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A2 verb #6,500 most common 7 min read

escalar

Top 6,500

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips escalar in 30 Seconds

Explanation escalar in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most basic physical meaning of 'escalar'. Think of it as 'to climb' in a very literal sense. You might use it to talk about hobbies or simple actions. For example, 'Eu gosto de escalar' (I like to climb). At this stage, don't worry about the sports or work meanings. Just associate the word with mountains and walls. It is a regular '-ar' verb, so it follows the same pattern as 'falar' or 'trabalhar'. You will mostly use it in the present tense to describe what you or others do. Remember that 'escalar' is more specific than 'subir' (to go up). If you are talking about a mountain, 'escalar' is the word that makes you sound more like a native speaker. Focus on the visual of someone using their hands and feet to go up a steep surface.

At the A2 level, you start to see 'escalar' in more varied contexts, including travel and simple work descriptions. You should be able to conjugate it in the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito) to talk about things you have done. For example, 'Ontem, eu escalei uma rocha pequena' (Yesterday, I climbed a small rock). You might also encounter the word in sports news, especially regarding football lineups. If you hear 'O técnico escalou o Neymar', it means the coach put Neymar in the starting lineup. This is a very common usage in Brazil. You should also be aware that 'escalar' doesn't need a preposition. You 'escalar a montanha', not 'escalar na montanha'. This is a common mistake for English speakers who are used to saying 'climb on' or 'climb up'. Keep your sentences simple but start incorporating these different contexts.

By B1, you should be comfortable using 'escalar' for both physical climbing and the selection of people for tasks. You will likely encounter it in workplace settings. If your boss says, 'Vou te escalar para o projeto novo', they are assigning you to a new project. You should also be able to use the word in the imperfect tense and the future. For example, 'Eu escalava muito quando era jovem' (I used to climb a lot when I was young). You will also start to see the noun form, 'escalada', which means 'a climb' or 'climbing' as a sport. At this level, you should understand the difference between 'escalar' (the action) and 'fazer escalada' (to go climbing as a hobby). You can also begin to use it metaphorically for small career steps, though keep it grounded in clear contexts.

At the B2 level, you should master the metaphorical uses of 'escalar'. This includes 'escalar a hierarquia' (climbing the hierarchy) or 'escalar o conflito' (escalating the conflict). You should be able to use the word in more complex grammatical structures, such as the subjunctive mood. For example, 'É importante que o gerente escale os melhores funcionários' (It is important that the manager rosters the best employees). You will also notice 'escalar' in economic contexts, referring to 'economias de escala' (economies of scale) or 'escalar um negócio' (scaling a business). Your understanding should move from just 'physical climbing' to 'strategic selection' and 'incremental growth'. You should also be able to distinguish between 'escalar' and 'ascender' in formal writing, choosing the latter for more abstract or prestigious contexts.

At the C1 level, you are expected to understand the nuances of 'escalar' in literature, high-level journalism, and technical fields. You should recognize it in the passive voice often used in news: 'Os jogadores foram escalados sob forte pressão' (The players were rostered under heavy pressure). You should also be aware of its use in technical 'escalation' processes in IT or customer service (e.g., 'escalar o chamado para o nível 2'). In literary contexts, 'escalar' might be used to describe climbing over emotional or metaphorical barriers. You should be able to use the word with precision, avoiding it when 'subir' or 'intensificar' would be more appropriate, and using it specifically when you want to imply a step-by-step, effortful, or selective process. Your vocabulary should also include related terms like 'escalonamento' (scheduling/staggering).

