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A2 verb #7,500 le plus courant 9 min de lecture

falir

To be declared legally bankrupt.

Top 7,500

At the A1 level, the word 'falir' might be a bit advanced, but it's important to recognize it in the context of money. Think of it as 'no more money for the company'. At this stage, you don't need to conjugate it. Just remember that it means a business has closed because it is broke. You might hear it in very simple sentences about stores. For example: 'A loja faliu' (The shop went bankrupt). Focus on the 'past' meaning because that's how you'll mostly hear it. Don't worry about 'I go bankrupt' yet, as that's very rare to say. Just know it as a synonym for 'no money' and 'closed'. It's a 'sad' word for a business. If you see a store with a 'Closed' sign and people are talking about money, they might use this word. It's pronounced like 'fah-LEER'. In A1, we keep things simple: Business + Falir = Game Over.

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At the A2 level, you should start using 'falir' to talk about basic economic situations. You are learning to describe past events, so 'faliu' (he/she/it went bankrupt) and 'faliram' (they went bankrupt) are very useful. You can use it to talk about the history of your city or why a certain brand disappeared. You should also understand that 'falir' is different from 'fechar' (to close). A store can 'fechar' for lunch, but if it 'faliu', it's closed forever. You might use it in sentences like 'Muitas empresas faliram na crise' (Many companies went bankrupt in the crisis). This level also introduces the idea of 'ir à falência' (going to bankruptcy). It's a common phrase that helps you avoid the difficult present tense conjugations of the verb. You should be able to recognize the word in news headlines and understand its impact on a community.

At the B1 level, you should be comfortable with the defective nature of 'falir'. You know that you can't say 'eu falo' to mean 'I go bankrupt'. You are now using more complex structures, like 'Se a empresa não vender, ela vai falir' (If the company doesn't sell, it will go bankrupt). You can discuss the reasons behind a bankruptcy, such as 'má gestão' (bad management) or 'falta de clientes' (lack of customers). You also start to see the word 'falido' used as an adjective. For example, 'um sistema falido' (a failed system). This is more metaphorical. You can now engage in conversations about the economy and express concern about businesses. You understand the difference between 'falir' and 'quebrar' (more informal) and can choose the right one based on who you are talking to. You are also beginning to see the noun 'falência' in legal or news contexts.

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At the B2 level, you use 'falir' with nuance. You understand its legal implications and can discuss 'processos de falência' (bankruptcy proceedings). You can use the verb in the conditional and future tenses accurately. You might also use it metaphorically to describe a person's moral state: 'Ele é um homem moralmente falido' (He is a morally bankrupt man). You are aware of the social and political discussions surrounding bankruptcy laws. You can read business articles in Portuguese and understand the difference between 'recuperação judicial' (judicial recovery/Chapter 11) and 'falência' (total liquidation). Your vocabulary includes related terms like 'credores' (creditors), 'dívidas' (debts), and 'ativos' (assets). You can participate in a debate about whether the government should help companies that are about to 'falir'.

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At the C1 level, you have a deep understanding of 'falir' and its place in the Portuguese lexicon. You recognize its historical roots and how it appears in literature to signify the end of an era or the downfall of a powerful family. You can use the word in academic or highly professional settings without error. You understand the subtle difference between 'falir', 'insolvência', and 'bancarrota'. You are able to use the verb in complex grammatical structures, such as the personal infinitive or the future subjunctive (e.g., 'Caso a empresa falir...'). You can also discuss the philosophy of failure and how the concept of 'falir' has changed over time in Lusophone cultures. You are sensitive to the register and tone, knowing exactly when 'falir' is too formal or when 'quebrar' is too casual. You can interpret legal documents regarding 'massa falida' with ease.

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At the C2 level, 'falir' is a tool for precise expression. You can use it to discuss complex economic theories, historical transitions, and intricate legal cases. You are aware of rare or archaic uses of the word in classical Portuguese literature. You can play with the word's defective nature for stylistic effect or use its derivatives (like 'falimentar') in specialized legal discourse. You understand the socio-economic impact of 'falir' on a national scale and can articulate these thoughts with the sophistication of a native speaker. You can distinguish between the nuances of bankruptcy in different Portuguese-speaking countries (e.g., how the process might differ in Portugal vs. Angola vs. Brazil). Your mastery allows you to use 'falir' metaphorically in poetry or high-level journalism to describe the collapse of ideologies, empires, or human relationships with perfect precision.

