acrescentar en 30 secondes
- Acrescentar is the go-to Portuguese verb for adding ingredients in recipes, essential for anyone learning to cook or read menus in Portuguese-speaking countries.
- Beyond the kitchen, it functions as a polite way to contribute additional information or thoughts during meetings, discussions, or casual conversations with friends.
- It is a regular -ar verb, making it easy to conjugate once you know the basic patterns of the Portuguese present, past, and future tenses.
- While similar to 'adicionar', acrescentar often carries a nuance of 'supplementing' or 'enhancing' the subject it is being added to, rather than just mathematical addition.
The Portuguese verb acrescentar is a fundamental pillar of both culinary and general communication. At its core, it signifies the act of joining something new to an existing whole, thereby increasing its volume, value, or complexity. In the specific context of cooking, it is the standard term for adding ingredients to a pot, a bowl, or a recipe in progress. Unlike the more generic 'adicionar', which can feel somewhat clinical or mathematical, acrescentar often implies a constructive addition—one that enhances or completes the subject.
- Culinary Context
- Adding spices, water, or vegetables to a dish during preparation.
- Abstract Context
- Adding information to a conversation or value to a project.
- Grammatical Function
- A regular first-conjugation verb ending in -ar, following standard patterns.
"Você deve acrescentar o sal apenas no final do cozimento para não endurecer os grãos."
To understand acrescentar, one must visualize the process of building. When you add a pinch of salt, you are not just performing a mathematical addition; you are 'augmenting' the flavor profile. This nuance is why the word is so prevalent in Portuguese literature and daily speech. It suggests that the addition has a purpose. In a business meeting, when someone says "Gostaria de acrescentar um ponto," they aren't just talking more; they are contributing something they believe is valuable to the discussion.
Preciso acrescentar mais água ao feijão.
Ela decidiu acrescentar um capítulo extra ao livro.
Não se esqueça de acrescentar o fermento por último.
O diretor quis acrescentar novos detalhes ao contrato.
- Etymology
- Derived from the Latin 'accrescere', meaning to grow or increase.
- Usage Frequency
- High in both European and Brazilian Portuguese.
Using acrescentar correctly involves understanding its transitive nature. It usually requires a direct object (what is being added) and often an indirect object preceded by the preposition 'a' or 'ao' (where it is being added). For example, 'Acrescentar (A) a (B)' — Add A to B. In the kitchen, this is the bread and butter of recipe instructions. You will see it in the imperative form frequently: 'Acrescente o leite aos poucos' (Add the milk gradually).
Beyond the kitchen, the verb is used to supplement statements. If you are in a debate and want to provide more evidence, you use acrescentar. It is also used in the sense of 'to increase' or 'to grow' in more formal or literary contexts, though 'aumentar' is more common for physical size. However, for 'adding value' (acrescentar valor), it is the preferred choice.
You will encounter acrescentar in three primary environments. First, the culinary world: cooking shows, recipe blogs, and grandmothers' kitchens are filled with this verb. It is the instruction for every spice, every liquid, and every final touch. Second, in professional environments: during meetings, presentations, or when reviewing documents, it is the polite way to say you have more information to provide. Third, in journalism: news reports often use it to introduce additional facts, e.g., 'O ministro acrescentou que a medida será temporária' (The minister added that the measure will be temporary).
One common mistake for English speakers is confusing acrescentar with admitir (to admit) because of the 'ad-' prefix in English 'add'. Another mistake is the preposition usage; learners often try to use 'com' (with) instead of 'a' (to). You don't 'acrescentar com', you 'acrescentar a'. Furthermore, don't confuse it with 'crescer' (to grow). While they share a root, 'crescer' is intransitive (the plant grows), while 'acrescentar' is transitive (you add something to make it grow).
The most common synonym is adicionar. While interchangeable in many contexts, adicionar is more common in mathematics and technical manuals. Juntar is another alternative, meaning 'to join' or 'to put together', often used for physical objects. Somar is specifically for 'to sum' or 'to add up' numbers. Agregar is more formal, often used in sociology or business to mean 'to aggregate' or 'to bring together' disparate elements into a whole.
