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A2 verb 10 min de lecture

aterrar

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces aterrar en 30 secondes

Explication aterrar in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should recognize 'aterrar' as a word related to travel. You will mostly hear it in airports or see it on flight boards. It is important to know that it means 'to land.' At this stage, just focus on the basic present tense: 'O avião aterra.' You can think of it as the opposite of 'descolar' (to take off). When you are at the airport in Lisbon or Porto, listen for the announcements. They will often say 'O voo está a aterrar.' This means the plane is landing right now. You don't need to worry about the construction or figurative meanings yet. Just associate 'aterrar' with airplanes and the ground. It's a regular verb, so it follows the same pattern as 'falar' or 'comer' (well, the -ar part). For example, 'Eu aterro' (I land) - though you probably won't say that unless you are a pilot! A1 learners should focus on the third person singular: 'O avião aterra às dez horas.' This helps you understand travel schedules and basic arrival information. It's a very useful word for your first trip to a Portuguese-speaking country because it helps you navigate the airport environment, which is often the first place you'll use your Portuguese skills.

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At the A2 level, you begin to use 'aterrar' in more complex sentences and different tenses. You should be able to talk about past trips: 'O meu avião aterrou ontem à noite.' You also learn to use it with auxiliary verbs like 'ir' to talk about the future: 'Nós vamos aterrar em breve.' This is the level where you start to distinguish between 'aterrar' and 'pousar.' Remember that 'aterrar' is very common in Portugal, while 'pousar' is more common in Brazil. You might also start to see the word 'aterragem' (the landing). At A2, you should also be aware of the preposition 'em.' We land 'em' (in/on) a place. 'Aterramos em Madrid.' If you are describing a journey, you might say: 'Primeiro o avião descola, depois voa, e finalmente aterra.' This sequence of events is a great way to practice your verbs. You can also use it for birds: 'O pássaro aterrou na árvore.' Although 'pousar' is also good there, 'aterrar' is perfectly understandable. This level is about building confidence in travel-related conversations and being able to describe the basic mechanics of a trip from start to finish.

By B1, you should be comfortable with the figurative and technical uses of 'aterrar.' You might hear a friend say, 'Ontem cheguei tão cansado que aterrei logo na cama.' Here, you understand they aren't a plane; they are just saying they fell asleep very fast. You also begin to encounter the word in news reports or more formal contexts. For example, you might read about a 'pista de aterragem' (landing strip) or an 'aterragem de emergência' (emergency landing). You should be able to use the conditional tense: 'O piloto aterraria se não houvesse tanto nevoeiro' (The pilot would land if there weren't so much fog). This level requires a deeper understanding of the construction meaning as well. If you are discussing urban development, you might hear about 'aterrar um pântano' (filling a swamp). You should be able to explain the process using the passive voice: 'O terreno foi aterrado para a construção do novo shopping.' B1 learners should also be aware of the specific terms for landing on other surfaces, like 'amarar' for water. This shows a more sophisticated grasp of the language and an ability to choose the most precise word for the situation.

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At the B2 level, you are expected to understand the nuances of 'aterrar' in professional and specialized contexts. This includes aviation terminology, civil engineering, and environmental science. You might participate in a debate about 'aterros sanitários' (landfills) and the environmental impact of 'aterrar' natural areas for urban expansion. Your vocabulary should include related terms like 'terraplenagem' (earthmoving). In literature or high-level journalism, you might encounter the word used to describe someone 'landing' in a new culture or situation: 'Ele aterrou num mundo completamente diferente.' You should be able to use the subjunctive mood fluently: 'É importante que o avião aterre a tempo' (It is important that the plane lands on time). You can also distinguish between 'aterrar' and its synonyms in different registers. For instance, you know that 'aterrar' in a technical manual is more appropriate than 'pousar.' You are also aware of the historical context—that 'aterrar' once meant 'to terrify'—even if you don't use it that way yourself. This level of mastery allows you to read technical reports, news articles, and literature with a high degree of comprehension.