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

falir en 30 secondes

Falir means to go legally bankrupt, usually referring to businesses failing financially.
It is a defective verb, meaning it lacks certain conjugations like the first person present.
Commonly used in the past tense (faliu) or as an infinitive with auxiliary verbs.
Synonyms include 'quebrar' (informal) and the phrase 'ir à falência' (standard).

The Portuguese verb falir primarily translates to 'to go bankrupt' or 'to fail' in a financial sense. It is a word heavy with consequence, used to describe the total collapse of a business entity or an individual's financial solvency. In the Lusophone world, specifically in Brazil and Portugal, the term carries a legal weight, often implying that a court has officially recognized the inability to pay debts. However, its usage extends beyond the courtroom into everyday conversations about the economy, personal struggles, and even metaphorical failures. Understanding falir requires recognizing its specific grammatical behavior, as it is a defective verb, meaning it lacks certain conjugations in the present tense to avoid confusion with the verb falar (to speak).

Financial Context: This is the most common use. When a shop closes down permanently because it cannot pay its suppliers, we say the shop 'faliu'. It suggests a definitive end rather than a temporary struggle.

A grande fábrica de tecidos acabou de falir por causa da crise econômica.

Metaphorical Use: While less common than 'quebrar' in informal speech, falir can describe a moral or emotional collapse. A person might be described as 'falido' (bankrupt) in terms of their character or values.

In Brazil, you might hear the term 'quebrar' used more frequently in casual settings to mean going broke, but falir remains the standard for official or serious financial discussions. If you are reading a newspaper in Lisbon or watching a business report in São Paulo, falir is the term of choice. It evokes images of shuttered windows, legal documents, and the end of a commercial era. It is not just about losing some money; it is about the total cessation of viability. Historically, the word derives from the Latin 'fallere', which meant to deceive or to fail, showing that at its core, bankruptcy was seen as a failure of a promise to pay.

Se não vendermos nada este mês, a empresa vai falir inevitavelmente.

Social Impact: When a company 'fale', it impacts employees, families, and the local economy. Therefore, the word carries a heavy emotional weight in Portuguese-speaking communities, often linked to tragedy and loss of livelihood.

Using falir correctly requires a bit of grammatical caution. Because it is a defective verb, it is mostly used in forms where the stress falls on the 'i' of the stem or in the infinitive and past tenses. For example, you will frequently see it in the 'pretérito perfeito' (simple past) like 'ele faliu' or 'eles faliram'. In the present tense, it is almost never used in the first person singular because 'eu falo' already means 'I speak'. To get around this, Portuguese speakers use the auxiliary verb 'ir' (to go) plus the infinitive: 'Eu vou falir' (I am going to go bankrupt).

Past Tense Usage: This is the most natural way to use the verb. It describes a completed action of financial failure.

Infelizmente, a padaria do bairro faliu no ano passado.

Conditional and Future: When speculating about the future of a business, 'falir' is often paired with 'se' (if) clauses.

Se os impostos aumentarem, muitos pequenos negócios poderão falir.

In formal writing, you might encounter the passive voice or the noun form 'falência'. For instance, 'A empresa teve sua falência decretada' (The company had its bankruptcy decreed). However, in spoken Portuguese, falir is the direct and impactful way to state the fact. It is also used in the third person plural to discuss the fate of entire industries. 'Muitas livrarias faliram com a chegada do e-book' (Many bookstores went bankrupt with the arrival of the e-book). Note that the subject is usually an entity (company, store, bank) rather than a person, although it can be applied to individuals in a very formal or legalistic context.

Dizem que aquele empresário faliu três vezes antes de ter sucesso.

Gerund and Participle: The gerund 'falindo' (going bankrupt) and the participle 'falido' (bankrupt/failed) are very useful. 'Falido' often acts as an adjective describing a person who has lost everything.

You will encounter falir in several specific environments. The most common is the evening news or financial journals like 'Exame' or 'Valor Econômico' in Brazil, and 'Jornal de Negócios' in Portugal. When a large corporation is in trouble, the headlines will scream about the risk of 'falir'. It is a word that signals economic instability and is often discussed by politicians when debating labor laws or tax reforms. You might hear: 'Precisamos mudar a lei para evitar que as empresas faluam' (though 'faluam' is non-standard, people often struggle with the conjugation and use 'venham a falir' instead).

