When you are just starting to learn Portuguese at the A1 level, the word sessão is very important for you to understand and use correctly in your daily conversations. At this beginner stage, you will most commonly hear and use this word when talking about going to the movies, which is a very popular activity. In Portuguese, a movie screening is called a sessão de cinema. Imagine you want to invite your new Brazilian or Portuguese friends to watch a film; you will need to ask them what time the sessão starts. This word simply means a period of time that is dedicated to one specific activity. For beginners, it is enough to associate it with entertainment and schedules. You might look at a cinema website and see various times listed for different sessões. It is a feminine noun, so you must always use the feminine articles 'a' or 'uma' before it, such as 'a sessão' or 'uma sessão'. Learning this word helps you make plans, understand invitations, and talk about your weekend activities. As you practice, try to write simple sentences like 'A sessão começa às oito horas' which means 'The session starts at eight o'clock'. You do not need to worry about the more complex meanings of the word right now. Just focus on its use in the context of movies, theater, and simple meetings. Remember that the pronunciation has a strong 's' sound at the beginning and a nasal 'ão' sound at the end, which is very characteristic of the Portuguese language. Practice saying it out loud several times to get comfortable with the nasal vowel. By mastering the word sessão early on, you will feel much more confident when navigating social situations and entertainment options in a Portuguese-speaking country. It is a small word, but it opens up many possibilities for communication and connection with native speakers. Keep practicing your vocabulary every day, and soon you will be able to use words like sessão naturally and without hesitation. This is the first step towards fluency, and every new word you learn builds a stronger foundation for your language journey. Always remember to check the schedule for the next sessão, and enjoy your time learning Portuguese!
At the A2 level, your understanding of the word sessão needs to expand beyond just going to the cinema. While the movie context remains extremely common and useful, you will now start encountering this word in a variety of other everyday situations that involve scheduled appointments and structured periods of time. For example, if you or someone you know needs medical or therapeutic treatment, you will frequently hear the word used in phrases like sessão de fisioterapia (physiotherapy session) or sessão de terapia (therapy session). In these contexts, the word describes a specific block of time, usually an hour or so, dedicated to a professional consultation or treatment. This expands your ability to talk about health, routines, and personal care in Portuguese. You will also start to notice the plural form more often: sessões. Remember that to form the plural, the -ão ending changes to -ões. So, you might say 'Eu tenho três sessões de massagem esta semana' (I have three massage sessions this week). Additionally, at this level, you should be comfortable using verbs that naturally pair with this noun, such as marcar (to schedule), cancelar (to cancel), and assistir a (to attend/watch). Being able to say 'Preciso marcar uma sessão' (I need to schedule a session) is a highly practical skill for navigating daily life, making appointments, and managing your calendar. You might also hear it in the context of photography, like a sessão de fotos (photo shoot). The core concept remains the same: a dedicated period of time for a specific activity where people are usually gathered or seated. As you practice reading and listening to more diverse Portuguese texts, pay attention to how this word is used to organize time and events. It is a fundamental building block for expressing your schedule and understanding the schedules of others. Keep practicing the pronunciation, especially the plural form sessões, to ensure you sound natural and clear. Expanding your use of this word will significantly improve your ability to communicate about a wider range of topics in Portuguese.
Reaching the B1 level means you are becoming an independent user of the Portuguese language, and your grasp of vocabulary must reflect this growing sophistication. At this stage, your understanding of the word sessão must broaden to include more formal, professional, and institutional contexts. You are no longer just talking about movies and therapy; you are now engaging with news, politics, and business. In these domains, sessão is frequently used to describe formal meetings and assemblies. For instance, when watching the news, you will hear reporters discuss a sessão plenária (plenary session) in the congress or parliament, or a sessão de julgamento (trial session) in a court of law. Understanding these terms is crucial for following current events and participating in discussions about society and politics. Furthermore, at the B1 level, it is absolutely essential that you learn to distinguish sessão from its homophones: seção (section/department) and cessão (transfer/yielding). These three words sound identical but have completely different meanings and spellings. This is a classic point of confusion even for native speakers, so mastering it will significantly elevate your written Portuguese. Remember the mnemonic: sessão (with three 's's) relates to sitting and time; seção (with a c-cedilla) relates to cutting or dividing into departments; and cessão (with a 'c' and double 's') relates to ceding rights. You should also be comfortable using compound phrases like sessão de autógrafos (book signing) or sessão de gravação (recording session). Your ability to use the word in various grammatical structures should be solid, including using appropriate prepositions (e.g., na sessão, durante a sessão). By integrating these more complex and formal uses of the word into your active vocabulary, you demonstrate a deeper cultural and linguistic competence. You can now read newspaper articles, understand news broadcasts, and write more formal texts with confidence, knowing exactly how and when to deploy this versatile noun.