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At the C1 level, your understanding of 'aterrar' is near-native. You can use the word in all its complex forms, including idiomatic expressions and rare technical applications. You might use it in a metaphorical sense to describe a project finally 'landing' or reaching its conclusion, though you do so with the awareness that it's a creative use of the language. You are fully aware of the regional differences between Portugal, Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique regarding this word. You can write detailed reports about aviation safety or urban planning using 'aterrar' and its derivatives with perfect precision. You understand the etymological links between 'aterrar,' 'território,' and 'terramoto.' In a C1 context, you might analyze how the word 'aterrar' is used in a specific author's style to evoke a sense of finality or contact with reality. You are also comfortable with the most formal structures, such as 'Após ter aterrado...' (After having landed...). Your ability to switch between the 'aviation' meaning and the 'construction' meaning is seamless, and you never confuse it with 'enterrar' or 'aterrorizar.' You can also discuss the linguistic evolution of the word and its prefixes.

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At the C2 level, you have a complete, instinctive command of 'aterrar.' You can appreciate the word's role in the broader system of Portuguese verbs derived from 'terra.' You might use it in academic writing about geomorphology or aeronautical engineering. You are capable of identifying archaic uses of 'aterrar' in 19th-century literature where it might still mean 'to terrify,' and you can explain this shift to others. Your usage is indistinguishable from that of an educated native speaker. You can play with the word in poetry or creative writing, perhaps using the 'filling with earth' meaning as a metaphor for silencing or burying an idea. You understand the most obscure technical jargon related to 'aterragens' in various weather conditions and terrains. At this level, 'aterrar' is not just a vocabulary item; it is a versatile tool that you can manipulate to express subtle shades of meaning, whether you are talking about a spacecraft landing on a distant comet or the logistical challenges of waste management in a modern metropolis. Your mastery includes a total grasp of all tenses, moods, and regional variations.

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

aterrar en 30 secondes

Aterrar means 'to land' (aviation) or 'to fill with earth' (construction).
It is a regular -ar verb, derived from 'terra' (ground/earth).
In Portugal, it is the primary word for aircraft landing; in Brazil, 'pousar' is more common.
It can be used figuratively to mean 'falling asleep quickly' after exhaustion.

The Portuguese verb aterrar is a fundamental term primarily associated with the field of aviation and physical movement toward the earth. At its core, it describes the action of an aircraft, bird, or any flying object making contact with the ground in a controlled manner. While English speakers use 'to land,' Portuguese speakers utilize aterrar to signify the completion of a flight or a descent. In the context of European Portuguese, this is the standard term used at airports, by pilots, and in news reports regarding flight arrivals. The word is derived from the noun terra (earth/ground), combined with the prefix a- and the verbal suffix -ar, literally meaning 'to bring to the earth.'

Aviation Context: This is the most frequent usage. It refers to the moment the wheels of a plane touch the runway. It covers everything from commercial jets to small drones.

O piloto conseguiu aterrar o avião em segurança apesar do vento forte.

Beyond aviation, aterrar has a secondary meaning in civil engineering and construction: to fill a hole or a depression with soil or earth. This is often seen in the context of preparing a site for building or creating a landfill (aterro sanitário). This dual nature—one about descending from the sky and the other about manipulating the earth itself—is a key feature of the word's versatility. In some informal contexts, particularly in Portugal, you might hear it used figuratively to mean 'to fall asleep' or 'to crash' after a long day, implying that the person has finally 'landed' in their bed and is now immobile.

Figurative Usage: Used when someone arrives somewhere unexpectedly or suddenly 'lands' in a situation without prior notice.

Depois de vinte horas de trabalho, ele chegou a casa e aterrou logo no sofá.

Historically, aterrar could also mean 'to terrify' (from terror), but this usage is largely obsolete in modern daily speech, having been replaced by aterrorizar. When you encounter aterrar today, 99% of the time it concerns travel, geography, or construction. It is a regular '-ar' verb, making its conjugation predictable and easy for beginners to master once they understand the 'earth-bound' logic of its root.

Environmental Context: Related to the creation of 'aterros' (landfills), which is a major topic in sustainability and urban planning discussions.

