira direito.
I hope he saws the wood correctly.
Present Subjunctive.
Se eu tivesse um serrote, eu serraria isto.
If I had a hand saw, I would saw this.
Conditional tense.
Nós tínhamos serrado tudo antes da chuva.
We had sawn everything before the rain.
Pretérito Mais-que-perfeito Composto.
É importante serrar com cuidado.
It is important to saw carefully.
Impersonal infinitive.
Ele gosta de serrar madeira por hobby.
He likes sawing wood as a hobby.
Infinitive as a gerund-like noun.
A madeira está sendo serrada agora.
The wood is being sawn now.
Passive voice (continuous).
Quando você serrar a tábua, avise-me.
When you saw the board, let me know.
Future Subjunctive.
O marceneiro serrou a peça com precisão milimétrica.
The cabinetmaker sawed the piece with millimeter precision.
Adverbial phrase with Pretérito Perfeito.
Embora tenha serrado o tronco, ainda falta rachá-lo.
Although he has sawn the log, he still needs to split it.
Pretérito Perfeito do Subjuntivo.
Serrar árvores sem licença é crime ambiental.
Sawing trees without a license is an environmental crime.
Gerundive use of the infinitive as a subject.
A lâmina quebrou enquanto ele serrava o aço.
The blade broke while he was sawing the steel.
Imperfect tense for continuous action in the past.
Duvido que eles consigam serrar esse mármore.
I doubt they can saw that marble.
Present Subjunctive after 'duvidar'.
O barulho de serrar madeira vinha da garagem.
The sound of sawing wood came from the garage.
Preposition 'de' + infinitive acting as a noun.
Serremos estas vigas antes que escureça.
Let's saw these beams before it gets dark.
Imperative (1st person plural).
Ele passou a noite serrando madeira (roncando).
He spent the night sawing wood (snoring).
Idiomatic use of the gerund.
O escultor serrou as arestas da pedra bruta.
The sculptor sawed the edges of the raw stone.
Specific vocabulary 'arestas' and 'pedra bruta'.
Ao serrar a viga mestra, ele comprometeu a estrutura.
By sawing the main beam, he compromised the structure.
Infinitive used as a temporal/causal clause.
Não convém serrar o galho onde se está sentado.
It is not wise to saw the branch one is sitting on.
Proverbial/Idiomatic usage.
A precisão ao serrar determina a qualidade do encaixe.
The precision when sawing determines the quality of the joint.
Technical context.
Ele tentou serrar o cadeado, mas o metal era temperado.
He tried to saw the padlock, but the metal was hardened.
Contrastive conjunction 'mas'.
O som da serra a serrar a quietude da manhã.
The sound of the saw sawing through the morning's quietude.
Poetic/Literary personification.
Caso você serre a peça errada, não teremos reposição.
In case you saw the wrong piece, we won't have a replacement.
Future Subjunctive after 'caso'.
Ele vive a serrar cigarros dos colegas.
He is always mooching cigarettes from his colleagues.
Slang usage (Brazilian).
A meticulosidade com que ele serrava o ébano era admirável.
The meticulousness with which he sawed the ebony was admirable.
Complex noun phrase as subject.
Serrar-se-ia a peça se houvesse equipamento adequado.
The piece would be sawn if there were adequate equipment.
Mesoclisis with conditional (rare/formal).
O ruído estridente de serrar metal ecoava pelo galpão.
The shrill noise of sawing metal echoed through the shed.
Descriptive literary style.
A despeito de ter serrado a tábua, o corte ficou torto.
Despite having sawn the board, the cut was crooked.
Concessive phrase 'A despeito de'.
O projeto exige que se serrem as placas em ângulos oblíquos.
The project requires the plates to be sawn at oblique angles.
Passive subjunctive construction.
Ele serrou os laços com o passado de forma definitiva.
He sawed through (severed) the ties with the past definitively.
Metaphorical extension of the verb.
A erosão parece serrar a base da falésia.
The erosion seems to saw at the base of the cliff.
Geological metaphor.
Serrar o ferro a frio exige uma técnica específica.
Sawing iron cold requires a specific technique.
Technical jargon 'a frio'.
Colocaciones comunes
Frases Comunes
— Literally to saw wood, but also a common idiom for snoring.
O vovô está serrando madeira lá no sofá.
— Brazilian slang for asking someone for a cigarette.
Posso serrar um cigarro seu?
— Brazilian slang for eating at someone else's house without being invited or paying.
Ele veio aqui só para serrar a boia.
— To cut a branch, often used in the proverb about cutting the branch you sit on.
Não serre o galho onde você está sentado.
— A rare variation of doing something with great effort/violence.
Ele serrou os obstáculos a ferro e fogo.
— To saw through bone (culinary or medical).
O açougueiro está a serrar o osso para o cozido.
— Slang for making someone lose their support or stability.
Aquela notícia serrou as pernas do candidato.
Modismos y expresiones
— A humorous way to say someone is snoring loudly.