At the B2 level, your proficiency in Portuguese allows you to navigate complex and abstract topics, and your use of the word sessão should reflect a high degree of precision and nuance. You are expected to fully master the spelling and semantic distinctions between the 'três sês' (sessão, seção, cessão) without hesitation, applying them correctly in formal writing such as essays, reports, and professional correspondence. Beyond avoiding mistakes, you should be able to appreciate the subtle connotations of the word in different registers. In a corporate environment, you might organize a sessão de brainstorming (brainstorming session) or a sessão de treinamento (training session), seamlessly integrating English loanwords or modern business concepts with traditional Portuguese structures. You will also encounter the word in literary and academic texts, where it might be used to describe historical gatherings or formal debates. For example, reading about a sessão solene (solemn session) to commemorate a historical event requires an understanding of the formal protocols associated with the word. At this level, you should be comfortable using advanced verbs and collocations, such as convocar uma sessão (to convene a session), suspender a sessão (to suspend the session), or presidir a sessão (to preside over the session). These collocations are essential for discussing politics, law, and corporate governance accurately. Furthermore, you should be able to understand idiomatic or extended uses of the word in media and literature. The ability to switch effortlessly between the casual use of the word (e.g., planning a cinema trip) and its highly formal applications (e.g., discussing a supreme court ruling) demonstrates true linguistic flexibility. Your vocabulary is now rich enough to explain the concept of a sessão to a lower-level learner, detailing its etymology and its connection to the act of sitting. This deep, comprehensive understanding allows you to interact with native speakers on an equal footing, whether in a casual café conversation or a formal business meeting.
Achieving the C1 level signifies an advanced, near-native command of the Portuguese language. At this stage, your interaction with the word sessão is characterized by complete fluency, stylistic awareness, and the ability to manipulate the language for rhetorical effect. You not only know the definitions and collocations, but you also understand the historical and cultural weight the word carries in specific contexts. In legal and political discourse, which you can now consume and produce with ease, you recognize the precise procedural implications of terms like sessão extraordinária (extraordinary session), sessão secreta (secret session), or sessão legislativa (legislative session). You understand that the opening and closing of a formal sessão are governed by strict protocols, and you can use the associated vocabulary (e.g., quórum, ata, deliberação) flawlessly. Your writing is impeccable, and the distinction between sessão, seção, and cessão is second nature, allowing you to edit and proofread texts for these common errors. You can also play with the word in creative writing or persuasive speech, perhaps using it metaphorically to describe a prolonged, intense period of activity, such as an exhausting sessão de negociações (negotiation session) that lasted through the night. At the C1 level, you are also attuned to regional variations and subtle differences in usage across the Lusophone world, recognizing if certain compound phrases are more common in Brazil, Portugal, or Angola. You can engage in deep, abstract discussions about the nature of time, organization, and human gatherings, using sessão as a conceptual anchor. Your mastery of the word is no longer just about communication; it is about eloquence, precision, and the ability to express complex thoughts with the exact right terminology. You navigate the highest registers of the language with confidence, demonstrating a profound understanding of Portuguese syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
At the C2 level, your mastery of Portuguese is equivalent to that of a highly educated native speaker. Your understanding of the word sessão encompasses its entire etymological history, its most obscure legal and academic applications, and its presence in classic literature. You are aware that the word derives from the Latin sessio, meaning the act of sitting, and you can trace how this physical concept evolved into the abstract temporal marker used today. In highly specialized fields, such as constitutional law or parliamentary procedure, you can debate the intricate rules governing a sessão conjunta (joint session) or the constitutional implications of suspending a sessão. You can read centuries-old texts and understand how the usage of the word has shifted or remained constant over time. Your writing at this level is characterized by absolute precision; you choose sessão over synonyms like reunião or assembleia not by chance, but because it conveys the exact shade of formality, structure, and duration required by your text. You can effortlessly produce complex, elegant sentences where sessão is integrated with advanced grammatical structures, such as passive voice constructions or subjunctive clauses (e.g., 'Era imperativo que a sessão fosse encerrada antes do anoitecer'). Furthermore, you can critically analyze texts that misuse the homophones (seção, cessão), explaining not just the grammatical rule, but the etymological reasons behind the different spellings. Your vocabulary is vast, and your ability to use the word in any conceivable context—from a casual joke to a doctoral dissertation—is flawless. At the C2 level, the word sessão is a fully integrated tool in your linguistic repertoire, allowing you to articulate the most sophisticated and nuanced ideas with absolute clarity and cultural authenticity.