Using aterrar correctly involves understanding both its physical and technical applications. For learners, the most common structure is [Subject] + [Conjugated Form of Aterrar] + [Preposition] + [Location]. For example, 'O voo vai aterrar às nove' (The flight will land at nine). Notice that the verb can be used intransitively (without a direct object) when referring to the aircraft itself, or transitively when a pilot is 'landing' a craft.

Intransitive Use (The Plane Lands): Focuses on the arrival of the vehicle. 'O avião aterrou suavemente.'

Estamos prestes a aterrar no Aeroporto Humberto Delgado.

When talking about birds or insects, aterrar is equally appropriate, though 'pousar' is a very strong competitor here. If you want to emphasize the 'landing' on a specific surface, aterrar works perfectly. In construction, the sentence structure changes: 'Os operários precisam de aterrar este terreno' (The workers need to fill this ground/land). Here, the verb takes a direct object (the land being filled). It is crucial to distinguish these two meanings based on context.

Transitive Use (To Land Something): The pilot is the subject. 'O comandante aterrou a aeronave com perícia.'

É proibido aterrar drones nesta zona histórica da cidade.

In the future tense, you will often hear 'vai aterrar' (is going to land) rather than the synthetic 'aterrará', especially in spoken Portuguese. For example, 'O meu pai vai aterrar daqui a pouco.' In a more formal or written context, such as a flight log or a news article, you might see the past participle used as an adjective: 'O avião aterrado' (The landed plane). Understanding these variations allows you to navigate both casual travel conversations and more technical or formal reports about transportation.

Construction Context: Used when leveling a site. 'Eles vão aterrar o pântano para construir a estrada.'

O helicóptero não pode aterrar aqui devido ao relevo acidentado.

The most common place to hear aterrar is, unsurprisingly, at an airport. From the overhead announcements ('O voo TP123 acaba de aterrar') to the screens displaying flight statuses, this word is omnipresent in the travel industry. If you are flying with TAP Air Portugal, the flight attendants will use this word during their descent announcements: 'Senhores passageiros, estamos a iniciar a nossa descida e prevemos aterrar em Lisboa dentro de vinte minutos.' It is part of the essential vocabulary for any traveler in a Portuguese-speaking country.

Public Announcements: Airports and train stations (if referring to connecting flights) use this constantly for logistics.

Atenção: o voo proveniente de Londres vai aterrar na porta quatro.

You will also encounter this word in news broadcasts. Whenever there is a story about a space mission (like a rover on Mars), a miracle landing in a river, or a delayed flight due to weather, aterrar is the journalist's word of choice. For example, 'A sonda espacial aterrou com sucesso na superfície de Marte.' In these contexts, it carries a tone of precision and technical achievement. Even in science fiction movies dubbed into Portuguese, when the aliens arrive, they always aterram their UFOs.

Science and Technology: Used in documentaries about wildlife (birds landing) or space exploration (moon landings).

Vimos a águia aterrar no topo da montanha com uma presa.

In the construction industry, particularly in urban development projects, aterrar is used when discussing the reclamation of land from the sea or the filling of valleys to build highways. If you live near a construction site, you might hear engineers talking about 'aterrar a zona norte' to prepare for the foundation. Lastly, in the context of waste management, 'aterro' is the word for landfill, so discussions about recycling and trash often involve the verb aterrar regarding where waste ends up.

Daily Conversation: When picking up a friend: 'A que horas é que aterras?' (What time do you land?)

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is using aterrar for idiomatic 'landing' in English. In English, you can 'land a job' or 'land a punch.' In Portuguese, aterrar is almost exclusively physical. If you say 'Eu aterrei um emprego,' a Portuguese speaker will be very confused, perhaps imagining you physically falling onto a pile of resumes. For 'landing a job,' use conseguir um emprego. For 'landing a punch,' use acertar um soco.

The Brazil vs. Portugal Trap: Learners often use 'aterrar' in Brazil when 'pousar' is more natural. While not 'wrong,' it can sound a bit technical or foreign in a Brazilian airport.

