When something isn't finished or is missing parts, we can say it's done incompletamente. Think of it like a puzzle with missing pieces or a story that stops before the end. It means it's 'incompletely' done. You'll often use it to describe actions that weren't carried out all the way. So, if you say something was done incompletamente, it means it wasn't done fully or entirely.
When we talk about something being done incompletamente, we mean it's not finished or not done to its full extent. It's like when you start a task but don't quite get to the end, or you only do part of it.
You might use it to describe a drawing that's only half-colored, a report that's missing some sections, or even a meal that wasn't fully cooked. It emphasizes that there's a part missing or that the action wasn't carried out entirely.
When we want to say that something is done partially, or not fully finished, we use the adverb incompletamente. This word directly translates to "incompletely" in English, and it's a straightforward way to express that a task, a thought, or an action is not whole. Think of it as the opposite of doing something "completely" or "fully."
For example, if you say, "The report was incompletamente preenchido," you mean the report wasn't fully filled out. It's a useful word when precision is needed to describe the extent of an action or state.
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
Let's talk about the Portuguese adverb 'incompletamente'. This word is pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it, and it's super useful for describing actions or states that aren't quite finished or whole. Think of it as the Portuguese equivalent of 'incompletely' or 'not fully' in English.
- DEFINITION
- In an incomplete manner; not fully.
You'll use 'incompletamente' when something is left undone, partially done, or just not entirely there. It’s an adverb, which means it modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. This makes it really flexible for expressing nuances in your sentences.
For example, if you're talking about a task that wasn't finished, you'd use 'incompletamente'. If a report has missing information, or a job was done only partway, this is your word. It emphasizes the lack of completeness. It's a common word in everyday conversations, especially when discussing work, studies, or any process that involves stages of completion.
Think about situations where you might say in English:
- “The work was done incompletely.”
- “She answered the question not fully.”
- “The puzzle was assembled partially.”
In all these cases, 'incompletamente' would fit perfectly in Portuguese. It's about describing the *way* something was done, or the *state* it's in – that way or state being 'incomplete'.
Ele terminou o projeto incompletamente antes do prazo. (He finished the project incompletely before the deadline.)
Here, 'incompletamente' tells us *how* he finished the project. Not fully, not entirely.
A pesquisa foi feita incompletamente, faltando alguns dados importantes. (The research was done incompletely, missing some important data.)
Again, 'incompletamente' modifies 'feita' (done), describing the manner of its completion.
It's generally used in more formal contexts when you're stating a fact about the completeness of something, but it's also perfectly natural in casual speech when you want to express that something isn't fully done. You wouldn't typically use it to politely ask someone to finish something, but rather to describe the current state of affairs. For polite requests, you'd use other phrases.
Understanding 'incompletamente' is a step towards more precise communication in Portuguese. It allows you to express exactly when something falls short of being whole or entire, which is crucial for clear communication whether you're talking about a report, a meal, or even a feeling.
Let's get straight to it. You want to learn how to use the Portuguese adverb incompletamente. This word means 'incompletely' or 'not fully'. It's pretty straightforward, but knowing where to put it in a sentence makes all the difference.
§ Basic Placement of 'incompletamente'
Like many adverbs in Portuguese, incompletamente usually modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It tells you how something was done, or to what extent.
§ Modifying a Verb
When incompletamente modifies a verb, it typically comes right after the verb, especially in simpler sentences. This is the most common use.
Ele incompletamente preencheu o formulário.
He incompletely filled out the form. (meaning he didn't finish it)
A tarefa foi concluída incompletamente.
The task was completed incompletely.
§ Modifying an Adjective or Another Adverb
While less common than modifying a verb, incompletamente can also modify an adjective or another adverb to intensify or qualify its meaning. In these cases, it comes directly before the word it's modifying.
A resposta estava incompletamente correta.
The answer was incompletely correct. (meaning it was partially correct, but not entirely)
Ele se expressou incompletamente bem.
He expressed himself incompletely well. (This implies his expression was okay, but not fully articulate or sufficient.)
§ Using 'incompletamente' with Compound Tenses
When you're using compound tenses (like the perfect tenses, which use an auxiliary verb like 'ter' or 'haver' + a past participle), incompletamente usually goes between the auxiliary verb and the main verb's participle, or sometimes after the entire compound verb construction.
- Between auxiliary and participle:
Eles têm incompletamente estudado o material.
They have incompletely studied the material.