In the Office: Business meetings involving debt restructuring or crisis management will use this word frequently. It is the 'worst-case scenario' term.

O diretor avisou que, se não cortarmos custos, vamos falir em seis meses.

In History Classes: When discussing the Great Depression (A Grande Depressão) or the 2008 financial crisis, historians use 'falir' to describe the collapse of banks and institutions.

Another place you will hear it is in casual gossip about local businesses. 'Você soube? A loja de sapatos faliu.' (Did you hear? The shoe store went bankrupt). In this context, it is synonymous with 'fechou as portas' (closed its doors), but with a more negative, financial connotation. It is also used in legal dramas or crime shows when talking about fraud or money laundering, where 'falir' is sometimes a calculated move to avoid paying creditors. In sports, particularly football (soccer), fans often worry that their debt-ridden clubs might 'falir' and be forced to restart in the lower divisions.

Muitos clubes de futebol brasileiros estão prestes a falir devido a dívidas acumuladas.

Legal Documents: The term 'massa falida' refers to the assets of a bankrupt company that are to be liquidated. You will see this on signs at auctions.

The most frequent mistake learners make with falir is attempting to conjugate it like a regular verb in all persons and tenses. As a defective verb, it simply does not exist in certain forms. For example, if you try to say 'I go bankrupt' by saying 'Eu falo', you are actually saying 'I speak'. This leads to massive confusion. To avoid this, never use falir in the first person singular of the present indicative, or in any form of the present subjunctive. Instead, use 'estou indo à falência' or 'vou falir'.

The 'Falar' Confusion: Because 'falir' and 'falar' look similar, learners often mix up their meanings. Remember: 'Falar' is to talk (common), 'Falir' is to go bankrupt (specific).

Incorrect: Eu fali todos os dias. (I go bankrupt every day - grammatically wrong and logically weird).
Correct: A minha empresa faliu ontem.

Overusing for Personal Finances: Learners often say 'Eu fali' when they just mean 'I'm broke' or 'I ran out of money' after a night out. Falir is too heavy for this. Use 'estou sem dinheiro' or 'estou liso' (slang).

Another mistake is confusing falir with falhar. While they look similar and both imply a 'failure', falhar means to fail a test, to miss a target, or for a machine to malfunction. Falir is strictly about the financial collapse of an entity. If your car doesn't start, it 'falhou', it didn't 'faliu'. Using the wrong one will make your sentence nonsensical. Additionally, pay attention to the preposition. You 'faliu' (intransitive) or 'levou a empresa a falir' (transitive), but the noun form requires 'à': 'ir à falência'. Missing that 'à' (crase) is a common written error for intermediate students.

Wrong: O motor faliu.
Right: O motor falhou. / O banco faliu.

Spelling Errors: Some students write 'faleir' or 'falecer'. Be careful: 'falecer' means to pass away (die). Telling someone their company 'faleceu' is poetic but technically incorrect and potentially confusing.

Portuguese offers several ways to express the idea of failing or going broke, depending on the level of formality and the specific situation. While falir is the most formal and legally precise, you will often hear synonyms that provide different nuances. Understanding these will make your Portuguese sound more natural and varied. The most common alternative in Brazil is quebrar, which literally means 'to break' but is universally understood as going bankrupt in a business context.

Quebrar vs. Falir: Quebrar is more colloquial and can be used for people or businesses. Falir is more formal and usually refers to the legal state of a company.

A bolsa de valores caiu e muitos investidores quebraram.

Fracassar: This means 'to fail' in a general sense (an exam, a mission, a plan). It is not strictly financial. A company can fracassar in its marketing strategy without necessarily falir.

Other terms include arruinar-se (to ruin oneself), which implies a more personal and dramatic downfall, and fechar as portas (to close the doors), which is a common euphemism for a business going out of business. In legal contexts, you might see insolvência (insolvency). For individuals who are just temporarily out of money, slang like estar na pindaíba (Brazil) or estar teso (Portugal) is much more appropriate than saying they have 'faliu'. Using falir for a person sounds like they have lost their entire estate and are facing court proceedings.