At the C2 level, you have a near-native grasp of 'escalar' across all registers. You can use it in philosophical discussions about human ambition—'a constante necessidade de escalar novos picos de conhecimento'. You understand the historical and etymological roots of the word, which relate to 'escada' (ladder/stairs) and the Latin 'scala'. You can effortlessly switch between the sports jargon of 'escalação', the technical business sense of 'scaling operations', and the literal sense in extreme sports. You are also sensitive to regional differences; for instance, how 'escalar' might be used more frequently in certain professional industries in Portugal versus Brazil. You can write complex analyses of sports tactics using the verb or discuss the 'escalada da violência' (escalation of violence) in a sociological essay with perfect tone and collocations.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

escalar in 30 Seconds

Escalar is primarily used to describe the physical act of climbing steep surfaces like mountains, rocks, or walls using hands and feet.
In a sports context, specifically football, it refers to the act of a coach selecting and naming the starting players for a match.
In workplace environments, it means to roster or assign employees to specific shifts or tasks, often seen in 'escala de trabalho'.
Metaphorically, it can mean to rise through a hierarchy or to increase the intensity of a situation, such as a conflict or a business.

The Portuguese verb escalar is a dynamic and multifaceted word that English speakers often encounter early in their journey, primarily in its physical sense of climbing. At its core, it describes the act of ascending or mounting something using hands and feet, or specific equipment, typically implying a degree of effort or steepness. However, to truly master escalar, one must look beyond the mountainside and into the stadiums and boardrooms of Brazil and Portugal.

Physical Ascent: This is the primary definition. It refers to climbing a mountain (escalar uma montanha), a wall (escalar um muro), or a rock face. Unlike the generic verb 'subir' (to go up), escalar suggests a more technical or strenuous activity.

Nós decidimos escalar o Pico da Bandeira durante as férias de verão para ver o nascer do sol.

Translation: We decided to climb Pico da Bandeira during the summer holidays to see the sunrise.

Sports Rostering: In a context unique to Lusophone cultures, particularly in football (soccer), escalar means to select or name a starting lineup. When a coach 'escala o time', they are choosing which players will take the field.

Beyond the physical and the athletic, escalar finds its way into social and professional hierarchies. To 'escalar a hierarquia' means to move up the corporate ladder. It implies a step-by-step progression, much like a climber finding handholds on a cliff. In modern digital contexts, it is also used for 'scaling' a business or a system, though 'expandir' or 'crescer' are also common. The versatility of the word lies in its ability to convey both physical exertion and organizational selection.

O treinador ainda não escalou os jogadores para a final de domingo.

Translation: The coach has not yet named the players for Sunday's final.

In everyday conversation, you might use it jokingly if you have to climb many flights of stairs because the elevator is broken, though 'subir' is more standard there. Use escalar when you want to emphasize the challenge or the specific action of using your limbs to reach a higher point. It is a verb of ambition, effort, and strategic selection.

Using escalar correctly requires understanding its transitivity. It is almost always a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object—the thing being climbed or the people being selected. You don't just 'climb'; you 'climb something'.

The Direct Object Structure: The most common structure is [Subject] + [Conjugated Escalar] + [Noun]. For example: 'Eu escalo a montanha' (I climb the mountain). Note that no preposition like 'em' or 'de' is needed between the verb and the object.

Eles precisam escalar o muro para recuperar a bola de futebol.

Translation: They need to climb the wall to get the football back.

When using escalar for sports or work assignments, the direct object is the person or group being assigned. 'A empresa me escalou para o turno da noite' (The company assigned/rostered me for the night shift). This is a very common usage in Brazil for work schedules.

Ela conseguiu escalar postos importantes na carreira em pouco tempo.

Translation: She managed to climb important positions in her career in a short time.

For figurative use, such as 'escalating' a conflict, Portuguese speakers might use escalar (e.g., 'O conflito escalou rapidamente'), but it is often more natural to use 'intensificar' or 'agravar'. However, in technical business jargon, 'escalar o problema para o gerente' (escalating the problem to the manager) is becoming increasingly common due to English influence. Always be mindful of the context: is it a physical climb, a selection process, or a metaphorical rise?

The frequency of escalar varies significantly depending on the environment. In a standard urban setting, you might not hear it every day unless you are discussing hobbies or sports. However, in specific domains, it is ubiquitous.

In Sports Media: Turn on any sports channel like Globo Esporte or ESPN Brasil. You will hear commentators debating which players the 'técnico' (coach) should escalar. The 'escalação' is a major talking point before every match.