- After the compound verb:
O projeto foi desenvolvido incompletamente.
The project was developed incompletely.
§ 'incompletamente' in Negative Sentences
When you use incompletamente in a negative sentence, its placement is consistent with the rules above, usually following the negative particle 'não'.
Não entendi incompletamente a explicação, mas sim nada.
I didn't incompletely understand the explanation, but rather nothing at all. (This example emphasizes that the understanding was zero, not just partial.)
§ Key Takeaways for Using 'incompletamente'
Here’s what you need to remember:
- Placement with verbs
- Usually after the verb it modifies.
- Placement with adjectives/adverbs
- Directly before the word it modifies.
- Compound tenses
- Often between the auxiliary verb and the participle, or after the entire verb phrase.
Mastering the placement of adverbs like incompletamente will make your Portuguese sound much more natural. Keep practicing, and you'll get there!
§ What "incompletamente" means
The Portuguese word incompletamente is an adverb. It’s pretty straightforward. It means “in an incomplete manner” or “not fully.” Think of it as the opposite of “completely” or “fully.” If something isn't done all the way, or if information is missing, you can use incompletamente to describe that situation.
- DEFINITION
- In an incomplete manner; not fully.
§ "Incompletamente" at Work
You'll often hear incompletamente in a work setting when tasks aren't finished or reports aren't thorough. It's a useful word for giving feedback or describing the status of a project.
O relatório foi preenchido incompletamente.
This means: The report was filled out incompletely.
A tarefa foi realizada incompletamente, precisamos revisar.
This translates to: The task was performed incompletely; we need to review it.
§ "Incompletamente" in School
In academic environments, students or teachers might use incompletamente to talk about assignments, research, or understanding of a topic.
Ele respondeu à pergunta incompletamente.
Meaning: He answered the question incompletely.
A pesquisa foi feita incompletamente.
Translation: The research was done incompletely.
§ "Incompletamente" in the News
News reports might use incompletamente to describe situations where information is still coming in, or investigations haven't yielded full results.
As informações sobre o acidente foram divulgadas incompletamente.
This means: The information about the accident was released incompletely.
O caso ainda está sendo investigado incompletamente.
Translation: The case is still being investigated incompletely.
§ Other common uses of "incompletamente"
Beyond these specific settings, incompletamente can pop up in various daily conversations:
- Describing a task you started but didn't finish: Eu pintei a parede incompletamente. (I painted the wall incompletely.)
- Talking about something you understood only partially: Eu entendi a explicação incompletamente. (I understood the explanation incompletely.)
- When referring to something that is only partially true: A história foi contada incompletamente. (The story was told incompletely.)
Examples by Level
Ele comeu o almoço incompletamente.
He ate lunch incompletely.
A tarefa está incompletamente feita.
The task is incompletely done.
Ela cantou a música incompletamente.
She sang the song incompletely.
O bolo está assado incompletamente.
The cake is incompletely baked.
Ele escreveu a carta incompletamente.
He wrote the letter incompletely.
O trabalho foi entregue incompletamente.
The work was submitted incompletely.
A pintura está incompletamente seca.
The painting is incompletely dry.
Ele explicou a ideia incompletamente.
He explained the idea incompletely.
Ele preencheu o formulário incompletamente.
He filled out the form incompletely.
A tarefa foi feita incompletamente, então ele terá que terminá-la.
The task was done incompletely, so he will have to finish it.
A equipe respondeu incompletamente às perguntas do cliente.
The team answered the client's questions incompletely.
O relatório foi escrito incompletamente e precisa de mais detalhes.
The report was written incompletely and needs more details.
Ela explicou o plano incompletamente, deixando algumas dúvidas.
She explained the plan incompletely, leaving some doubts.
Os dados foram coletados incompletamente, o que afetou a análise.
The data was collected incompletely, which affected the analysis.
Ele terminou o trabalho incompletamente porque o prazo era curto.
He finished the work incompletely because the deadline was short.
O projeto foi planejado incompletamente, resultando em problemas futuros.
The project was planned incompletely, resulting in future problems.
O projeto foi entregue incompletamente, faltando algumas seções cruciais para a avaliação final.
The project was delivered incompletely, missing some crucial sections for the final evaluation.
Here, 'incompletamente' modifies the verb 'entregue' (delivered).
Ela explicou o conceito incompletamente, deixando muitas dúvidas entre os alunos.
She explained the concept incompletely, leaving many doubts among the students.