sessão en 30 segundos

  • A specific period of time dedicated to a particular activity, such as watching a movie, attending a meeting, or receiving medical therapy.
  • It is a feminine noun, so it must always be used with feminine articles and adjectives, such as 'a sessão' or 'uma sessão longa'.
  • The plural form is 'sessões', which is commonly used when talking about multiple appointments or a series of scheduled events.
  • It sounds exactly like 'seção' (section) and 'cessão' (transfer), but it is spelled with three 's's and refers strictly to time and meetings.
The Portuguese noun sessão is an incredibly versatile and frequently utilized word in both spoken and written communication across all Lusophone countries. It primarily translates to the English word session, but its applications extend far beyond this simple translation. When we delve into the core meaning of sessão, we uncover a concept deeply rooted in the idea of a specific, designated period of time that is exclusively devoted to a particular activity, event, or gathering. This temporal boundary is crucial to understanding how the word functions in a sentence. For instance, when you go to the cinema, you attend a sessão de cinema, which represents the exact duration during which the film is projected onto the screen for the audience to enjoy.

A sessão de cinema começa às oito horas em ponto.

Similarly, in a therapeutic context, a sessão de terapia refers to the forty-five to sixty minutes spent in consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist, working through personal issues or mental health concerns. The word implies a beginning and an end, a structured timeframe wherein a specific objective is pursued.

Minha sessão de terapia foi muito produtiva hoje.

Furthermore, in legislative and formal administrative contexts, a sessão plenária or plenary session denotes a formal meeting of members of a parliament, congress, or committee, where debates are held, and votes are cast on various legislative proposals.

A sessão do congresso foi transmitida ao vivo pela televisão.

It is fascinating to observe how a single word can seamlessly transition from the casual environment of a movie theater to the highly formal and structured atmosphere of a government building. The etymology of the word traces back to the Latin word sessio, which literally means the act of sitting. This historical origin perfectly aligns with the modern usage of the word, as most activities described as a sessão involve the participants sitting down for an extended period. Whether you are sitting in a velvet chair at the cinema, sitting on a comfortable couch in a therapist's office, or sitting at a grand mahogany desk in a parliamentary chamber, the underlying physical posture remains remarkably consistent.

Compramos ingressos para a última sessão do dia.

This connection between the physical act of sitting and the temporal concept of a session provides a profound insight into the linguistic evolution of the Portuguese language. As learners of Portuguese, mastering the word sessão is absolutely essential for achieving fluency, particularly at the A2 and B1 CEFR levels, where expressing routines, schedules, and specific events becomes increasingly important.
Cinema
A period of time watching a movie.
Therapy
A scheduled appointment with a professional.
Parliament
A formal gathering of lawmakers.
However, the true challenge lies not just in understanding its meaning, but in distinguishing it from its notorious homophones: seção and cessão.

A sessão de fotos durou a tarde inteira no estúdio.

These three words, often referred to as the três sês by Brazilian educators, sound exactly identical in spoken Portuguese due to the phonetic convergence of the double s, the c-cedilla, and the initial c followed by an e. This phonetic identity creates a minefield of potential spelling errors for both native speakers and language learners alike. Therefore, when discussing what sessão means, one must simultaneously understand what it does not mean. It does not mean a physical division or department, which is the domain of seção, nor does it mean the act of yielding or transferring rights, which is the definition of cessão. By cementing the association between sessão, time periods, and the act of sitting, learners can effectively navigate this linguistic complexity. In conclusion, the word sessão encapsulates a fundamental aspect of human organization: the allocation of time for specific, seated activities. Its mastery unlocks a wide array of conversational topics, from discussing weekend entertainment plans to analyzing complex political events, making it an indispensable tool in the vocabulary arsenal of any dedicated student of the Portuguese language.
Understanding how to properly use the word sessão in everyday Portuguese sentences requires a solid grasp of its grammatical properties and the specific contexts in which it naturally appears. First and foremost, it is crucial to remember that sessão is a feminine noun. This means that it must always be preceded by feminine articles, such as the definite article a or the indefinite article uma. Furthermore, any adjectives that modify the word sessão must also agree in gender and number, taking the feminine form. For example, you would say uma sessão longa for a long session, or a primeira sessão for the first session.

Nós fomos para a primeira sessão do filme novo.

When forming the plural, the ending -ão changes to -ões, resulting in the plural form sessões. This pluralization rule is standard for many Portuguese words ending in -ão, but it is always worth reinforcing for learners at the A2 level. You might talk about attending várias sessões de fisioterapia (several physiotherapy sessions) to recover from an injury.

O paciente precisa de dez sessões para se recuperar totalmente.