O comentarista sugeriu escalar três atacantes para o jogo de hoje.

Translation: The commentator suggested starting three forwards for today's game.

In the Workplace: In hospitals, factories, or retail, where shifts are common, managers 'escalam os funcionários'. If you see a paper on the wall titled 'Escala de Trabalho', that is your schedule. You are being 'escalado' for certain hours.

Quem o gerente vai escalar para o plantão de Natal?

Translation: Who is the manager going to roster for the Christmas shift?

Finally, in the context of adventure tourism—a huge industry in countries like Brazil (with places like Chapada Diamantina or Rio's Sugarloaf)—you will hear it constantly. Guides will ask if you have experience in 'escalar rochas' (rock climbing). In these settings, the word carries an air of excitement and physical challenge.

For English speakers, the pitfalls of escalar usually involve over-extending its meaning or confusing it with simpler verbs of movement.

Confusing Escalar with Subir: In English, we can 'climb the stairs'. In Portuguese, saying 'escalar as escadas' sounds very strange, as if you are using your hands and knees to crawl up them like a mountain. For stairs, hills, or elevators, always use subir.

Errado: Eu vou escalar as escadas até o quinto andar.

Correct: Eu vou subir as escadas...

Misusing for 'Escalating' Conflicts: While 'escalar' is used for conflict escalation in some news reports, it can sound like a direct 'Anglicism' (a word borrowed too literally from English). To sound more native, use 'piorar', 'agravar', or 'intensificar' when talking about a situation getting worse.

O alpinista escalou o Everest sem oxigênio suplementar.

This is the perfect, correct use of the word.

Another mistake is the preposition error. English speakers want to say 'escalar para cima' (climb up). In Portuguese, escalar already implies upward movement. Adding 'para cima' is redundant (a pleonasm) and should be avoided in formal writing.

Portuguese has several verbs for upward movement, and choosing the right one depends on the effort and the object involved. Let's compare escalar with its cousins.

Escalar vs. Subir: Subir is the general verb for 'to go up'. You 'sobe' the stairs, 'sobe' the elevator, or 'sobe' a hill. Escalar is specifically for technical climbing or steep surfaces requiring hands.
Escalar vs. Ascender: Ascender is more formal and often used for celestial bodies (the sun rising) or social status. While you can 'escalar a hierarquia', 'ascender socialmente' sounds more academic.
Escalar vs. Montar: Montar means to ride (a horse/bike) or to assemble (furniture). Don't confuse climbing a mountain with 'montar' a mountain!

Embora possamos subir a trilha a pé, precisamos de cordas para escalar o paredão.

Translation: Although we can walk up the trail, we need ropes to climb the rock face.

When choosing between these, ask yourself: Is there a physical challenge? Use escalar. Is it just movement to a higher floor? Use subir. Is it a professional selection? Use escalar. Is it a formal promotion? Use ascender.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Child friendly

Slang

Fun Fact

The word 'scale' in English (as in a weighing scale) comes from the same root 'scala', because of the graduated markings that look like the rungs of a ladder.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /es.ka.ˈlaɾ/

US /es.ka.ˈlaɹ/

The stress is on the last syllable: es-ka-LAR.

Rhymes With

falar trabalhar andar amar lugar mar olhar pensar

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'e' at the start like 'ee' (it should be 'eh' or almost silent in some dialects).
Over-pronouncing the 'r' like an English 'r' instead of a Portuguese 'r'.
Stress on the second syllable (es-KA-lar) which is incorrect.
Confusing the 'sc' sound with 'sh'. It is a clear 's' followed by 'k'.
Forgetting to nasalize vowels if they were present (though not in this specific word).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize due to English 'scale/escalate'.

Writing 3/5

Requires knowledge of regular -ar verb endings.

Speaking 3/5

The final 'r' and the 'sc' cluster need practice for English speakers.

