At the A1 level, you don't need to use 'informatizar' often, but you should recognize it as being related to 'informação' (information) and 'computador' (computer). It is a long word, but it follows the easiest conjugation pattern in Portuguese: the -AR ending. Think of it as 'Information + ize'. You might see it in simple signs at a library or a small shop that says 'Sistema Informatizado' (Computerized System), meaning they use computers to handle your purchase. At this stage, focus on the fact that 'informatizar' is an action (a verb) and 'informatizado' is a description (an adjective). You can use it in very simple sentences with 'querer' (to want) or 'precisar' (to need), like 'Eu preciso informatizar meu trabalho' (I need to computerize my work). Even if you don't use it, knowing it helps you understand that many Portuguese verbs are built by adding '-izar' to a noun, just like in English we add '-ize'. This is a great 'shortcut' for building your vocabulary early on.
At the A2 level, you should be able to use 'informatizar' to describe basic modernization projects. This is the level where you start talking about your workplace, your routine, and your plans. 'Informatizar' is a perfect word for this because it describes a common task in many jobs. You should practice conjugating it in the present tense (eu informatizo, você informatiza) and the simple past (eu informatizei, ele informatizou). You can also use it with the 'ir + infinitive' structure to talk about the future: 'Nós vamos informatizar a loja' (We are going to computerize the shop). At A2, you should also begin to distinguish it from 'digitalizar' (scanning documents). If you are talking about a big change involving computers, use 'informatizar'. It makes your Portuguese sound more professional and precise. You might also encounter the noun form 'informatização' (computerization) in news snippets or simple business texts, and you should recognize that it comes from the same root verb.
At the B1 level, you can use 'informatizar' in more complex sentence structures, such as those involving the conditional or the subjunctive. For example, 'Se a empresa informatizasse os processos, seria mais rápida' (If the company computerized the processes, it would be faster). You are now moving beyond simple descriptions and starting to discuss hypotheses and benefits. You should also be comfortable using 'informatizar' in the passive voice, which is very common in business writing: 'Os registros foram informatizados no ano passado' (The records were computerized last year). At this level, you should understand the cultural context—that in Portuguese-speaking countries, 'informatizar' often implies a move toward transparency and efficiency in government and business. You can use the word to express opinions about technology in society. For instance, you could discuss whether 'informatizar' the voting system is a good idea. Your vocabulary is expanding, and 'informatizar' is a key brick in the wall of your professional Portuguese.
At the B2 level, you should use 'informatizar' with nuance, understanding its place among synonyms like 'automatizar', 'digitalizar', and 'virtualizar'. You can use it in formal debates or when writing reports. You should be able to discuss the challenges of 'informatização', such as the cost of hardware, the need for staff training, and data security. Your sentences should be fluid: 'Apesar dos custos elevados, a decisão de informatizar o departamento jurídico provou ser essencial para a produtividade da equipe' (Despite the high costs, the decision to computerize the legal department proved essential for the team's productivity). You should also be familiar with the word family, including 'informática' (computer science), 'informático' (computer technician/related to IT), and 'desinformatizar' (though rare, used to describe removing systems). At B2, you are expected to handle the word in all tenses, including the future subjunctive and the personal infinitive, with ease.
At the C1 level, 'informatizar' is a tool for precise communication in specialized fields like management, law, and technology. you should be able to discuss the socio-economic impacts of 'informatizar' entire sectors of the economy, such as the 'informatização da agricultura' (computerization of agriculture) and its effects on the labor market. You can use the word in sophisticated rhetorical structures: 'Não se trata apenas de informatizar por informatizar, mas de repensar a lógica do serviço público' (It's not just about computerizing for the sake of computerizing, but about rethinking the logic of public service). You should also understand the historical weight of the word in Brazil and Portugal during the 'digital divide' discussions of the 90s. Your use of 'informatizar' should be effortless, and you should be able to catch subtle misuses of the term in others' speech or writing. You might also explore the word in academic contexts, such as 'a informatização do saber' (the computerization of knowledge).
At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'informatizar' and its role in the evolution of the Portuguese language. You can use it in creative writing, high-level policy analysis, or academic research. You understand the nuances of how 'informatizar' has evolved from a futuristic goal to a standard requirement, and perhaps even to a term that sounds slightly 'retro' compared to newer terms like 'nuvem' (cloud) or 'IA' (AI). You can discuss the philosophical implications of an 'informatizada' society, perhaps referencing Lusophone thinkers or tech leaders. Your command of the word includes its most obscure forms and its interaction with complex grammatical structures like 'mesóclise' (in very formal European Portuguese: 'informatizar-se-á o sistema'). You use the word with the same ease as a native speaker, selecting it precisely when 'digitalizar' or 'automatizar' wouldn't capture the systemic nature of the change you're describing.

informatizar in 30 Seconds

  • Informatizar means to computerize a system or organization.
  • It is a regular -AR verb used in business and government contexts.
  • It differs from 'digitalizar' (scanning) by focusing on the whole system.
  • Commonly used to describe modernization and efficiency improvements.