In terms of sentence structure, sessão is most frequently used as the object of a verb or as part of a prepositional phrase indicating time or purpose. Common verbs that pair naturally with sessão include assistir a (to attend/watch), participar de (to participate in), marcar (to schedule), and cancelar (to cancel). For instance, if you need to arrange a meeting, you might say: Preciso marcar uma sessão com o advogado (I need to schedule a session with the lawyer).

Eles decidiram cancelar a sessão devido ao mau tempo.

Another very common grammatical structure involves using the preposition de followed by a noun to specify the exact type of session. This creates compound noun phrases that function as a single unit of meaning. Examples include sessão de cinema (movie session), sessão de fotos (photo shoot), sessão de autógrafos (autograph session/book signing), and sessão de julgamento (trial session).
Sessão de fotos
A period dedicated to taking professional photographs.
Sessão de autógrafos
An event where an author signs books for fans.
Sessão de julgamento
A formal period in a court of law.
These phrases are incredibly common in both spoken and written Portuguese, and memorizing them as fixed chunks of vocabulary will significantly improve your fluency and naturalness.

A sessão de autógrafos atraiu centenas de fãs apaixonados.

It is also important to note the use of prepositions when talking about the location or time of a sessão. You would use the preposition em (in/at) contracted with the appropriate article to indicate where the session is taking place, such as na sessão (in the session). For time, you use às (at the) for specific hours, as in A sessão começa às 20h (The session starts at 8 PM). When writing formal texts, such as academic papers or business reports, the word sessão can be used to describe formal meetings or periods of debate. In these contexts, it is often accompanied by formal adjectives like sessão extraordinária (extraordinary session) or sessão solene (solemn session).

O presidente convocou uma sessão extraordinária para votar a lei.

Understanding these nuances in register—from the casual chat about a movie to the formal reporting of a parliamentary debate—demonstrates a high level of linguistic competence. By practicing these various sentence structures and collocations, learners can confidently integrate the word sessão into their active vocabulary, ensuring that they can communicate effectively and accurately in a wide range of everyday and formal situations.
The word sessão is ubiquitous in Portuguese-speaking societies, and you will encounter it in a wide variety of everyday situations, media broadcasts, and professional environments. One of the most common and universally understood contexts where you will hear this word is in the realm of entertainment, specifically regarding the cinema. When you walk into a movie theater in Brazil or Portugal, you will immediately see digital boards or printed posters listing the horários das sessões (session times).

Verifique os horários da próxima sessão no aplicativo do cinema.

Friends planning a weekend outing will frequently ask each other, Qual sessão nós vamos pegar? (Which session are we going to catch?). This casual, everyday usage makes it one of the first contexts in which language learners encounter the word. Beyond the cinema, the word is deeply embedded in the health and wellness sectors. If you visit a clinic or a hospital, you might hear receptionists or medical professionals talking about a sessão de fisioterapia (physiotherapy session), a sessão de quimioterapia (chemotherapy session), or a sessão de acupuntura (acupuncture session).

Hoje eu tenho minha terceira sessão de fisioterapia no joelho.

In the field of mental health, psychologists and psychiatrists conduct their work in sessões de terapia (therapy sessions). In these medical and therapeutic contexts, the word emphasizes the structured, time-bound nature of the treatment or consultation.
Healthcare
Used for scheduled treatments like physiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Mental Health
Used for psychological therapy and counseling appointments.
Wellness
Used for massages, acupuncture, and other structured wellness activities.
Another major area where the word sessão is frequently heard is in politics and law. If you turn on a news channel in a Portuguese-speaking country, you are highly likely to hear journalists reporting on a sessão do congresso (congressional session), a sessão do senado (senate session), or a sessão do tribunal (court session).

A sessão plenária foi interrompida por protestos dos deputados.

In these formal settings, the word carries a weight of officialdom and procedural rigor. It describes the formal gathering of elected officials or judges to debate, vote, or pass judgments. You might hear phrases like abrir a sessão (to open the session) or encerrar a sessão (to close the session), which are formal declarations used by the presiding officer.

O juiz decidiu encerrar a sessão após ouvir todas as testemunhas.

Furthermore, in the corporate and academic worlds, the word is used to describe specific parts of a larger event. For example, at a conference or a symposium, the schedule might be divided into several sessões de apresentação (presentation sessions) or sessões de perguntas e respostas (Q&A sessions). In the creative industries, photographers conduct sessões de fotos (photo shoots), and musicians might engage in a sessão de gravação (recording session) in a studio.

A banda passou a noite inteira na sessão de gravação do novo álbum.