How Formal Is It?
Niveau de difficulté
Grammaire à connaître
Preposition contraction (a + o = ao)
Imperative formation for -ar verbs
Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
Exemples par niveau
Eu acrescento açúcar ao café.
I add sugar to the coffee.
Present tense, 1st person singular.
Você acrescenta o sal?
Do you add the salt?
Interrogative sentence.
Nós acrescentamos água à sopa.
We add water to the soup.
Present tense, 1st person plural.
Eles acrescentam leite ao chá.
They add milk to the tea.
Present tense, 3rd person plural.
Acrescentar gelo, por favor.
Add ice, please.
Infinitive used as an instruction.
Ela acrescenta pimenta na comida.
She adds pepper to the food.
Present tense, 3rd person singular.
Vou acrescentar mais um pouco.
I'm going to add a little more.
Future with 'ir' + infinitive.
Não acrescente muito sal.
Don't add too much salt.
Negative imperative.
Acrescente os ovos um por um.
Add the eggs one by one.
Imperative mood (instruction).
Ontem, eu acrescentei cebola ao molho.
Yesterday, I added onion to the sauce.
Preterite tense.
Você pode acrescentar meu nome na lista?
Can you add my name to the list?
Polite request using 'pode'.
O chef acrescentou um toque especial.
The chef added a special touch.
Preterite tense, 3rd person singular.
Vamos acrescentar estas fotos ao álbum.
Let's add these photos to the album.
Future 'vamos' + infinitive.
Ele sempre acrescenta algo novo à aula.
He always adds something new to the class.
Present tense indicating habit.
Preciso acrescentar farinha para a massa engrossar.
I need to add flour for the dough to thicken.
Infinitive after 'preciso'.
Ela acrescentou que chegaria tarde.
She added that she would arrive late.
Reporting verb in the past.
Se você acrescentar mais detalhes, o texto ficará melhor.
If you add more details, the text will be better.
Future subjunctive in the 'if' clause.
Gostaria de acrescentar um comentário à discussão.
I would like to add a comment to the discussion.
Conditional mood.
O autor acrescentou um prefácio à nova edição.
The author added a preface to the new edition.
Formal usage in literature.
É necessário acrescentar os valores corretamente.
It is necessary to add the values correctly.
Impersonal expression + infinitive.
Eles acrescentaram que não haveria custos extras.
They added that there would be no extra costs.
Reporting speech in a professional context.
Ao acrescentar o fermento, mexa suavemente.
When adding the yeast, stir gently.
Gerund-like use of 'ao' + infinitive.
O projeto não acrescenta nada de novo ao mercado.
The project adds nothing new to the market.
Negative construction expressing lack of value.
Espero que eles acrescentem meu artigo na revista.
I hope they add my article to the magazine.
Present subjunctive after 'espero que'.
Cabe acrescentar que a pesquisa ainda está em andamento.
It is worth adding that the research is still ongoing.
Formal introductory phrase 'Cabe acrescentar'.
O palestrante acrescentou dados estatísticos à sua fala.
The speaker added statistical data to his talk.
Usage in academic/professional presentation.
Acrescentar valor ao cliente é nossa prioridade.
Adding value to the customer is our priority.
Business jargon 'acrescentar valor'.
Não tenho nada a acrescentar ao que já foi dito.
I have nothing to add to what has already been said.
Common idiom for ending a contribution.
O governo decidiu acrescentar uma nova cláusula à lei.
The government decided to add a new clause to the law.
Legal/Administrative context.
A experiência no exterior acrescentou muito à sua carreira.
The experience abroad added a lot to his career.
Metaphorical use for personal growth.
Se tivéssemos acrescentado mais tempo, o resultado seria outro.
If we had added more time, the result would be different.
Pluperfect subjunctive in a conditional sentence.
O historiador acrescentou novas fontes ao seu estudo.
The historian added new sources to his study.
Academic context.
Permita-me acrescentar uma breve ressalva à sua análise.