Errado: O avião vai aterrar no mar. (If it's water, use 'amarar' or 'posar na água')

Another common error is confusing aterrar with aterrorizar. Because they share a similar root in some Latin variations, students sometimes think aterrar means 'to terrify.' While this was true in archaic Portuguese, in the modern language, it is almost never used this way. If you want to say someone was terrified, use aterrorizado or assustado. Using aterrar will lead people to think about planes or dirt, not fear.

Water Landings: A very specific mistake: 'Aterrar' is for 'Terra' (Land). If a seaplane lands on water, the specific verb is 'amarar' (from 'mar').

Confusão: Aterrar vs. Enterrar. 'Enterrar' means 'to bury'. Don't confuse them!

Finally, watch out for the verb enterrar. While aterrar means to fill an area with earth or to land, enterrar means to bury something deep in the ground. If you are talking about landing a plane and you say 'o avião enterrou,' you are saying the plane buried itself in the ground (likely a crash), rather than landing safely on the surface. Precision with these 'terra' related verbs is vital for clear communication.

Spelling Check: Make sure to use double 'r'. 'Aterar' is not a word, and 'alterar' means to change.

When you want to express the idea of 'landing' or 'arriving,' Portuguese offers several alternatives to aterrar, each with its own nuance. The most prominent synonym is pousar. While aterrar feels more technical and specific to the 'earth' (terra), pousar is broader. It is used for planes landing, birds perching on a branch, or even setting an object down gently on a table. In Brazil, pousar is the dominant term for aviation.

Aterrar vs. Pousar: Aterrar: More common in Portugal for planes; implies touching the ground.
Pousar: More common in Brazil; also used for birds and objects; implies a gentle 'resting'.

O passarinho pousou na janela (More natural than 'aterrou' for birds).

Another related term is descer (to descend). While not a direct synonym for the moment of impact, it describes the process leading up to the landing. In many casual conversations, people might simply say 'O avião está a descer' to imply it is coming in for a landing. For ships, the equivalent of landing is aportar (to come into port) or atracar (to dock). Using aterrar for a boat would be a major category error.

Aterrar vs. Chegar: Aterrar: The physical act of the plane touching down.
Chegar: The general concept of 'arriving' at the destination.

O voo chegou com atraso, mas aterrou sem problemas.

In the construction sense, aterrar can be replaced by nivelar (to level) or preencher (to fill), depending on the specific goal of the work. If the goal is to make the ground flat, nivelar is more precise. If the goal is simply to dump dirt into a hole, aterrar or tapar (to cover/plug) works best. Understanding these synonyms helps you choose the word that fits the specific 'flavor' of the action you are describing.

Formal Alternatives: In technical manuals, you might see 'efetuar a aterragem' (to carry out the landing) instead of just the verb.

How Formal Is It?

Le savais-tu ?

Although 'aterrar' now means 'to land,' its cousin 'aterrorizar' (to terrify) comes from 'terror.' In the past, 'aterrar' was sometimes used for 'to terrify' because of the idea of being 'struck to the ground' with fear.

Guide de prononciation

UK /ɐ.tɛ.ˈʁaɾ/

US /a.te.ˈhaʁ/

The stress is on the last syllable: a-ter-RAR.

Rime avec

chegar falar mar lugar andar olhar par pensar

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing the 'rr' as a single English 'r'. It must be stronger.
Not stressing the final syllable.
Confusing the pronunciation with 'alterar' (to change).
Making the first 'a' too loud in European Portuguese.
Pronouncing it like 'ate-rar' (English style).

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 2/5

Easy to recognize because of the root 'terra'.

Écriture 3/5

Remember the double 'rr'.

Expression orale 3/5

The guttural 'rr' can be tricky for English speakers.

Écoute 2/5

Clear sound, usually prominent in airport announcements.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

terra avião ir em pista

Apprends ensuite

descolar voar bagagem alfândega atraso

Avancé

terraplenagem aerodinâmica fuselagem amartizar alunar

Grammaire à connaître

Regular -ar verb conjugation

Eu aterro, tu aterras, ele aterra...