This incredible versatility means that as a learner, you must be prepared to hear and understand the word sessão in almost any context where a specific period of time is dedicated to a focused activity. By familiarizing yourself with these common environments—entertainment, healthcare, politics, academia, and the arts—you will develop a robust and nuanced understanding of how this essential Portuguese noun functions in the real world.
When learning the Portuguese word sessão, students and even native speakers frequently encounter a specific set of challenges and common mistakes. By far the most prevalent and notorious mistake involves confusing sessão with its two homophones: seção (or secção in Portugal) and cessão. Because all three words are pronounced exactly the same way in standard spoken Portuguese, distinguishing between them relies entirely on understanding their distinct meanings and memorizing their correct spellings.

É um erro comum escrever seção quando se quer dizer sessão de cinema.

The word sessão, spelled with three 's's in total (one at the beginning and a double 's' in the middle), always refers to a period of time, a meeting, or a gathering. A helpful mnemonic device is to remember that the double 's' in sessão looks like two people sitting together, which perfectly aligns with its Latin root sessio, meaning the act of sitting. On the other hand, seção (spelled with a c-cedilla) refers to a section, a division, or a department of a larger whole. For example, you would find the seção de laticínios (dairy section) in a supermarket, or read the seção de esportes (sports section) in a newspaper.
Sessão (Time)
A period of time for an activity, like a movie or meeting.
Seção (Division)
A physical or structural part of something, like a department.
Cessão (Transfer)
The legal act of giving up or transferring rights or property.
The third homophone, cessão (spelled with a 'c' at the beginning and a double 's' in the middle), is a formal legal term that refers to the act of ceding, yielding, or transferring rights or property to someone else. For instance, a cessão de direitos means a transfer of rights.

O professor explicou a diferença entre a sessão de estudos e a seção da biblioteca.

Using the wrong spelling in written Portuguese is considered a significant grammatical error and can completely change the meaning of a sentence, leading to confusion. Another common mistake for English speakers is assuming that the Portuguese word sessão can be used in every single context where the English word session is used. While there is a massive overlap, there are subtle differences.

Durante a prova, ele hesitou antes de escrever a palavra sessão.

For example, in English, one might talk about a school session or an academic session to refer to a semester or a term. In Portuguese, you would not use sessão for this; instead, you would use semestre (semester) or período letivo (academic period). Furthermore, learners sometimes struggle with the pluralization of the word. Because it ends in -ão, the plural is formed by changing the ending to -ões, resulting in sessões. Some beginners mistakenly add an 's' to the singular form, creating the incorrect word sessãos.

As sessões de treinamento foram muito úteis para a equipe de vendas.

Finally, there is a tendency among learners to forget the gender of the word. Since it ends in -ão, it might seem masculine to some, but it is strictly a feminine noun. Saying o sessão instead of a sessão is a grammatical error that immediately marks the speaker as a non-native.

A sessão foi cancelada, e não o sessão, lembre-se sempre do gênero feminino.

By actively practicing the spelling distinctions between the three homophones, understanding the specific contexts where the word applies, correctly forming the plural, and always respecting its feminine gender, learners can successfully avoid these common pitfalls and use the word sessão with confidence and accuracy.
When expanding your Portuguese vocabulary around the concept of a sessão, it is highly beneficial to explore similar words, synonyms, and related terms that can add nuance and variety to your speech and writing. While sessão is the most direct translation for the English word session, there are several other Portuguese words that capture specific aspects of meetings, gatherings, and time periods. One of the most common synonyms in a professional or formal context is the word reunião, which translates to meeting.

A sessão de hoje será substituída por uma reunião rápida da equipe.

While a sessão often implies a more structured, formal, or public event (like a congressional session or a movie screening), a reunião is typically used for business meetings, team gatherings, or informal get-togethers. You might have a reunião with your boss, but you would attend a sessão of the supreme court. Another related word is encontro, which translates to encounter, meeting, or gathering. Encontro is generally more informal and social than both sessão and reunião. It is often used for dates, casual meetups with friends, or community gatherings. For example, an encontro de amigos (gathering of friends) feels much warmer and less rigid than a sessão.
Reunião
A standard business or organizational meeting.
Encontro
A casual gathering, meetup, or romantic date.
Assembleia
A large, formal assembly or gathering of members.
In highly formal or organizational contexts, you might encounter the word assembleia (assembly). An assembleia is a large gathering of members of an organization, union, or condominium to discuss and vote on important matters. While an assembleia is the event itself, the actual period of time during which they sit and debate is often referred to as the sessão da assembleia.

Durante a assembleia, a primeira sessão foi dedicada à leitura dos relatórios.

For academic or educational contexts, the word aula (class or lesson) is the appropriate term, rather than sessão. While an English speaker might say study session, a Portuguese speaker would more naturally say período de estudo or simply hora de estudar.

Nós organizamos uma sessão de estudos na biblioteca antes da prova final.