The Portuguese verb informatizar is a fundamental term that emerged during the late 20th century as societies transitioned from analog record-keeping to digital systems. At its core, it means to implement information technology (IT) within an organization, process, or system. While in English we might say 'to computerize' or 'to go digital,' the Portuguese word informatizar carries a broad weight, encompassing everything from installing hardware to migrating databases and training staff on new software. It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually acts upon an object—a company, a school, a hospital, or even a specific workflow like 'informatizar o sistema de pagamentos' (to computerize the payment system).

Professional Context
In business meetings, you will hear this word when discussing modernization. A manager might say that the company needs to informatizar its stock control to avoid errors. This implies a systemic change, moving away from manual ledgers to an integrated ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system.
Government and Public Sector
In Brazil and Portugal, the 'informatização' (noun form) of the judicial system or public health records is a major topic of news. When a politician promises to informatizar the local health clinics, they are promising that patients will no longer need paper files and that appointments can be booked online.

O governo decidiu informatizar todas as escolas públicas da região para facilitar o acesso à informação. (The government decided to computerize all public schools in the region to facilitate access to information.)

When using informatizar, think about the scale of the operation. If you are just scanning one photo, use 'digitalizar'. If you are changing the way an entire office operates by introducing computers and networks, informatizar is the correct choice. It is a regular -AR verb, making its conjugation predictable and easy for A2 learners to master. You will find it used in the infinitive frequently after auxiliary verbs like 'precisar' (to need) or 'querer' (to want).

Precisamos informatizar o nosso arquivo morto antes do final do ano. (We need to computerize our dead files before the end of the year.)

Educational Context
In universities, professors might talk about how the library was informatizada (past participle/adjective) in the early 2000s. This refers to the transition from physical card catalogs to searchable digital databases.

In summary, informatizar represents progress and modernization through technology. It is a word of efficiency, organization, and the future. Whether you are talking about a small family business or a giant multinational corporation, 'informatizar' is the bridge between the old world of paper and the new world of data.

Using informatizar correctly requires understanding its role as a transitive verb. In Portuguese, the structure is typically [Subject] + [Conjugated Verb] + [Direct Object]. For example, 'A empresa informatizou os processos' (The company computerized the processes). Because it is a regular verb ending in -ar, it follows the standard conjugation patterns you learn early in your Portuguese studies.

Eles pretendem informatizar o setor de vendas na próxima semana. (They intend to computerize the sales sector next week.)

The Passive Voice
In formal reports, you will often see the passive voice: 'O sistema foi informatizado' (The system was computerized). Here, the past participle 'informatizado' functions like an adjective, agreeing in gender and number with the subject.
Using with Pronouns
If you've already mentioned the office (o escritório), you can use a direct object pronoun: 'Nós vamos informatizá-lo' (We are going to computerize it). Notice the accent change on the verb when the pronoun '-lo' is attached.

Commonly, informatizar is used in the future tense or with the 'ir + infinitive' construction to express plans. Since computerizing a business is usually a goal or a project, these structures are natural. 'Nós vamos informatizar a clínica' (We are going to computerize the clinic) is much more common in spoken Portuguese than the simple future 'Informatizaremos a clínica'.

Se nós não informatizarmos a gestão, perderemos dinheiro. (If we don't computerize the management, we will lose money.)

Finally, remember that informatizar can also be used reflexively in very specific technical contexts, though it is rare. You might see 'O sistema se informatiza' to mean a system that automates or updates itself, but for A2 learners, focusing on the transitive use (doing it to something else) is the most practical approach. Always pair it with nouns related to administration, data, or physical locations like 'escritório', 'loja', or 'departamento'.

You are most likely to encounter informatizar in settings involving bureaucracy, business management, and news reporting. While it might not come up often at a casual dinner party, it is an essential word for anyone living or working in a Lusophone country. In Brazil, for example, the 'Justiça Eleitoral' (Electoral Justice) is famous for being fully informatizada, using electronic voting machines (urnas eletrônicas). You will hear journalists discussing how the country was one of the first to informatizar the entire voting process.