Depois de gastar tudo no cassino, ele se arruinou completamente.

Comparison Table

Falir: Formal, legal, business-focused.
Quebrar: Informal, common in Brazil, direct.
Ir à bancarrota: Very formal, slightly old-fashioned, used in literature.
Liquidar: To liquidate (selling off assets to pay debts).

How Formal Is It?

Formel

"A instituição faliu conforme o decreto judicial."

Neutre

"A loja faliu no mês passado."

Informel

"O cara faliu e agora tá morando com a mãe."

Child friendly

"A lojinha de brinquedos fechou porque não tinha mais moedinhas."

Argot

"A firma quebrou de vez."

Le savais-tu ?

The word 'fault' in English comes from the same Latin root 'fallere', showing the connection between making a mistake and failing financially.

Guide de prononciation

UK /fɐˈliɾ/

US /faˈliʁ/

The stress is on the last syllable: fa-LIR.

Rime avec

dormir partir sentir sorrir pedir subir abrir ferir

Erreurs fréquentes

Stressing the first syllable (FA-lir), which makes it sound like 'falha'.
Pronouncing the 'L' too clearly in Brazil (it should be more like a 'U').
Confusing it with 'falar' (to speak).
Confusing it with 'falhar' (to fail/glitch).
Using a hard English 'R' at the end.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 2/5

Easy to recognize in texts due to context.

Écriture 4/5

Difficult due to being a defective verb; one must know which forms to avoid.

Expression orale 3/5

Pronunciation is easy, but choosing the right tense is tricky.

Écoute 2/5

Clear sound, usually stands out in financial news.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

dinheiro empresa pagar dívida fechar

Apprends ensuite

falência prejuízo investimento lucro mercado

Avancé

concordata insolvência liquidação credores passivo

Grammaire à connaître

Defective Verbs

Falir lacks the first person singular present 'eu falo' to avoid confusion with 'falar'.

Past Tense of -ir verbs

Ele faliu, eles faliram (regular pattern for third conjugation).

Infinitive as Noun

O falir de uma empresa é sempre triste.

Future with 'ir'

A empresa vai falir se não mudar.

Subjunctive with 'que'

Espero que a empresa não falisse (imperfect subjunctive).

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Exemples par niveau

A loja faliu.

The shop went bankrupt.

Simple past of 'falir'.

O banco faliu.

The bank went bankrupt.

Third person singular, past tense.

Muitas lojas faliram.

Many shops went bankrupt.

Third person plural, past tense.

A empresa vai falir?

Is the company going to go bankrupt?

Future with 'ir' + infinitive.

Não quero falir.

I don't want to go bankrupt.

Infinitive after 'querer'.

O restaurante faliu ontem.

The restaurant went bankrupt yesterday.

Past tense with time adverb.

Eles faliram rápido.

They went bankrupt fast.

Third person plural, past tense.

A fábrica faliu.

The factory went bankrupt.

Simple past.

Infelizmente, o negócio faliu por causa da crise.

Unfortunately, the business went bankrupt because of the crisis.

Using 'por causa de' to show cause.

Se não tivermos lucro, vamos falir.

If we don't have profit, we are going to go bankrupt.

Conditional 'se' + present subjunctive.

A livraria faliu depois de dez anos.

The bookstore went bankrupt after ten years.

Past tense with time duration.

Eles não querem falir de novo.

They don't want to go bankrupt again.

Infinitive with 'de novo'.

O hotel faliu no verão passado.

The hotel went bankrupt last summer.

Past tense with specific time.

Muitos pequenos negócios faliram este ano.

Many small businesses went bankrupt this year.

Plural subject and verb.

O dono da empresa faliu.

The owner of the company went bankrupt.

Subject-verb agreement.

É triste ver uma empresa falir.

It is sad to see a company go bankrupt.

Infinitive as a complement.

A má gestão fez com que a empresa falisse.

Bad management caused the company to go bankrupt.

Imperfect subjunctive 'falisse'.

Se eu investir errado, posso falir.

If I invest wrongly, I might go bankrupt.

Modal 'posso' + infinitive.

Eles estavam falindo quando o governo os ajudou.

They were going bankrupt when the government helped them.

Past continuous with gerund 'falindo'.