Preposition 'em' with locations

Aterrar em Paris (not a Paris).

Future with 'ir' + infinitive

O avião vai aterrar.

Subjunctive with 'esperar que'

Espero que aterrem bem.

Personal infinitive

Para eles aterrarem, a pista deve estar limpa.

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Exemples par niveau

O avião vai aterrar agora.

The plane is going to land now.

Future with 'ir' + infinitive.

Onde é que o avião aterra?

Where does the plane land?

Simple present question.

O voo aterra às oito.

The flight lands at eight.

Present tense for scheduled events.

Eu vejo o avião a aterrar.

I see the plane landing.

'A' + infinitive for continuous action (European style).

O avião não aterra aqui.

The plane doesn't land here.

Negative sentence.

A que horas aterras?

What time do you land?

Second person singular.

O passarinho aterra no chão.

The little bird lands on the ground.

Subject-verb agreement.

Eles aterram em Lisboa.

They land in Lisbon.

Third person plural.

Ontem, o avião aterrou com atraso.

Yesterday, the plane landed late.

Preterite tense.

Nós aterrámos suavemente na pista.

We landed smoothly on the runway.

First person plural preterite.

O piloto quer aterrar antes da tempestade.

The pilot wants to land before the storm.

Infinitive after 'querer'.

Podes ver o avião a aterrar daquela janela.

You can see the plane landing from that window.

Modal verb 'podes' + 'ver'.

Muitos aviões aterram neste aeroporto todos os dias.

Many planes land at this airport every day.

Habitual present.

O helicóptero aterrou no telhado do hospital.

The helicopter landed on the hospital roof.

Specific location with 'no'.

Espero que o voo aterre a horas.

I hope the flight lands on time.

Present subjunctive after 'espero que'.

Quando o avião aterrar, liga-me.

When the plane lands, call me.

Future subjunctive with 'quando'.

O avião teve de aterrar de emergência.

The plane had to make an emergency landing.

Compound past with 'ter de'.

Eles estão a aterrar o terreno para a nova casa.

They are filling the ground for the new house.

Construction meaning of 'aterrar'.

Depois da viagem longa, aterrei na cama e dormi dez horas.

After the long trip, I crashed in bed and slept for ten hours.

Figurative use.

Se o vento estivesse mais calmo, o drone poderia aterrar.

If the wind were calmer, the drone could land.

Conditional sentence.

A sonda espacial aterrou num asteroide distante.

The space probe landed on a distant asteroid.

Scientific context.

É perigoso aterrar nesta pista curta.

It is dangerous to land on this short runway.

Impersonal expression with infinitive.

O capitão anunciou que íamos aterrar em dez minutos.

The captain announced that we were going to land in ten minutes.

Reported speech with imperfect.

A aterragem foi tão suave que ninguém sentiu.

The landing was so smooth that nobody felt it.

Noun form 'aterragem'.

O projeto de aterrar a baía causou muita polémica.

The project to fill the bay caused a lot of controversy.

Infinitive as a noun phrase.

Mesmo com um motor avariado, ele conseguiu aterrar.

Even with a broken engine, he managed to land.

Concessive phrase with 'mesmo com'.

Duvido que o balão consiga aterrar naquele campo.

I doubt the balloon can land in that field.

Subjunctive after 'duvido que'.

A empresa foi multada por aterrar resíduos ilegalmente.

The company was fined for burying waste illegally.

Gerund/Infinitive in a legal context.

Ao aterrar, os passageiros devem permanecer sentados.

Upon landing, passengers must remain seated.

'Ao' + infinitive (temporal).

O piloto automático é capaz de aterrar o avião sozinho.

The autopilot is capable of landing the plane by itself.

Adjective + 'de' + infinitive.

Precisamos de aterrar esta zona para evitar inundações.

We need to fill this area to prevent floods.

Purpose clause with 'para'.

Ele aterrou em Lisboa vindo diretamente de Pequim.

He landed in Lisbon coming directly from Beijing.

Participle 'vindo' modifying the subject.

A perícia necessária para aterrar num porta-aviões é imensa.