Allow me to add a brief caveat to your analysis.
Highly formal 'Permita-me'.
O autor utiliza o epílogo para acrescentar uma reflexão final.
The author uses the epilogue to add a final reflection.
Literary analysis context.
Nada obsta a que se acrescentem novos elementos ao processo.
Nothing prevents new elements from being added to the process.
Formal legal phrasing 'Nada obsta a que'.
A descoberta veio acrescentar complexidade ao debate científico.
The discovery added complexity to the scientific debate.
Abstract usage in science.
Acrescentar-se-á, oportunamente, a documentação necessária.
The necessary documentation will be added in due course.
Future tense with mesoclisis (highly formal).
O mestre procurou acrescentar profundidade ao entendimento dos alunos.
The master sought to add depth to the students' understanding.
Metaphorical use in education.
Sem nada mais a acrescentar, encerro a minha petição.
With nothing more to add, I conclude my petition.
Standard legal closing phrase.
A sua conduta apenas veio acrescentar suspeitas ao caso.
His conduct only added suspicion to the case.
Usage in investigative/narrative context.
A obra, conquanto densa, nada acrescenta ao cânone literário.
The work, although dense, adds nothing to the literary canon.
Literary criticism with 'conquanto'.
Urge acrescentar que tais medidas são de natureza paliativa.
It is urgent to add that such measures are of a palliative nature.
Formal 'Urge' + infinitive.
O filósofo logrou acrescentar uma nova dimensão à ontologia.
The philosopher succeeded in adding a new dimension to ontology.
High-level academic/philosophical vocabulary.
Acrescentar-lhe-iam glória se não fosse a sua arrogância.
They would have added glory to him if it weren't for his arrogance.
Conditional with mesoclisis and pronoun.
A retórica do político visava acrescentar peso ao seu argumento.
The politician's rhetoric aimed to add weight to his argument.
Analysis of political discourse.
É imperativo que se acrescente o contraditório a esta narrativa.
It is imperative that the other side of the story be added to this narrative.
Passive voice with 'se' in the subjunctive.
O detalhe, embora ínfimo, acrescenta uma verossimilhança ímpar.
The detail, though tiny, adds a unique plausibility.
Artistic/Literary criticism.
Toda e qualquer vírgula acrescentada altera o sentido do texto.
Every single comma added changes the meaning of the text.
Participle used as an adjective.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
Souvent confondu avec
Expressions idiomatiques
Facile à confondre
Structures de phrases
Comment l'utiliser
Commonly used for 'adding' abstract qualities like 'charm', 'difficulty', or 'wisdom'.
In Brazil, 'acrescentar' is very common in speech. In Portugal, 'adicionar' might be slightly more frequent in technical contexts, but 'acrescentar' is universally understood.
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Using 'acrescentar com'
The verb requires the preposition 'a' for its indirect object.
-
Confusing with 'acreditar'
They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
-
Overusing 'adicionar'
'Adicionar' can sound a bit robotic or like a math textbook.
-
Forgetting the nasal 'en'
Pronouncing it like 'ak-re-sen-tar' with a hard 'n' sounds non-native.
-
Using it for 'to grow' (intransitive)
You cannot say 'The tree acrescentar'; the tree 'cresce'.
Astuces
Imperative Form
For recipes, use 'Acrescente' (formal/instructional) or 'Acrescenta' (informal).
Synonym Choice
Use 'acrescentar' when you want to sound more natural than 'adicionar' in conversation.
Nasal Vowels
The 'en' in 'acrescentar' is nasal; don't pronounce the 'n' fully like in English.
Transition Word
Use 'Vale acrescentar que...' to smoothly transition to a new point in your writing.
Social Context
Adding a comment in a group is seen as 'acrescentando' to the social harmony.
Recipe Reading
Look for 'acrescente aos poucos' to know when to add ingredients slowly.
Meeting Etiquette
Use 'Posso acrescentar algo?' to politely ask to speak in a professional setting.
Root Word
Remember 'crescer' (to grow). To 'a-crescer-tar' is to make something grow by adding.