Listening 2/5

Clear pronunciation in most dialects.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

subir montanha time muro trabalhar

Learn Next

escalada escalação ascender topo cume

Advanced

escalonamento tangenciar galgar soerguer

Grammar to Know

Regular -ar verbs in the present tense

Eu escalo, tu escalas, ele escala...

Passive voice with 'ser' + past participle

O time foi escalado pelo técnico.

Direct object pronouns with verbs

Vou escalar a montanha -> Vou escalá-la.

Pretérito Perfeito for completed past actions

Eles escalaram o muro ontem.

Infinitive after verbs of desire/necessity

Eu preciso escalar.

Examples by Level

Eu gosto de escalar montanhas.

I like to climb mountains.

Present tense, 1st person singular.

Você sabe escalar?

Do you know how to climb?

Interrogative sentence.

Ele escala o muro da escola.

He climbs the school wall.

Third person singular.

Nós vamos escalar amanhã.

We are going to climb tomorrow.

Immediate future with 'ir'.

Elas não escalam árvores.

They do not climb trees.

Negative sentence.

O gato escala o sofá.

The cat climbs the sofa.

Simple present.

Eu quero escalar aquela rocha.

I want to climb that rock.

Verb 'querer' + infinitive.

Você escala muito bem!

You climb very well!

Adverb 'bem' modifying the verb.

Ontem, nós escalamos um morro pequeno.

Yesterday, we climbed a small hill.

Pretérito Perfeito (Past tense).

O treinador escalou o time titular.

The coach named the starting team.

Usage in sports context.

Ela já escalou o Pão de Açúcar.

She has already climbed Sugarloaf Mountain.

Use of 'já' with past tense.

Eles estão escalando a parede de gelo.

They are climbing the ice wall.

Present continuous (Gerúndio).

Você pode me escalar para o turno da tarde?

Can you roster me for the afternoon shift?

Usage in work context.

Ninguém escalou aquela montanha ainda.

Nobody has climbed that mountain yet.

Negative pronoun 'ninguém'.

Nós precisamos de cordas para escalar.

We need ropes to climb.

Noun 'cordas' as a requirement.

O menino tentou escalar a cerca.

The boy tried to climb the fence.

Verb 'tentar' + infinitive.

O técnico decidiu não escalar o craque do time.

The coach decided not to roster the team's star player.

Negative infinitive.

Se o tempo estiver bom, vamos escalar o pico.

If the weather is good, we will climb the peak.

Future subjunctive with 'se'.

Fui escalado para trabalhar no próximo domingo.

I was rostered to work next Sunday.

Passive voice.

Eles escalavam montanhas todos os fins de semana.

They used to climb mountains every weekend.

Pretérito Imperfeito (Habitual past).

Para escalar essa parede, você precisa de sapatilhas especiais.

To climb this wall, you need special climbing shoes.

Preposition 'para' indicating purpose.

A empresa está escalando novos talentos para o projeto.

The company is selecting new talents for the project.

Metaphorical professional use.

É perigoso escalar sem o equipamento de segurança.

It is dangerous to climb without safety equipment.

Adjective + infinitive construction.

Nós escalamos a duna para ver o pôr do sol.

We climbed the dune to see the sunset.

Past tense for a completed action.

O conflito entre os vizinhos escalou para uma briga.

The conflict between the neighbors escalated into a fight.

Figurative use for escalation.

Ele teve que escalar muitos obstáculos para ter sucesso.

He had to climb over many obstacles to succeed.

Metaphorical 'obstacles'.

Duvido que o treinador escale o reserva hoje.

I doubt the coach will roster the substitute today.

Present subjunctive after 'duvidar'.

A inflação começou a escalar de forma preocupante.

Inflation began to climb in a worrying way.

Economic context.

Ela escalou a montanha corporativa com muita determinação.

She climbed the corporate mountain with much determination.

Corporate metaphor.

Se eu fosse você, não escalaria aquela rocha úmida.

If I were you, I wouldn't climb that wet rock.

Conditional mood.

Eles foram escalados para a missão de resgate.

They were assigned to the rescue mission.

Formal assignment use.