The skill required to land on an aircraft carrier is immense.

Complex noun phrase.

O autor usa o verbo aterrar para simbolizar o regresso à realidade.

The author uses the verb 'aterrar' to symbolize the return to reality.

Literary analysis.

Caso não consigam aterrar, terão de divergir para Faro.

If they cannot land, they will have to divert to Faro.

Hypothetical 'caso' + subjunctive.

O pântano foi aterrado durante a expansão industrial do século XIX.

The swamp was filled during the industrial expansion of the 19th century.

Passive voice in historical context.

Aterrar uma aeronave de grande porte exige cálculos precisos.

Landing a large aircraft requires precise calculations.

Subject infinitive clause.

Não obstante o nevoeiro, o piloto optou por aterrar.

Notwithstanding the fog, the pilot chose to land.

Formal concessive 'não obstante'.

A estratégia consiste em aterrar o lixo em camadas controladas.

The strategy consists of burying the trash in controlled layers.

Prepositional verb 'consistir em'.

Mal aterrou, foi logo levado para a conferência de imprensa.

As soon as he landed, he was immediately taken to the press conference.

Conjunction 'mal' meaning 'as soon as'.

A aterragem forçada foi um prodígio de engenhosidade técnica.

The forced landing was a marvel of technical ingenuity.

Sophisticated vocabulary.

Aterrar, no sentido de preencher vácuos geográficos, é uma prática milenar.

Landing, in the sense of filling geographical vacuums, is a millenary practice.

Philosophical/Technical definition.

Oxalá o governo não decida aterrar mais esta zona de proteção ambiental.

Hopefully the government doesn't decide to fill yet another environmental protection zone.

Optative 'oxalá' + subjunctive.

A ambiguidade de aterrar entre o céu e a terra fascina os poetas.

The ambiguity of 'landing' between heaven and earth fascinates poets.

Abstract usage.

O relatório sugere que aterrar o entulho no local seria dispendioso.

The report suggests that burying the debris on-site would be expensive.

Subordinate 'que' clause.

Haveria que aterrar toda a encosta para garantir a estabilidade.

One would have to fill the entire slope to ensure stability.

Impersonal 'haveria que'.

Aterraram em solo lunar com a precisão de um relógio suíço.

They landed on lunar soil with the precision of a Swiss watch.

Simile usage.

A possibilidade de aterrar em Marte já não é mera ficção científica.

The possibility of landing on Mars is no longer mere science fiction.

Complex subject phrase.

Collocations courantes

aterragem de emergência

pista de aterragem

aterrar em segurança

aterro sanitário

aterrar um terreno

prestes a aterrar

autorização para aterrar

aterrar na cama

aterrar suavemente

impedido de aterrar

Phrases Courantes

A que horas aterras?

— Used to ask someone when their flight arrives.

Ligo-te quando souber a que horas aterras.

Aterrar de nariz

— To land nose-first (usually a crash).

O modelo de avião aterrou de nariz no campo.

Aterrar em cheio

— To land exactly on target or to fall flat.

Ele saltou e aterrou em cheio na marca.

Aterrar os pés na terra

— To come back to reality (similar to 'feet on the ground').

É preciso aterrar os pés na terra e ser realista.

Aterrar de paraquedas

— To land by parachute; also used for someone appearing out of nowhere.

Ele aterrou de paraquedas na reunião.

O voo já aterrou?

— Has the flight landed yet?

Estou no aeroporto, o voo já aterrou?

Aterrar com estrondo

— To land with a loud bang or to fail spectacularly.

O projeto aterrou com estrondo.

Aterrar no sofá

— To collapse onto the sofa from tiredness.

Só quero chegar e aterrar no sofá.

Luzes de aterragem

— Landing lights of an aircraft.

As luzes de aterragem eram visíveis ao longe.

Trem de aterragem

— Landing gear.

O trem de aterragem não baixou.

Souvent confondu avec

aterrar vs aterrorizar

Means to terrify. Don't use 'aterrar' for fear.

aterrar vs enterrar

Means to bury. 'Aterrar' is more about filling or landing on the surface.

aterrar vs pousar

The Brazilian preference for landing; also used for perching.