The adverb 'incompletamente' describes how the action 'explicou' (explained) was performed.
Devido à pressa, o relatório foi preenchido incompletamente, o que resultou em informações ausentes.
Due to haste, the report was filled out incompletely, which resulted in missing information.
'Incompletamente' modifies 'preenchido' (filled out).
A investigação avançou incompletamente, com várias pistas ainda por serem seguidas e analisadas.
The investigation progressed incompletely, with several leads yet to be followed and analyzed.
Here, 'incompletamente' describes the manner in which the investigation 'avançou' (progressed).
Ele tentou montar o móvel sozinho, mas, sem as instruções, o fez incompletamente.
He tried to assemble the furniture himself, but, without instructions, he did it incompletely.
The adverb 'incompletamente' describes how the action 'o fez' (did it) was performed.
A equipe de resgate chegou incompletamente equipada para a magnitude da catástrofe.
The rescue team arrived incompletely equipped for the magnitude of the catastrophe.
'Incompletamente' modifies the adjective 'equipada' (equipped), indicating the degree of completeness.
O quadro foi restaurado incompletamente, com algumas partes ainda apresentando sinais de deterioração.
The painting was restored incompletely, with some parts still showing signs of deterioration.
Here, 'incompletamente' modifies 'restaurado' (restored).
Ele respondeu incompletamente às perguntas do inquérito, evitando dar detalhes cruciais.
He answered the survey questions incompletely, avoiding giving crucial details.
The adverb 'incompletamente' describes how he 'respondeu' (answered).
Often Confused With
While 'incompletamente' is an adverb, 'incompleto' is the adjective form, meaning 'incomplete'. They are related in meaning but differ in their grammatical function.
This means 'partially'. It's similar to 'incompletamente' in that it indicates something is not full or whole, but 'parcialmente' implies only a part is affected, whereas 'incompletamente' suggests the entire action/state is not finished.
This means 'almost'. It indicates nearing completion but not quite there, which can overlap with the idea of something being 'incompletamente' done. However, 'quase' focuses on the proximity to completion, while 'incompletamente' focuses on the lack of completion.
Grammar Patterns
Easily Confused
Often confused with 'mau'. While both relate to badness, 'mal' is an adverb (badly, poorly), and 'mau' is an adjective (bad).
'Mal' modifies verbs, 'mau' modifies nouns. Think of 'mal' like 'badly' and 'mau' like 'bad'.
Ele canta muito mal. (He sings very badly.) / Ele é um mau cantor. (He is a bad singer.)
Frequently confused with 'bem'. 'Bom' is an adjective (good), and 'bem' is an adverb (well).
'Bom' describes nouns, 'bem' describes verbs or other adverbs.
Este livro é bom. (This book is good.) / Eu estou bem, obrigado. (I am well, thank you.)
Sometimes confused with 'aonde'. While both relate to location, 'onde' refers to a static location, and 'aonde' implies movement to a place.
'Onde' answers 'where are you?', 'aonde' answers 'where are you going to?'.
Onde você está? (Where are you?) / Aonde você vai? (Where are you going to?)
Often confused with 'mais'. 'Mas' means 'but', while 'mais' means 'more'.
Context is key. 'Mas' introduces a contrast, 'mais' indicates quantity.
Eu queria ir, mas não tive tempo. (I wanted to go, but I didn't have time.) / Eu quero mais café. (I want more coffee.)
Can be confusing due to its various forms and meanings like 'all', 'every', 'whole'.
It's an adjective that agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. 'Todo' can mean 'all' or 'every'. When used with an article ('o todo'), it means 'the whole'.
Toda a cidade. (The whole city.) / Todos os dias. (Every day / All the days.)
Sentence Patterns
A tarefa está incompletamente preenchida.
The task is incompletely filled out.
O trabalho ficou incompletamente feito.
The work was left incompletely done.
Ele explicou a situação incompletamente.
He explained the situation incompletely.
A informação foi transmitida incompletamente.
The information was transmitted incompletely.
O plano está incompletamente desenvolvido.
The plan is incompletely developed.
Ela respondeu à pergunta incompletamente.
She answered the question incompletely.
Devido à falta de dados, a análise foi realizada incompletamente.
Due to a lack of data, the analysis was conducted incompletely.
Apesar do esforço, o projeto foi finalizado incompletamente.
Despite the effort, the project was finalized incompletely.
Test Yourself 24 questions
Write a short sentence saying you only partially finished your homework.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Eu fiz minha tarefa incompletamente.