In the Workplace
Imagine you are working in an old accounting firm in Lisbon. Your boss might say, 'É hora de informatizar as nossas faturas' (It's time to computerize our invoices). This is a call to action for modernization. You'll hear it in IT departments, HR, and logistics.
In the News
News anchors often use the term when reporting on government efficiency. 'O Ministério da Saúde anunciou um plano para informatizar o histórico médico de todos os cidadãos' (The Ministry of Health announced a plan to computerize the medical history of all citizens).

Muitas prefeituras pequenas ainda lutam para informatizar seus serviços básicos. (Many small city halls still struggle to computerize their basic services.)

Another place you'll hear this is in job interviews. If you are applying for an administrative role, you might be asked: 'Você tem experiência em ajudar empresas a se informatizarem?' (Do you have experience helping companies computerize themselves?). Or you might see it in a job description: 'O candidato deve auxiliar no processo de informatizar o banco de dados' (The candidate must assist in the process of computerizing the database).

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make with informatizar is confusing it with digitalizar. While they are related, they are not interchangeable. Digitalizar usually refers to the act of scanning a physical document into a digital format (PDF, JPG). In contrast, informatizar refers to the larger process of implementing an IT infrastructure. You digitalize a photo, but you computerize a business.

Mistake: Using it for simple actions
Don't say 'Eu vou informatizar este papel'. Instead, say 'Eu vou digitalizar este papel'. Informatizar is for systems and organizations, not single items.
Mistake: Confusion with 'Informar'
Because they share the root 'inform-', some learners use informatizar when they mean 'to inform' (informar). Remember: Informar is about giving information to a person; informatizar is about putting a system onto a computer.

Errado: Vou informatizar você sobre a reunião. (Incorrect)
Correto: Vou informar você sobre a reunião. (Correct)

Another subtle mistake is forgetting that informatizar implies a transition. If a company is already high-tech, you wouldn't say they are 'informatizando'; you would say they are 'atualizando' (updating) or 'otimizando' (optimizing). Use informatizar specifically for the shift from manual/paper-based to digital-based.

While informatizar is the standard term for systemic computerization, several other verbs occupy similar semantic space. Understanding the nuances between them will help you sound more like a native speaker and choose the right word for the right context.

Digitalizar
As mentioned before, this is for documents. 'Vou digitalizar este contrato' (I'm going to scan/digitalize this contract). It is the most common alternative when people speak loosely, but it's technically narrower than informatizar.
Automatizar
This means 'to automate'. While informatizing a system often involves automation, automatizar specifically focuses on making a process run without human intervention. You can informatizar a library (put it on computers) without necessarily automatizar the book returns.
Modernizar
A broader term meaning 'to modernize'. Computerization is often a part of modernization. 'Precisamos modernizar o escritório' could mean buying new furniture AND computerizing the records.

Comparação:
1. Digitalizar: Scan a paper.
2. Informatizar: Put the whole office on a computer system.
3. Automatizar: Make the computer system do the work automatically.

Choosing between these words depends on your audience. In a technical report, use informatizar. In a casual conversation about scanning a receipt, use digitalizar. If you are talking about robots or AI, use automatizar.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The suffix '-izar' is one of the most productive in Portuguese, used to turn nouns into verbs, similar to '-ize' in English. This is why many technical terms look so similar in both languages.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ĩ.foɾ.ma.tiˈzaɾ/
US /ĩ.foʁ.ma.tʃiˈza/
The stress is on the last syllable: 'zar'.
Rhymes With
analisar organizar atualizar realizar visualizar otimizar priorizar fiscalizar
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing the 'in' as a clear English 'in' instead of a nasal vowel.
  • Putting the stress on 'ma' instead of 'zar'.
  • Pronouncing the 'z' as an 's' sound.
  • Making the 'r' too hard like an American 'r'.
  • Forgetting the 'i' in 'ti' in fast speech.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize due to English cognates like 'information' and 'ize'.

Writing 3/5

Requires remembering the -izar suffix and nasal 'in'.

Speaking 4/5

The five syllables and final stress can be a mouthful for beginners.

Listening 2/5

Clear pronunciation and distinct syllables make it easy to hear.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

informação computador sistema fazer querer

Learn Next

digitalizar automatizar software programação eficiência

Advanced

infraestrutura interoperabilidade desburocratização algoritmo

Grammar to Know

Regular -AR Verb Conjugation

Eu informatizo, você informatiza, nós informatizamos.