In the context of entertainment, specifically theater or live performances, the word espetáculo (spectacle/show) or apresentação (presentation/performance) is often used alongside or instead of sessão. However, if a play is performed twice in one day, each performance is still referred to as a sessão (e.g., a sessão das 19h e a sessão das 21h). It is also useful to consider words that describe the duration or period of time itself, such as período (period), turno (shift), or jornada (journey/workday). These words emphasize the passage of time rather than the specific activity taking place.

O período da manhã foi reservado para a sessão de debates acalorados.

By understanding the subtle distinctions between sessão, reunião, encontro, assembleia, and aula, learners can choose the most precise and natural-sounding word for any given situation. This level of vocabulary differentiation is a hallmark of advancing from an intermediate to an advanced speaker of Portuguese, allowing for clearer, more expressive, and culturally appropriate communication.

A sessão terminou cedo, então fomos para um encontro no café.

Mastering these related terms ensures that you are never at a loss for words when describing the various ways people gather, work, and spend their time together in the Portuguese-speaking world.

How Formal Is It?

Nivel de dificultad

Gramática que debes saber

Feminine noun agreement (a sessão, uma sessão, sessão longa)

Pluralization of words ending in -ão (sessão -> sessões)

Prepositions of time (às 8h, na sessão)

Verbs of scheduling (marcar, cancelar, agendar)

Homophones and spelling rules (ss vs ç)

Ejemplos por nivel

1

A sessão de cinema começa agora.

The movie session starts now.

Use 'a' because sessão is feminine.

2

Eu quero ir à sessão das oito.

I want to go to the eight o'clock session.

'à' is the contraction of 'a' + 'a'.

3

A sessão foi muito boa.

The session was very good.

'boa' agrees with the feminine noun.

4

Onde é a sessão?

Where is the session?

Simple question structure.

5

Uma sessão de fotos.

A photo session.

'Uma' is the indefinite feminine article.

6

A sessão terminou tarde.

The session ended late.

Past tense of terminar.

7

Comprei ingressos para a sessão.

I bought tickets for the session.

Preposition 'para' + article 'a'.

8

A próxima sessão é amanhã.

The next session is tomorrow.

Adjective 'próxima' comes before the noun.

1

Minha sessão de terapia é na terça-feira.

My therapy session is on Tuesday.

Possessive pronoun 'Minha' agrees with the noun.

2

Eles cancelaram a sessão de hoje.

They canceled today's session.

Verb cancelar in the past plural.

3

Preciso marcar uma sessão com o médico.

I need to schedule a session with the doctor.

Verb marcar used for scheduling.

4

Quantas sessões você fez?

How many sessions did you do?

Plural form 'sessões'.

5

A sessão de fisioterapia dói um pouco.

The physiotherapy session hurts a little.

Compound noun phrase.

6

Nós assistimos à primeira sessão.

We attended the first session.

Verb assistir requires preposition 'a'.

7

A sessão durou duas horas.

The session lasted two hours.

Verb durar for time.

8

A sessão está cheia.

The session is full.

Adjective 'cheia' agrees with feminine noun.

1

A sessão plenária foi transmitida ao vivo.

The plenary session was broadcast live.

Passive voice construction.

2

O juiz decidiu abrir a sessão no tribunal.

The judge decided to open the session in court.

Formal vocabulary 'abrir a sessão'.

3

Houve muita discussão durante a sessão.

There was a lot of discussion during the session.

Use of 'Houve' (past of haver).

4

A sessão de autógrafos atraiu muitos fãs.

The autograph session attracted many fans.

Specific event vocabulary.

5

Eles participaram de todas as sessões do congresso.

They participated in all the congress sessions.

Preposition 'de' contracted with 'as'.

6

Não confunda sessão com seção ou cessão.

Do not confuse session with section or cession.

Imperative form.

7

A sessão foi suspensa para o almoço.

The session was suspended for lunch.

Formal passive voice.

8

A ata da sessão foi lida e aprovada.

The minutes of the session were read and approved.

Vocabulary related to meetings (ata).

1

A convocação para a sessão extraordinária foi enviada ontem.

The summons for the extraordinary session was sent yesterday.

Advanced vocabulary 'convocação'.

2

O presidente da câmara presidiu a sessão com firmeza.

The president of the chamber presided over the session firmly.

Verb 'presidir'.

3

Após uma longa sessão de negociações, o acordo foi assinado.

After a long negotiation session, the agreement was signed.

Complex sentence structure.

4

A sessão legislativa deste ano focará na reforma tributária.

This year's legislative session will focus on tax reform.

Future tense and political context.

5

É fundamental registrar tudo o que foi dito na sessão.

It is essential to record everything that was said in the session.

Impersonal expression 'É fundamental'.

6

A sessão solene homenageou os fundadores da instituição.

The solemn session honored the founders of the institution.

Formal adjective 'solene'.