Write a sentence about a book you read that was not finished.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Eu li o livro incompletamente.
Write a simple sentence stating that someone ate their meal only partially.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ele comeu a refeição incompletamente.
O que Ana não fez completamente?
Read this passage:
Ana está aprendendo português. Ela lê um livro. Mas Ana lê o livro incompletamente. Ela não entende tudo.
O que Ana não fez completamente?
The passage says 'Mas Ana lê o livro incompletamente.', meaning she read the book not fully.
The passage says 'Mas Ana lê o livro incompletamente.', meaning she read the book not fully.
Por que João faz o trabalho incompletamente?
Read this passage:
João está fazendo seu trabalho. Ele está cansado. Ele faz o trabalho incompletamente. Ele vai terminar amanhã.
Por que João faz o trabalho incompletamente?
The passage states 'Ele está cansado. Ele faz o trabalho incompletamente.' indicating tiredness is the reason.
The passage states 'Ele está cansado. Ele faz o trabalho incompletamente.' indicating tiredness is the reason.
O que Maria não terminou?
Read this passage:
Maria pintou uma imagem. Ela começou a pintura. Mas ela não terminou. Ela pintou a imagem incompletamente.
O que Maria não terminou?
The passage says 'Mas ela não terminou. Ela pintou a imagem incompletamente.' meaning she didn't finish the painting.
The passage says 'Mas ela não terminou. Ela pintou a imagem incompletamente.' meaning she didn't finish the painting.
The adverb 'incompletamente' modifies the verb 'respondeu', indicating how he answered.
'Incompletamente' describes the manner in which the task was performed.
Here, 'incompletamente' modifies the past participle 'finalizado', indicating the state of completion.
Qual das seguintes frases usa 'incompletamente' de forma correta e com o mesmo sentido da definição?
A palavra 'incompletamente' significa que algo não foi feito por completo. A opção correta ilustra precisamente este sentido, onde a tarefa foi iniciada mas não finalizada.
Em qual contexto 'incompletamente' NÃO se encaixa bem, sugerindo uma substituição?
'Incompletamente' descreve uma ação que foi realizada de forma parcial. 'Decidir' é um ato binário (sim ou não), e não se 'decide incompletamente'. Seria mais apropriado dizer 'ela hesitou em decidir' ou 'ela não decidiu completamente'.
Se um trabalho é 'incompletamente' feito, o que isso implica sobre sua qualidade ou estado?
'Incompletamente' refere-se à ausência de completude. Portanto, implica que o trabalho não está finalizado ou que lhe faltam elementos para ser considerado completo.
Se um aluno respondeu 'incompletamente' a uma pergunta, isso significa que ele deu uma resposta parcial.
Sim, responder 'incompletamente' significa que a resposta não foi totalmente abrangente ou que faltaram detalhes importantes.
A frase 'Ele viveu incompletamente sua vida, aproveitando cada momento ao máximo' usa 'incompletamente' de forma adequada para expressar a ideia de plenitude.
Não, o advérbio 'incompletamente' sugere falta de plenitude. Se ele aproveitou cada momento ao máximo, ele viveu sua vida de forma 'completa' ou 'plena', e não 'incompletamente'.
É correto usar 'incompletamente' para descrever algo que foi deixado de lado sem ser tocado.
Não, 'incompletamente' implica que uma ação foi iniciada, mas não finalizada. Se algo não foi tocado, não pode ter sido feito 'incompletamente'. Estaria 'intocado' ou 'não iniciado'.
This sentence demonstrates the correct placement of 'incompletamente' as an adverb modifying the verb 'executada' (executed), indicating how the action was performed.
Here, 'incompletamente' modifies the verb 'fez' (did/made), showing that the explanation was not thorough. The pronoun 'o' refers back to 'o conceito'.
In this case, 'incompletamente' describes the manner in which the project was presented, leading to unanswered questions.
/ 24 correct
Perfect score!
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More academic words
a despeito de
A2Despite; in spite of.
a fim
A2In order to; for the purpose of. (Followed by 'de')
a saber
A2Namely; that is to say.
a título de exemplo
A2By way of example; for example.
abordagem
A2A way of dealing with something; an approach.
abordar
B1To deal with (a matter or problem); to approach a topic.
abreviar
B1To shorten (a word, phrase, or text).
abreviatura
B1A shortened form of a word or phrase.
abstração
B1The quality of dealing with ideas rather than events.
abstracto
B1Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.