O alpinista pretendia escalar a face norte da montanha.

The climber intended to climb the north face of the mountain.

Specific technical term 'face norte'.

A tensão diplomática escalou após o incidente na fronteira.

Diplomatic tension escalated after the border incident.

Formal political context.

O software permite escalar a operação para milhões de usuários.

The software allows scaling the operation to millions of users.

Technical/IT context.

O autor descreve o esforço de escalar os abismos da alma.

The author describes the effort of climbing the abysses of the soul.

Literary/Philosophical use.

Caso o técnico escale o time reserva, os torcedores ficarão furiosos.

Should the coach roster the reserve team, the fans will be furious.

Future subjunctive with 'caso'.

A empresa busca escalar sua produção sem perder a qualidade.

The company seeks to scale its production without losing quality.

Business strategy context.

É imperativo escalar o problema para a diretoria imediatamente.

It is imperative to escalate the problem to the board immediately.

Formal business 'escalation'.

A escalada de preços reflete a escassez de matéria-prima.

The climb in prices reflects the scarcity of raw materials.

Noun form 'escalada' used as a subject.

Ele se sentiu honrado por ser escalado para o júri do festival.

He felt honored to be selected for the festival jury.

Passive infinitive.

A dialética hegeliana busca escalar os degraus da consciência absoluta.

Hegelian dialectics seeks to climb the steps of absolute consciousness.

Highly philosophical context.

A volatilidade do mercado fez escalar o risco de inadimplência.

Market volatility caused the risk of default to escalate.

Complex financial terminology.

O estratagema consistia em escalar agentes infiltrados no alto comando.

The stratagem consisted of placing undercover agents in the high command.

Military/Espionage context.

Não obstante o perigo, ele se propôs a escalar o Everest em solitário.

Notwithstanding the danger, he proposed to climb Everest solo.

Formal connector 'não obstante'.

A escalada retórica entre os candidatos atingiu níveis sem precedentes.

The rhetorical escalation between the candidates reached unprecedented levels.

Nuanced political analysis.

A arquitetura gótica visava escalar as alturas em busca do divino.

Gothic architecture aimed to scale the heights in search of the divine.

Art history context.

A empresa logrou escalar sua infraestrutura em tempo recorde.

The company succeeded in scaling its infrastructure in record time.

Formal verb 'lograr'.

Ao escalar as nuances do idioma, o tradutor revela sua maestria.

By navigating the nuances of the language, the translator reveals their mastery.

Metaphorical use for skill mastery.

Common Collocations

escalar uma montanha

escalar o time

escalar a hierarquia

escalar um muro

escalar funcionários

escalar o Everest

escalar o conflito

escalar rochas

escalar a produção

escalar o chamado

Common Phrases

Escalar postos

— To move up in rank or position within an organization.

Ele escalou postos rapidamente na Marinha.

Escalar degraus

— To go up step by step, often used metaphorically for progress.

Estamos escalando os degraus do sucesso.

Escalar a parede

— To climb the wall, literally or figuratively (feeling trapped).

O prisioneiro tentou escalar a parede da cela.

Escalar o elenco

— To cast or roster a group of performers or players.

O diretor está escalando o elenco para a nova novela.

Escalar o cume

— To reach the summit of a mountain.

Eles finalmente conseguiram escalar o cume.

Escalar de volta

— To climb back up (less common, usually 'subir de volta').

Ele caiu e teve que escalar de volta.

Escalar a ladeira

— To climb a steep street or slope.

É cansativo escalar essa ladeira todos os dias.

Escalar por fora

— To climb the exterior of a building or structure.

O herói escalou o prédio por fora.

Escalar a rede

— In volleyball, to go up to the net; in IT, to scale a network.

O jogador escalou a rede para o bloqueio.

Escalar as vendas

— To significantly increase sales volume.

A meta é escalar as vendas no final do ano.

Often Confused With

escalar vs Escalpelar

Means to scalp; unrelated but sounds slightly similar.

escalar vs Escovar

Means to brush; unrelated but starts with 'esc-'.

escalar vs Excluir

Means to exclude; the opposite of 'escalar' in a roster sense.