7

A falta de quórum impediu a realização da sessão.

The lack of a quorum prevented the session from taking place.

Advanced vocabulary 'quórum'.

8

Eles agendaram uma sessão de treinamento intensivo para os novos funcionários.

They scheduled an intensive training session for the new employees.

Corporate vocabulary.

1

A sessão foi marcada por debates acalorados e interrupções constantes.

The session was marked by heated debates and constant interruptions.

Passive voice with descriptive adjectives.

2

A deliberação ocorreu em sessão secreta, longe dos olhos do público.

The deliberation took place in a secret session, away from the public eye.

Advanced legal context.

3

A despeito das críticas, a sessão prosseguiu conforme o regimento interno.

Despite the criticism, the session proceeded according to the internal regulations.

Concessive clause 'A despeito de'.

4

A sessão de encerramento do simpósio contou com a presença de renomados especialistas.

The closing session of the symposium was attended by renowned experts.

Formal event phrasing.

5

Foi lavrada a ata da sessão, constando todas as ressalvas levantadas.

The minutes of the session were drawn up, containing all the reservations raised.

Highly formal legal/administrative language.

6

A oposição tentou obstruir a sessão através de manobras regimentais.

The opposition tried to obstruct the session through procedural maneuvers.

Political jargon.

7

A sessão conjunta do Congresso Nacional promulgou a nova emenda constitucional.

The joint session of the National Congress promulgated the new constitutional amendment.

Specific political terminology.

8

O terapeuta conduziu a sessão com uma abordagem psicanalítica profunda.

The therapist conducted the session with a deep psychoanalytic approach.

Academic/medical vocabulary.

1

A exegese do texto legal foi o cerne daquela memorável sessão da Suprema Corte.

The exegesis of the legal text was the core of that memorable Supreme Court session.

Extremely high register vocabulary (exegese, cerne).

2

A sessão, outrora tumultuada, arrefeceu à medida que o cansaço abateu os parlamentares.

The session, once tumultuous, cooled down as fatigue struck the parliamentarians.

Literary vocabulary (outrora, arrefeceu).

3

Convocou-se a sessão em caráter de urgência urgentíssima, dada a gravidade da crise institucional.

The session was convened on an extremely urgent basis, given the gravity of the institutional crisis.

Superlative absolute synthetic (urgentíssima).

4

A ata reflete fidedignamente os embates retóricos travados durante a sessão ordinária.

The minutes faithfully reflect the rhetorical clashes fought during the ordinary session.

Advanced adverbs and noun phrases.

5

Dissolver a sessão naquele instante seria uma afronta aos princípios democráticos basilares.

Dissolving the session at that moment would be an affront to basic democratic principles.

Infinitive subject clause.

6

A sessão transcorreu sob a égide da mais estrita legalidade e transparência.

The session took place under the aegis of the strictest legality and transparency.

Idiomatic formal expression (sob a égide de).

7

O verniz de civilidade esvaiu-se logo nos primeiros minutos da sessão de acareação.

The veneer of civility vanished in the very first minutes of the confrontation session.

Metaphorical language.

8

A etimologia da palavra sessão remete ao ato de sentar-se, o que ilustra perfeitamente a natureza estática do evento.

The etymology of the word session refers to the act of sitting, which perfectly illustrates the static nature of the event.

Metalinguistic discussion.

Colocaciones comunes

sessão de cinema
sessão de fotos
sessão de terapia
sessão plenária
abrir a sessão
encerrar a sessão
marcar uma sessão
sessão de autógrafos
sessão de julgamento
sessão extraordinária

Se confunde a menudo con

sessão vs seção

sessão vs secção

sessão vs cessão

Fácil de confundir

sessão vs

sessão vs

sessão vs

sessão vs

sessão vs

Patrones de oraciones

Cómo usarlo

nuances

Implies a continuous block of time where participants are generally seated or focused on one event.

formality

Neutral. Can be used in highly formal legal contexts or casual weekend plans.

regionalisms

Universally understood across all Portuguese-speaking countries with the same meaning.

Errores comunes
  • Writing 'seção' (department) when meaning 'sessão' (movie/meeting).
  • Writing 'cessão' (transfer) when meaning 'sessão' (movie/meeting).
  • Using the masculine article 'o' instead of the feminine 'a' (e.g., saying 'o sessão').
  • Forming the plural incorrectly as 'sessãos' instead of the correct 'sessões'.
  • Using 'sessão' to translate the English 'academic session' or 'school term' (which should be 'semestre').

Consejos

The Three S Rule

Count the S's! The word 'sessão' has exactly three 's' letters in it. One at the start, and two in the middle. If you are writing about time or a meeting, use the three S's.