Nuance
Use it for 'adding value' (acrescentar valor) to sound like a high-level speaker.
Prepositions
Always pair it with 'a' or 'ao' when specifying where you are adding something.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of 'A Crescent' moon. As the moon grows from a sliver to a full circle, it is 'acrescentando' (adding) light and size.
Origine du mot
Latin
Contexte culturel
Spices like coentro (cilantro) are often added (acrescentados) at the very end in Northern Brazilian cooking.
The phrase 'onde comem dois, comem três' implies you can always acrescentar more food.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Amorces de conversation
"Você gosta de acrescentar pimenta na sua comida?"
"O que você acrescentaria no seu currículo se pudesse?"
"Você tem algo a acrescentar sobre este assunto?"
"Qual ingrediente secreto você acrescenta no seu bolo?"
"Como podemos acrescentar mais diversão ao nosso dia?"
Sujets d'écriture
Escreva sobre algo que acrescentou muito valor à sua vida este ano.
Descreva sua receita favorita e quais ingredientes você acrescenta por último.
Se você pudesse acrescentar uma nova lei ao seu país, qual seria?
O que você gostaria de acrescentar à sua rotina diária?
Pense em uma conversa recente. O que você esqueceu de acrescentar?
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, but 'somar' or 'adicionar' are more common for math. 'Acrescentar' is better for physical things or ideas.
The standard preposition is 'a'. You add something *to* something else. 'Em' is sometimes used informally but 'a' is correct.
The most common noun is 'acréscimo', meaning 'an addition' or 'an increase'.
Yes, it follows the regular conjugation for all verbs ending in -ar.
Yes, in the sense of adding to something to make it larger, like 'acrescentar o volume'.
You say 'Acrescente a gosto'.
It is neutral. It works perfectly in a kitchen or in a boardroom.
You can 'acrescentar' a person to a list or a group, but not usually in a physical sense.
'Incluir' means to include/contain, while 'acrescentar' emphasizes the act of putting something in that wasn't there before.
Say 'Não tenho nada a acrescentar'.
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Summary
Acrescentar is a versatile verb that bridges the gap between the physical act of adding ingredients to a pot and the intellectual act of adding ideas to a discussion, making it a vital word for daily life and professional fluency.
- Acrescentar is the go-to Portuguese verb for adding ingredients in recipes, essential for anyone learning to cook or read menus in Portuguese-speaking countries.
- Beyond the kitchen, it functions as a polite way to contribute additional information or thoughts during meetings, discussions, or casual conversations with friends.
- It is a regular -ar verb, making it easy to conjugate once you know the basic patterns of the Portuguese present, past, and future tenses.
- While similar to 'adicionar', acrescentar often carries a nuance of 'supplementing' or 'enhancing' the subject it is being added to, rather than just mathematical addition.
Imperative Form
For recipes, use 'Acrescente' (formal/instructional) or 'Acrescenta' (informal).
Synonym Choice
Use 'acrescentar' when you want to sound more natural than 'adicionar' in conversation.
Nasal Vowels
The 'en' in 'acrescentar' is nasal; don't pronounce the 'n' fully like in English.
Transition Word
Use 'Vale acrescentar que...' to smoothly transition to a new point in your writing.
Contenu associé
Plus de mots sur food
a conta
A1The bill or check (in a restaurant).
a gosto
A2Cela signifie 'au goût' ou 'selon votre préférence'.
à la carte
A2Commander des plats individuels à la carte, chaque article ayant son propre prix. Offre une flexibilité dans le choix de votre repas.
à mão
A2Fait à la main ou à portée de main. Cette expression souligne soit le travail manuel, soit la proximité immédiate d'un objet.
à mesa
A2Être à table, généralement pour manger.
à parte
A2Servi séparément ou mis de côté.
à pressa
A2Fait ou agi très rapidement car on manque de temps.
à saúde
A2A toast, meaning 'to health' or 'cheers'.
a vapor
A2Cuit à la vapeur ou propulsé par la vapeur.
à vontade
A2À l'aise, comme chez soi.