Escuta o barulho! Ele está serrando presunto.
informal— To saw the barrel (of a gun), often associated with illegal modifications.
Ele foi preso por serrar o cano da espingarda.
informal/technical— To talk too much or gratingly (rare regional).
Pare de serrar a minha goela com esse assunto!
slang— To humble someone or take away their pride (very regional).
O chefe serrou o chifre do funcionário arrogante.
slang— To prepare for a fight or show aggression.
O cachorro serrou o dente quando o estranho chegou.
informal— To end a friendship abruptly.
Eles serraram a amizade por causa de dinheiro.
informal— To do something useless or repetitive.
Falar com ele é como serrar o vento.
literary— To split the bill (rare, usually 'rachar').
Vamos serrar a conta do jantar?
informal— To shut up (usually 'calar o bico', but 'serrar' is used for closing firmly).
Serre o bico e não conte a ninguém!
informalFamilia de palabras
Sustantivos
Verbos
Adjetivos
Relacionado
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
Imagine a **Serpent** with **Serrated** teeth **Sawing** through a log. Serrar starts with S just like Saw.
Asociación visual
Visualize the jagged peaks of a mountain range (Serra) and imagine a giant saw blade cutting through them.
Word Web
Desafío
Try to conjugate 'serrar' in the past, present, and future while mimicking the back-and-forth motion of a saw with your hand.
Origen de la palabra
From the Latin 'serrare', which comes from 'serra' (saw).
Significado original: To cut with a toothed instrument.
Romance (Latin root).Contexto cultural
No specific sensitivities, but be careful with the slang 'serrar' (to mooch) as it can be slightly insulting if used with strangers.
English speakers often use 'cut' for everything; learning 'serrar' adds a level of vocational specificity that Portuguese speakers appreciate.
Practica en la vida real
Contextos reales
Carpentry Shop
- Onde está o serrote?
- Preciso serrar este carvalho.
- A lâmina está cega.
- Cuidado com os dedos.
DIY Home Project
- Vou serrar a porta.
- A medida está errada.
- Serra mais devagar.
- Onde coloco a serradura?
Gardening
- Temos de serrar este galho seco.
- A serra elétrica é melhor.
- Cuidado com a fiação.
- O tronco é muito grosso.
Construction Site
- Serre as vigas agora.
- Use a serra circular.
- O corte tem de ser reto.
- Faltam duas tábuas para serrar.
Informal Chat (Brazil)
- Ele ronca muito.
- Pare de serrar madeira!
- Você quer serrar um cigarro?
- Vamos serrar a conta.
Inicios de conversación
"Você já teve que serrar madeira para algum projeto em casa?"
"Qual é a ferramenta mais difícil de usar: o martelo ou a serra?"
"Você prefere serrar manualmente ou usar uma serra elétrica?"
"O que você faz quando alguém ao seu lado começa a 'serrar madeira' à noite?"
"Você sabia que 'serra' também significa uma cadeia de montanhas?"
Temas para diario
Descreva um dia em que você trabalhou com madeira. Você teve que serrar alguma coisa?
Imagine que você é um carpinteiro. Como é o seu dia a dia serrando e construindo?
Escreva sobre uma viagem a uma 'serra' (montanha) e se o nome faz sentido para você.
Você já tentou construir um móvel? Conte sobre o processo de medir e serrar as peças.
O que você pensa sobre o barulho de serrar metal? É relaxante ou irritante?
Summary
The verb 'serrar' is essential for describing tasks involving saws. Always use it instead of the general 'cortar' when wood or metalwork is involved to sound more precise and professional. Example: 'Vou serrar a madeira para a mesa' (I'm going to saw the wood for the table).
- Serrar is a regular Portuguese verb meaning 'to saw', used primarily for wood, metal, and stone.
- It is often confused with 'cerrar' (to close) due to similar pronunciation, especially in Brazil.
- The noun form is 'serra' (saw/mountain range) and common tools include 'serrote' (hand saw).
- In Brazilian slang, it can mean 'to snore' or 'to mooch' (bum) something from someone.
Ejemplo
Ele usou a serra para serrar a madeira.
Contenido relacionado
Esta palabra en otros idiomas
Más palabras de home
à direita de
A2To the right side of something or someone.
à esquerda de
A2To the left side of something or someone.
a gás
B1A gas. Se utiliza para aparatos o vehículos que funcionan con gas como combustible.
a minha
B1My (feminine singular possessive determiner).
a nossa
B1Nuestra (femenino singular). Es la nuestra.
a tua
B1Tu (informal, femenino). 'Tu idea' se traduce como 'a tua ideia'.
abafado
A2El clima está muy sofocante hoy, parece que va a llover.
abaixo de
A2El gato está abaixo de la mesa.
abajur
A2Un abajur es una lámpara de mesa con pantalla.
abrir à chave
A2Abrir con llave. La acción de usar una llave para desbloquear algo.