Idioms & Expressions

"Escalar o impossível"

— To attempt or achieve something extremely difficult.

Ela escalou o impossível ao vencer a doença.

literary

"Escalar o topo"

— To reach the very highest point of success.

Ele escalou o topo da carreira aos 30 anos.

neutral

"Escalar a montanha russa"

— To experience extreme highs and lows (emotional).

Minha vida tem sido escalar uma montanha russa.

informal

"Escalar sem cordas"

— To take a huge risk without a safety net.

Abrir esse negócio foi como escalar sem cordas.

metaphorical

"Escalar o céu"

— To have very high ambitions or dreams.

O jovem artista queria escalar o céu com suas obras.

poetic

"Escalar o muro das lamentações"

— To overcome a period of great sadness or complaining.

Chega de chorar, é hora de escalar esse muro.

informal

"Escalar a pirâmide"

— To rise through a social or corporate structure.

Ele passou a vida tentando escalar a pirâmide social.

sociological

"Escalar o Everest de papelada"

— To deal with a massive amount of bureaucracy.

Tivemos que escalar um Everest de papelada para o visto.

humorous

"Escalar o pedestal"

— To put oneself or someone on a high, often unearned, position.

Não o escale em um pedestal tão cedo.

critical

"Escalar a crista da onda"

— To be at the peak of a trend or success.

A banda está escalando a crista da onda no momento.

informal

Easily Confused

escalar vs Subir

Both mean 'to go up'.

Subir is generic (stairs/elevators). Escalar is technical/strenuous (mountains) or for naming a team.

Subo o elevador, mas escalo a rocha.

escalar vs Trepar

Both mean climbing.

Trepar is informal/childish (trees) but can be vulgar slang in Brazil. Escalar is always safe and professional.

A criança trepa na árvore; o atleta escala a montanha.

escalar vs Ascender

Both mean rising.

Ascender is formal/abstract (status/sun). Escalar is physical or organizational (rosters).

O sol ascende; o funcionário escala a hierarquia.

escalar vs Montar

English 'mount' can mean climb.

Montar means to ride (horse) or assemble (furniture). Escalar is for ascending surfaces.

Monto o cavalo; escalo a colina.

escalar vs Escalonar

Same root.

Escalonar means to schedule or stagger in intervals. Escalar is the direct act of climbing or naming a team.

Vou escalonar os pagamentos; vou escalar os jogadores.

Sentence Patterns

Eu [conjugated escalar] [noun].

Eu escalo a montanha.

O técnico [conjugated escalar] o time.

O técnico escalou o time.

Fui escalado para [verb].

Fui escalado para trabalhar.

É preciso [verb] para [result].

É preciso escalar para vencer.

O problema deve ser escalado para [person].

O problema deve ser escalado para o diretor.

Ao [gerund escalar], percebi que...

Ao escalar, percebi que era alto.

Não obstante o esforço de [verb]...

Não obstante o esforço de escalar...

A escalada de [abstract noun] causou...

A escalada de preços causou crise.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Common in sports, outdoors, and work scheduling.

Common Mistakes

Eu escalei as escadas. → Eu subi as escadas.
Escalar is for mountains/walls, not stairs.
O técnico escalou para o Neymar. → O técnico escalou o Neymar.
No preposition is needed after escalar.
Eu quero escalar na árvore. → Eu quero subir na árvore.
Escalar is too technical for a simple tree climb.
A situação escalou para pior. → A situação piorou / se agravou.
While 'escalou' is used, 'piorou' is more natural for conflict.
Vou escalar o cavalo. → Vou montar o cavalo.
You 'montar' animals, you don't 'escalar' them.

Tips

No Preposition Needed

Don't say 'escalar em' or 'escalar para'. Just say 'escalar a montanha'. It's a direct action.

Football Talk

If you want to talk soccer with Brazilians, use 'escalar' when discussing who should play. You'll sound like a pro.