Always Feminine

Never forget that 'sessão' is a feminine word. Always pair it with 'a', 'uma', 'esta', or 'minha'. Saying 'o sessão' is a very noticeable mistake.

Cinema Context

If you want to go to the movies, this is the word you need. Look for 'horários das sessões' on cinema websites. It is the standard word for showtimes.

Nasal Ending

Practice the '-ão' sound. It is a nasal vowel, meaning the air should come out of your nose and mouth. It sounds a bit like 'ow' but nasalized.

Scheduling

Pair 'sessão' with the verb 'marcar' when making appointments. 'Marcar uma sessão de terapia' is the most natural way to say you are scheduling a therapy appointment.

Not a Department

If you are looking for the shoe department in a store, do not use 'sessão'. Use 'seção' (with a ç). 'Sessão' is only for time, never for physical space.

Plural Form

Memorize the plural 'sessões'. You will use it often when talking about a series of treatments, like 'dez sessões de fisioterapia'.

Sessão da Tarde

If you talk to a Brazilian, mention 'Sessão da Tarde'. It is a great conversation starter about childhood movies and pop culture.

Political News

Listen for this word when watching the news. 'Sessão plenária' is used constantly when journalists report on the government or the supreme court.

Use 'de'

Connect 'sessão' to the activity using the preposition 'de'. Sessão de fotos, sessão de cinema, sessão de estudos. This creates a natural compound noun.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Three S's for Sitting Sessions. Sessão has three 's's in total. Think of the double 'ss' in the middle as two people sitting next to each other in a cinema session.

Origen de la palabra

Contexto cultural

The term 'Sessão da Tarde' is iconic. Also, 'sessão coruja' refers to very late-night movie broadcasts.

In Portugal, cinema sessions are also called 'sessões', and the word is heavily used in the context of the Assembly of the Republic (parliament).

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Inicios de conversación

"Você prefere ir à sessão de cinema de tarde ou de noite?"

"Quantas sessões de fisioterapia você ainda precisa fazer?"

"Você assistiu à sessão do congresso ontem na TV?"

"Vamos marcar uma sessão de estudos para a prova?"

"Qual foi a última sessão de fotos que você fez?"

Temas para diario

Describe the last movie 'sessão' you attended. What did you watch?

Write about a 'sessão de terapia' or a deep conversation you had recently.

If you could organize a 'sessão de autógrafos' with any author, who would it be?

Explain the difference between sessão, seção, and cessão in your own words.

Write a short story that takes place during a late-night 'sessão coruja'.

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Sessão (with three 's's) means a period of time or a meeting, like a movie session. Seção (with a c-cedilla) means a department or physical section, like the dairy section in a supermarket. Cessão (with a c and double s) means the legal transfer of rights or property. They all sound exactly the same when spoken. You must rely on the context to know which one is being used. Memorizing the spelling is crucial for writing.

Sessão is a feminine noun. You must always use feminine articles with it, such as 'a sessão' or 'uma sessão'. Any adjectives that describe it must also be feminine, like 'a sessão longa' (the long session). Never say 'o sessão'.

The plural of sessão is sessões. In Portuguese, many words ending in -ão change to -ões in the plural. For example, you would say 'duas sessões de cinema' (two movie sessions). Do not just add an 's' to the end.

No, you cannot. In English, you might say 'the fall session' to mean a school term. In Portuguese, you must use words like 'semestre' (semester) or 'período letivo' (academic period). Sessão is only for short, specific blocks of time, like a meeting or a movie.

'Sessão da Tarde' literally translates to 'Afternoon Session'. However, in Brazil, it is the name of a very famous, long-running television program that broadcasts movies every weekday afternoon. It is a major cultural reference for Brazilians.

A photo shoot is called a 'sessão de fotos'. This is a very common phrase. You use the word sessão because it is a dedicated period of time for the activity of taking photographs.

The most common verb to use is 'marcar'. For example, 'Eu quero marcar uma sessão' means 'I want to schedule a session'. You can also use 'agendar', which is slightly more formal.

It depends on what you are saying. If you are going TO the session, use 'a' (e.g., Vou à sessão). If you are IN the session, use 'em' (e.g., Estou na sessão). If you are talking about the time OF the session, use 'de' (e.g., A sessão de hoje).

It is not wrong, but they have slightly different uses. 'Reunião' is usually for business or casual meetings. 'Sessão' is used for movies, therapy, or very formal political/legal gatherings. You wouldn't say 'reunião de cinema'.

The double 's' comes from its Latin root, 'sessio', which means the act of sitting. In Portuguese, the double 's' between two vowels creates the unvoiced 's' sound (like in 'snake'). If it only had one 's', it would sound like a 'z'.

Ponte a prueba 180 preguntas

/ 180 correct

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