Expressions idiomatiques

"Aterrar de paraquedas"

— To find oneself in a situation without preparation or context.

Ele aterrou de paraquedas na empresa e já é chefe.

Informal

"Aterrar na real"

— To suddenly realize the truth of a situation.

Depois da festa, ele aterrou na real e viu que não tinha dinheiro.

Slang

"Aterrar com os quatro pneus no ar"

— To be completely confused or caught off guard (literally 'landing with 4 tires in the air').

Com aquela pergunta, ele aterrou com os quatro pneus no ar.

Informal

"Nem aterrou ainda"

— Used for someone who is still hyper or hasn't processed a recent event.

Ela ganhou o prémio e ainda nem aterrou.

Informal

"Aterrar no mundo"

— To be born or to arrive in a new place.

O bebé aterrou no mundo às cinco da manhã.

Poetic

"Aterrar a seco"

— To land without fuel or to finish something with no resources left.

O projeto terminou, mas aterrámos a seco.

Informal

"Aterrar de chapa"

— To fall flat on one's face or body.

Escorregou no gelo e aterrou de chapa.

Slang

"Aterrar nas nuvens"

— An ironic way to say someone is distracted (landing in the clouds).

Estás sempre a aterrar nas nuvens, presta atenção!

Informal

"Aterrar no colo de alguém"

— For a problem or responsibility to fall on someone unexpectedly.

O problema aterrou no meu colo.

Informal

"Aterrar de bico"

— To fail miserably or to fall face first.

A empresa aterrou de bico no primeiro ano.

Slang

Facile à confondre

aterrar vs alterar

Similar spelling.

'Alterar' means to change; 'aterrar' means to land.

Vou alterar o voo que vai aterrar amanhã.

aterrar vs atrasar

Both start with 'a' and relate to flights.

'Atrasar' means to delay; 'aterrar' is the landing itself.

O voo vai atrasar e só aterra às 11h.

aterrar vs apertar

Phonetically similar start.

'Apertar' means to tighten (like a seatbelt).

Aperte o cinto antes de aterrar.

aterrar vs atirar

Similar sounds.

'Atirar' means to throw.

Não podes atirar objetos enquanto o avião aterra.

aterrar vs aterrar vs amarar

Both are landings.

'Aterrar' is on land; 'amarar' is on water.

O hidroavião vai amarar no rio.

Structures de phrases

O [veículo] aterra.

O avião aterra.

O voo aterra às [horas].

O voo aterra às 9h.

Vamos aterrar em [lugar].

Vamos aterrar em Faro.

O avião aterrou às [horas].

O avião aterrou às 10h.

O piloto teve de aterrar de [modo].

O piloto teve de aterrar de emergência.

Eles estão a aterrar o [objeto].

Eles estão a aterrar o terreno.

Duvido que [subjuntivo].

Duvido que o avião aterre agora.

Mal [verbo], [consequência].

Mal aterrou, foi para o hotel.

Famille de mots

Noms

aterragem (landing)

aterro (landfill/fill)

terra (earth/ground)

território (territory)

terreno (terrain)

Verbes

descolar (take off)

enterrar (bury)

desenterrar (unearth)

soterrar (bury under earth)

terraplenar (level ground)

Adjectifs

aterrado (landed/filled)

terrestre (terrestrial)

terroso (earthy)

subterrâneo (underground)

Apparenté

avião

pista

aeroporto

piloto

voo

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Comment l'utiliser

frequency

High in travel and news; Medium in construction.

Erreurs courantes

Eu aterrei um peixe. → Eu pesquei um peixe.
You don't 'land' a fish with 'aterrar' in Portuguese.
O avião aterra a Londres. → O avião aterra em Londres.
Use the preposition 'em', not 'a'.
O piloto aterrou o medo. → O piloto aterrorizou a tripulação.
Don't confuse 'aterrar' with 'aterrorizar'.
O avião aterrou no mar. → O avião amarou.
If it's water, use 'amarar'.
Vou aterrar o meu segredo. → Vou enterrar o meu segredo.
To bury a secret deep, use 'enterrar'.