O projeto já nasceu falido.

The project was born failed/bankrupt.

Using 'falido' as an adjective.

É provável que a companhia aérea venha a falir.

It is likely that the airline will come to go bankrupt.

Subjunctive phrase 'venha a falir'.

Ninguém esperava que aquele império falisse.

No one expected that empire to go bankrupt.

Subjunctive after 'esperar que'.

A dívida é tão grande que eles vão falir.

The debt is so big that they will go bankrupt.

Consecutive clause with 'tão... que'.

Depois de falir, ele começou um novo negócio.

After going bankrupt, he started a new business.

Infinitive after preposition 'depois de'.

A empresa decretou falência antes de falir totalmente.

The company declared bankruptcy before completely failing.

Contrast between noun 'falência' and verb 'falir'.

O banco central interveio para a instituição não falir.

The central bank intervened so the institution wouldn't go bankrupt.

Purpose clause with 'para'.

Muitas startups faliram durante o estouro da bolha.

Many startups went bankrupt during the bubble burst.

Historical context usage.

Ele se sente um homem falido, sem perspectivas.

He feels like a bankrupt man, without prospects.

Metaphorical use of 'falido'.

Se a taxa de juros subir, o setor imobiliário pode falir.

If the interest rate rises, the real estate sector may go bankrupt.

Future conditional.

A justiça impediu que a empresa falisse imediatamente.

The justice system prevented the company from going bankrupt immediately.

Subjunctive after 'impedir que'.

O risco de falir assombra os novos empreendedores.

The risk of going bankrupt haunts new entrepreneurs.

Infinitive as a noun phrase.

Eles faliram, mas conseguiram pagar os funcionários.

They went bankrupt, but they managed to pay the employees.

Adversative clause with 'mas'.

A obsolescência programada levou a indústria a falir.

Planned obsolescence led the industry to go bankrupt.

Complex causal structure.

O Estado não pode permitir que setores estratégicos faluam.

The State cannot allow strategic sectors to go bankrupt.

Subjunctive usage (standard 'faluam' is often replaced by 'venham a falir').

O sistema educacional está falido em sua essência.

The educational system is bankrupt in its essence.

Metaphorical adjective 'falido'.

Caso a empresa falir, os ativos serão leiloados.

Should the company go bankrupt, the assets will be auctioned.

Future subjunctive 'falir' (same as infinitive).

A retórica política deles é um discurso falido.

Their political rhetoric is a failed/bankrupt discourse.

Figurative use.

A empresa faliu de forma fraudulenta, lesando credores.

The company went bankrupt fraudulently, harming creditors.

Adverbial phrase of manner.

A despeito dos esforços, a companhia acabou por falir.

Despite the efforts, the company ended up going bankrupt.

Concessive phrase 'A despeito de'.

O mercado puniu a empresa, fazendo-a falir.

The market punished the company, making it go bankrupt.

Causative structure with 'fazer'.

A insolvência técnica precede o ato de falir juridicamente.

Technical insolvency precedes the act of legally going bankrupt.

Technical/Legal terminology.

O império comercial ruiu e faliu em um efeito dominó.

The commercial empire crumbled and went bankrupt in a domino effect.

Narrative past.

Não se deve confundir o falir com o mero insucesso comercial.

One should not confuse going bankrupt with mere commercial failure.

Substantive use of the infinitive.

A ética da empresa faliu muito antes de suas finanças.

The company's ethics failed long before its finances did.

Abstract subject.

A massa falida será gerida por um administrador judicial.

The bankrupt estate will be managed by a judicial administrator.

Specific legal term 'massa falida'.

O país assistiu, impávido, a empresa secular falir.

The country watched, undaunted, the century-old company go bankrupt.

Literary style.

A decretação de falência é o epílogo de uma gestão temerária.

The decree of bankruptcy is the epilogue of reckless management.

Sophisticated vocabulary.

Sequer cogitaram a hipótese de a petrolífera falir.

They didn't even consider the hypothesis of the oil company going bankrupt.

Infinitive with subject 'petrolífera'.

