Afundar means to sink, covering both physical submersion and metaphorical collapse.
Word in 30 Seconds
- To sink below the surface of a liquid.
- Used for both physical objects and metaphorical failure.
- The opposite of floating or staying on top.
Visão Geral
O verbo 'afundar' é um termo fundamental na língua portuguesa, indicando a ação de submergir ou perder a sustentação na superfície de um líquido. Sua raiz está ligada à ideia de profundidade, sendo o oposto direto de flutuar. 2) Padrões de Uso: Pode ser empregado de forma intransitiva (o navio afundou) ou transitiva (eu afundei o barco). Além do sentido literal, possui um vasto uso figurado para indicar fracasso, ruína financeira ou sentimentos de tristeza profunda. 3) Contextos Comuns: É muito utilizado em contextos náuticos, meteorológicos (chuvas fortes que causam alagamentos onde objetos afundam) e em contextos econômicos (empresas que afundam em dívidas). 4) Comparação com sinônimos: Diferente de 'mergulhar', que geralmente implica uma ação voluntária, 'afundar' sugere uma perda de controle ou um processo passivo de descida. Enquanto 'submergir' é um termo mais formal e técnico, 'afundar' é a palavra mais comum no dia a dia para descrever tanto desastres quanto objetos que caem na água.
Examples
O barco começou a afundar rapidamente.
everydayThe boat started to sink quickly.
A empresa afundou devido à má gestão.
formalThe company sank due to poor management.
Afundei a colher no pote de sorvete.
informalI sank the spoon into the ice cream tub.
O projeto afundou após a falta de verbas.
academicThe project sank after the lack of funds.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
afundar o pé
to step deeply into something (like mud)
afundar de vez
to sink completely
Often Confused With
Mergulhar is usually an active, voluntary action of going underwater, like swimming. Afundar is passive and implies going down to the bottom.
Naufragar is specifically used for ships or boats that sink due to an accident at sea.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
Afundar is a versatile verb used in both neutral and formal contexts. When used metaphorically, it often carries a negative connotation of failure or deep emotional states. It is a regular verb, making it easy to conjugate for learners.
Common Mistakes
Learners often use 'afundar' when they mean 'mergulhar' (diving). Remember that 'afundar' is about the object losing its position on the surface, not the action of a person going underwater for fun.
Tips
Think of sinking ships
Visualizing a boat going underwater helps remember the core meaning. It works for both literal objects and abstract concepts like businesses.
Don't confuse with mergulhar
Remember that 'mergulhar' is usually intentional (diving), while 'afundar' is often unintentional or a result of gravity/damage.
Used in daily news
You will often hear this verb in news reports about flooding or economic crises in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Word Origin
Derived from the prefix 'a-' (to/towards) plus 'fundo' (bottom), from Latin 'fundus'. It literally means to move towards the bottom.
Cultural Context
In Brazil and Portugal, the word is frequently used in media to describe economic crises. It carries a strong imagery of something valuable being lost to the depths.
Memory Tip
Think of the 'A' in 'Afundar' as an anchor dropping to the bottom. An anchor always makes things sink!
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsSim, é muito comum. Dizemos 'afundar na tristeza' ou 'afundar na depressão' para descrever um estado emocional profundo e negativo.
Afundar é um termo genérico para qualquer objeto. Naufragar é específico para embarcações que sofrem um acidente no mar.
Com certeza. Quando uma empresa perde muito dinheiro ou entra em falência, dizemos que ela 'afundou'.
É um verbo regular terminado em -ar. No presente do indicativo, a primeira pessoa é 'eu afundo' e a terceira é 'ele afunda'.
Test Yourself
O navio antigo começou a ___ depois de bater na rocha.
O contexto de bater na rocha indica que o navio perdeu a integridade e desceu para o fundo do mar.
Score: /1
Summary
Afundar means to sink, covering both physical submersion and metaphorical collapse.
- To sink below the surface of a liquid.
- Used for both physical objects and metaphorical failure.
- The opposite of floating or staying on top.
Think of sinking ships
Visualizing a boat going underwater helps remember the core meaning. It works for both literal objects and abstract concepts like businesses.
Don't confuse with mergulhar
Remember that 'mergulhar' is usually intentional (diving), while 'afundar' is often unintentional or a result of gravity/damage.
Used in daily news
You will often hear this verb in news reports about flooding or economic crises in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Examples
4 of 4O barco começou a afundar rapidamente.
The boat started to sink quickly.
A empresa afundou devido à má gestão.
The company sank due to poor management.
Afundei a colher no pote de sorvete.
I sank the spoon into the ice cream tub.
O projeto afundou após a falta de verbas.
The project sank after the lack of funds.
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