Astuces

Terra Connection

Just remember 'Terra' means 'Earth'. Aterrar = To Earth.

Regularity

Treat it like 'falar'. Eu aterro, tu aterras, ele aterra.

Regional Choice

Use 'aterrar' in Lisbon and 'pousar' in São Paulo to sound more native.

Aviation Pair

Learn 'descolar' and 'aterrar' together as a pair of opposites.

Earthworks

In a construction context, it means to fill a hole with dirt.

Exhaustion

Use 'aterrei' when you are so tired you just collapsed into bed.

Double R

Never forget the double 'r'. One 'r' would sound like 'z' in some positions or just be wrong.

In/On

Always land 'em' somewhere. 'Aterrar no aeroporto'.

Planetary Prefixes

For the moon, it's 'alunar'. For Mars, 'amartizar'. Aterrar is only for Earth!

Emergency

An 'aterragem de emergência' is a key phrase for news and safety.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of 'A-TERRA-R'. The word 'TERRA' is right in the middle. It literally means 'To Earth'. When a plane lands, it goes 'To the Earth'.

Association visuelle

Imagine a plane's wheels touching the brown 'terra' (dirt) of a runway. See the letters 'RR' as the two back wheels of the plane hitting the ground.

Word Web

Avião Pista Terra Céu Voo Piloto Aterragem Descolar

Défi

Write three sentences: one about a plane, one about a bird, and one about a construction worker using 'aterrar'.

Origine du mot

From the Latin 'ad' (to) + 'terra' (earth/land). It follows the common Portuguese pattern of forming verbs from nouns using the a- + [noun] + -ar structure.

Sens originel : To bring to the earth or to cover with earth.

Romance (Latin-derived).

Contexte culturel

No major sensitivities, but be careful in Brazil where 'aterrar' can sound overly formal for airplanes.

English speakers often say 'to land a job', but never use 'aterrar' for this. Use 'conseguir'.

Aterro do Flamengo (Famous park in Rio) TAP Air Portugal announcements Slogan: 'Aterrar em segurança'

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Airport

Porta de aterragem
Horário de aterragem
Pista ocupada
Voo aterrado

Construction

Aterrar o buraco
Camião de terra
Nivelar o solo
Aterro de entulho

Nature

A águia aterra
Aterrar no ninho
Inseto a aterrar
Pousar suavemente

Space

Aterrar na Lua
Módulo de aterragem
Superfície rochosa
Solo marciano

Sleep/Fatigue

Aterrar na cama
Aterrar no sofá
Sono profundo
Cansado demais

Amorces de conversation

"A que horas é que o teu voo aterra em Lisboa?"

"Já alguma vez tiveste de aterrar de emergência?"

"Preferes aterrar de dia ou de noite?"

"Sabias que em Marte se diz 'amartizar' em vez de aterrar?"

"Costumas aterrar logo na cama quando chegas de viagem?"

Sujets d'écriture

Descreve a sensação de aterrar num país novo pela primeira vez.

Escreve sobre um projeto de construção onde foi necessário aterrar um terreno.

Imaginas como seria aterrar noutro planeta? Descreve a cena.

Relata um dia em que estivesses tão cansado que 'aterraste' logo que chegaste a casa.

Qual é a importância dos aterros sanitários para a tua cidade?

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, that is an English idiom. In Portuguese, use 'conseguir um emprego'.

Yes, but 'pousar' is much more common for airplanes. 'Aterrar' is used more for filling land with soil.

The opposite is 'descolar' (to take off).

In modern Portuguese, no. Use 'aterrorizar' or 'assustar'.

It is called a 'pista de aterragem'.

Usually 'em' (in/on), as in 'aterrar em Lisboa'.

Yes, they can, but 'pousar' is often more natural for birds.

It is a landfill where municipal waste is buried/filled.

Yes, it is a regular -ar verb.

It's a slang expression meaning to fall asleep immediately due to exhaustion.

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