Collocations courantes

decretar falência

risco de falir

prestes a falir

quase faliu

ajudar a não falir

empresa falida

processo de falir

evitar falir

faliu miseravelmente

massa falida

Phrases Courantes

Ir à falência

Estar falido

Beira da falência

Pedido de falência

Lei de falências

Faliu de vez

Não me faça falir

Projeto falido

Empresário falido

Recuperar-se da falência

Souvent confondu avec

falir vs falar

Means 'to speak'. The first person 'eu falo' is identical in spelling but belongs to 'falar'.

falir vs falhar

Means 'to fail' in a general sense (like a test or a motor), not financially.

falir vs falecer

Means 'to die' or 'pass away'. It is used for people, not companies.

Expressions idiomatiques

"Bater as botas"

Literally 'to hit the boots', it means to die. Sometimes used metaphorically for a business failing.

A loja finalmente bateu as botas.

slang

"Entrar pelo cano"

To get into trouble or fail miserably, often financially.

Ele investiu tudo em cripto e entrou pelo cano.

informal

"Ficar a ver navios"

To be left with nothing, often what happens to creditors when a company goes bankrupt.

A empresa faliu e os clientes ficaram a ver navios.

informal

"Estar na lona"

To be 'on the canvas' (from boxing), meaning to be completely defeated or broke.

Depois da crise, o setor têxtil está na lona.

informal

"Pôr o prego na porta"

To put the nail in the door, meaning to close a business for good.

O dono pôs o prego na porta ontem.

informal

"Cair em desgraça"

To fall into disgrace, often associated with financial ruin.

O banqueiro faliu e caiu em desgraça.

formal

"Fazer água"

To take on water (like a ship), meaning a business is starting to fail.

Os lucros caíram e a empresa começou a fazer água.

informal

"Dar o nó"

In some contexts, to go bust or to run away from debts.

Ele deu o nó e faliu a empresa.

informal

"Estar com a corda no pescoço"

To have a rope around one's neck, meaning to be in extreme financial pressure.

Com tantas dívidas, ele está com a corda no pescoço.

informal

"Queimar dinheiro"

To burn money, which leads to going bankrupt.

Eles faliram porque só sabiam queimar dinheiro.

informal

Facile à confondre

falir vs falhar

Both mean 'to fail' in English.

Falhar is for errors, glitches, or missing targets. Falir is only for money.

O plano falhou, e por isso a empresa faliu.

falir vs quebrar

Both can mean 'to go bankrupt'.

Quebrar is more versatile (to break an object) and more informal.

Ele quebrou o vaso e depois a empresa dele quebrou.

falir vs fechar

Both involve a business stopping.

Fechar is just 'to close' (could be for the night). Falir is permanent financial death.

A loja fecha às 18h, mas ela faliu e não abre mais.

falir vs perder

Losing money vs going bankrupt.

You can lose money (perder dinheiro) without going bankrupt (falir).

Eu perdi dinheiro, mas não fali.

falir vs arruinar

Both imply financial destruction.

Arruinar is more dramatic and can apply to health or reputation too.

O escândalo arruinou sua carreira.

Structures de phrases

A [Subject] faliu.

A loja faliu.

[Subject] vai falir.

O banco vai falir.

Se [Condition], [Subject] pode falir.

Se não vendermos, a empresa pode falir.

Apesar de [Effort], [Subject] faliu.

Apesar do esforço, o negócio faliu.

O risco de [Subject] falir é [Adjective].

O risco de a petrolífera falir é imenso.

A decretação de falência de [Subject] foi [Event].

A decretação de falência da empresa foi inevitável.

Muitas [Subject] faliram.

Muitas fábricas faliram.

É triste ver [Subject] falir.

É triste ver a livraria falir.

Famille de mots

Noms

Verbes

Adjectifs

Apparenté

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Comment l'utiliser

frequency

Common in news and business contexts, rare in daily casual talk unless discussing the economy.

Erreurs courantes

Eu falo → Eu vou falir / Estou indo à falência
As mentioned, 'eu falo' means 'I speak'.
O motor faliu → O motor falhou
Motors fail (glitch), they don't go bankrupt.
A empresa faleceu → A empresa faliu
Companies go bankrupt, people pass away (falecer).
Ir à falencia (without accent) → Ir à falência
Always use the 'crase' (à) and the accent on 'falência'.
Eu fali no teste → Eu falhei no teste / Reprovei
Falir is only for money/business.