Work Rosters

At work, if you see an 'escala', it's the schedule. Use 'fui escalado' to say you're on the schedule.

Stress the End

Always stress the last syllable: es-ka-LAR. This is typical for verbs ending in 'r'.

Intensity Matters

Use 'escalar' for things that are hard to climb. For easy things, 'subir' is better.

Scaling Business

In business, 'escalar' is used just like in English to mean growing operations.

Avoid Trepar

In Brazil, stick to 'escalar' to avoid accidental vulgarity. 'Trepar' is risky!

Scale/Escalar

Link 'scale' (ladder) with 'escalar' to remember it easily.

Alpinismo

The sport is 'alpinismo' or 'escalada', but the action is 'escalar'.

Career Growth

In professional writing, 'escalar a hierarquia' is a great way to describe promotion.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a 'Scale' (ladder) that you use to 'Escalar' a mountain. Both start with 'Esca-'.

Visual Association

Visualize a soccer coach holding a ladder (escala) and picking players to climb up onto the field.

Word Web

montanha muro time técnico escala subir alpinismo rocha

Challenge

Try to use 'escalar' in three different ways today: once for a physical object, once for a sport, and once for a work task.

Word Origin

Derived from the Latin 'scalare', which comes from 'scala' meaning 'ladder' or 'stairs'.

Original meaning: To climb using a ladder, specifically in military contexts to scale city walls.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

Avoid using 'trepar' as a synonym for 'escalar' in Brazil unless you are very sure of the context, as it is a common vulgarism for sex.

English speakers often use 'climb' for stairs, but in Portuguese, 'escalar' is too intense for stairs. Use 'subir' instead.

The song 'Caminho das Águas' mentions rising/climbing. Sports headlines: 'Tite escala a Seleção'. Climbing documentaries about 'Pico da Neblina'.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Sports

Escalar o goleiro
Escalar o time titular
Mudar a escalação
Escalar três atacantes

Work

Escala de plantão
Fui escalado para o turno
Escalar a equipe
Escalar o problema

Outdoors

Escalar rocha
Equipamento de escalar
Escalar sem guia
Escalar o paredão

Metaphorical

Escalar a carreira
Escalar o sucesso
Escalar obstáculos
Escalar a pirâmide social

Technology

Escalar o servidor
Escalar a aplicação
Escalar o banco de dados
Escalar o negócio

Conversation Starters

"Você já teve a oportunidade de escalar uma montanha famosa?"

"Quem você acha que o técnico deveria escalar para o jogo de amanhã?"

"Você prefere escalar rochas ou fazer trilhas mais tranquilas?"

"Como você se sente quando é escalado para trabalhar em um feriado?"

"Você acha difícil escalar a hierarquia em grandes empresas?"

Journal Prompts

Descreva uma vez que você teve que escalar algo difícil, física ou mentalmente.

Se você fosse um técnico de futebol, como você escalaria o seu time dos sonhos?

Quais são os maiores obstáculos que você está tentando escalar na sua vida agora?

Escreva sobre a sensação de chegar ao topo após escalar por muito tempo.

Você acha que é importante escalar sua carreira rapidamente ou prefere ir devagar?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, that sounds very strange. Use 'subir as escadas'. 'Escalar' implies using hands and feet on a steep surface.

Primarily, yes, but it is also used for walls, fences, and very importantly, for picking players in sports or workers for shifts.

It is the noun form of 'escalar', meaning 'the lineup' or 'the roster' of a team.

Yes, it is a regular -ar verb. It follows the same conjugation pattern as 'falar' or 'amar'.

You can say 'escalada em rocha' or simply 'escalada' when the context is clear.

Yes, in business and tech, 'escalar um negócio' means to scale a business up.

No, it is a transitive verb. You 'escalar algo' (climb something) directly.

In Portugal, mostly yes. In Brazil, be careful as it can be vulgar slang for sex.

'Escalar' is to put someone in the starting lineup. 'Convocar' is to call them to the squad in general.

Eu escalei, você escalou, nós escalamos, eles escalaram.