Astuces

Avoid 'Eu Falo'

Never use 'eu falo' to mean 'I go bankrupt'. It always means 'I speak'. Use 'estou falido' instead.

Noun Form

Learn the noun 'falência'. It's often used with the verb 'ir': 'ir à falência'.

Business only

Use 'falir' for businesses. For your personal wallet, use 'estar duro' or 'sem grana'.

The 'L' sound

In Brazil, don't worry about a perfect 'L'. Pronounce it like a 'U' (fau-lir).

Formal Reports

In business writing, 'falir' is the professional term to use.

Quebrar

In Brazil, 'quebrar' is the most natural word for this in casual speech.

Massa Falida

If you see 'Massa Falida' on a sign, it means the company's assets are being sold.

Moral Failure

You can use 'falido' to describe someone's character as 'bankrupt'.

Economic History

Use 'falir' when discussing historical economic crashes.

Sensitivity

Be careful; telling someone their business will 'falir' is a strong statement.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of 'FAIL' + 'IR' (to go). When you 'falir', you 'FAIL' and then you 'IR' (go) away because your business is closed.

Association visuelle

Imagine a giant red 'X' over a bank building. The bank 'faliu' and the money is 'falling' (sounds like falir) away.

Word Web

Dinheiro Empresa Dívida Banco Crise Juiz Loja Fim

Défi

Try to write three sentences about a famous company that faliu (went bankrupt) using the past tense 'faliu'.

Origine du mot

Derived from the Latin verb 'fallere', which means 'to deceive', 'to trick', or 'to fail'.

Sens originel : The original sense was related to failing to meet an obligation or deceiving a creditor.

Romance (Latin root).

Contexte culturel

Be careful when using this word with business owners; it's a very sensitive topic and can be seen as offensive if used lightly.

In English, we say 'go bankrupt' or 'go bust'. Portuguese uses a single verb 'falir' or the phrase 'ir à falência'.

The bankruptcy of the Barão de Mauá (historical Brazilian figure). The collapse of the Banco Espírito Santo in Portugal. The 'Eike Batista' bankruptcy saga in Brazil.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Financial Crisis

A economia vai mal
Muitas empresas faliram
Crise bancária
Perder tudo

Legal Proceedings

Decretar falência
Administrador judicial
Pagamento de credores
Processo de falência

Business Strategy

Evitar a falência
Plano de recuperação
Cortar gastos
Risco iminente

Gossip/News

Você soube que faliu?
Fechou as portas
Não aguentou a dívida
Ficou sem nada

History

A quebra da bolsa
O império faliu
Mudança econômica
Consequências sociais

Amorces de conversation

"Você já viu alguma loja famosa falir na sua cidade?"

"O que uma empresa deve fazer para não falir durante uma crise?"

"Você acha que os bancos podem falir hoje em dia?"

"Como você se sentiria se o seu restaurante favorito falisse?"

"Você conhece a história de algum empresário que faliu e depois ficou rico?"

Sujets d'écriture

Escreva sobre uma empresa que você conhece que faliu. Quais foram os motivos?

Imagine que você é um dono de empresa prestes a falir. O que você escreveria no seu diário?

Como a economia do seu país mudaria se as grandes empresas de tecnologia falissem?

Reflita sobre a expressão 'moralmente falido'. O que isso significa para você?

Descreva o impacto social de quando uma grande fábrica em uma cidade pequena fale.

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

Yes, but only in the past tense. It means 'I went bankrupt' (formally/legally). If you are just broke, say 'Estou sem dinheiro'.

Because it doesn't have all the conjugations. For example, the present tense 'I go bankrupt' doesn't exist to avoid confusion with 'falar' (to speak).

Falir is formal and legal. Quebrar is informal and used in daily conversation, especially in Brazil.

Mostly companies. For people, it sounds very formal or legalistic. Usually, we say a person 'perdeu tudo' or 'está falido'.

Use 'A empresa está indo à falência' or 'A empresa vai falir'.

They share the same Latin root 'fallere', but they developed separately in Portuguese and English.

No, for that you use 'reprovar' or 'falhar'.

Falência is the noun (bankruptcy), and falir is the verb (to go bankrupt).

Yes, 'vai falir' is very common when predicting a business collapse.

Yes, like 'um sistema falido' (a failed system), but it's more common as an adjective 'falido'.

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