The Suffix -izar

Moderno -> Modernizar; Útil -> Utilizar; Informatica -> Informatizar.

Direct Object Pronouns with Infinitive

Vou informatizar o sistema -> Vou informatizá-lo.

Passive Voice with 'Ser'

O arquivo foi informatizado pela equipe.

Future Subjunctive

Quando nós informatizarmos a loja, tudo será melhor.

Examples by Level

1

Eu quero informatizar o meu escritório.

I want to computerize my office.

Uses 'querer' + infinitive.

2

Eles precisam informatizar a loja.

They need to computerize the shop.

Uses 'precisar' + infinitive.

3

O sistema está informatizado.

The system is computerized.

Uses 'informatizado' as a past participle adjective.

4

Nós vamos informatizar os dados.

We are going to computerize the data.

Future with 'ir'.

5

Você pode informatizar este processo?

Can you computerize this process?

Uses 'poder' + infinitive.

6

A biblioteca é informatizada.

The library is computerized.

Feminine form of the adjective 'informatizada'.

7

Vou informatizar meu arquivo.

I'm going to computerize my file.

Simple future construction.

8

É fácil informatizar a escola.

It is easy to computerize the school.

Impersonal 'é' + adjective + infinitive.

1

O gerente informatizou o setor de vendas.

The manager computerized the sales sector.

Preterite (past) tense.

2

Se você informatizar a clínica, o trabalho será mais rápido.

If you computerize the clinic, the work will be faster.

Future subjunctive 'informatizar' (looks like infinitive).

3

Estamos informatizando a nossa contabilidade.

We are computerizing our accounting.

Present continuous (gerund).

4

Ela quer informatizar toda a documentação.

She wants to computerize all the documentation.

Infinitive after 'querer'.

5

O hospital já está totalmente informatizado.

The hospital is already fully computerized.

Adverb 'totalmente' modifying the adjective.

6

Eles não querem informatizar o sistema antigo.

They don't want to computerize the old system.

Negative sentence with infinitive.

7

Como podemos informatizar a gestão da empresa?

How can we computerize the company's management?

Interrogative sentence.

8

O governo vai informatizar as prefeituras.

The government will computerize the city halls.

Future with 'ir'.

1

É importante que a empresa informatize os seus processos.

It is important that the company computerizes its processes.

Present subjunctive 'informatize'.

2

Se nós informatizássemos a escola, os alunos aprenderiam mais.

If we computerized the school, the students would learn more.

Imperfect subjunctive 'informatizássemos'.

3

O projeto para informatizar o tribunal foi aprovado.

The project to computerize the court was approved.

Noun + preposition + infinitive.

4

Eles teriam informatizado o estoque se tivessem dinheiro.

They would have computerized the stock if they had money.

Conditional perfect.

5

Informatizar um banco de dados exige muito tempo.

Computerizing a database requires a lot of time.

Infinitive as the subject of the sentence.

6

A informatização trouxe muitos benefícios para a saúde.

Computerization brought many benefits to health.

Uses the noun 'informatização'.

7

Nós informatizamos o sistema para evitar erros manuais.

We computerized the system to avoid manual errors.

Preterite tense expressing purpose.

8

Embora seja caro informatizar, vale a pena.

Although it is expensive to computerize, it is worth it.

Conjunction 'embora' + subjunctive.

1

A decisão de informatizar a rede hospitalar foi estratégica.

The decision to computerize the hospital network was strategic.

Complex noun phrase as subject.

2

Ao informatizarmos a prefeitura, reduzimos a burocracia.

By computerizing the city hall, we reduced bureaucracy.

Personal infinitive 'informatizarmos'.

3

Duvido que eles consigam informatizar tudo até dezembro.

I doubt they can computerize everything by December.

Subjunctive after 'duvidar'.

4

O setor jurídico foi informatizado para agilizar os processos.

The legal sector was computerized to speed up the cases.

Passive voice.

5

Caso você queira informatizar sua empresa, procure um consultor.

In case you want to computerize your company, look for a consultant.

Conditional 'caso' + subjunctive.

6

A empresa está se informatizando gradualmente.

The company is computerizing itself gradually.

Reflexive use with gerund.

7

Informatizaram o sistema sem treinar os funcionários.

They computerized the system without training the employees.

Indefinite subject (third person plural).

8

Sempre que informatizamos um setor, a produtividade aumenta.

Whenever we computerize a sector, productivity increases.

Temporal clause with present tense.

1

A necessidade de informatizar a administração pública é premente.

The need to computerize public administration is urgent.

Formal vocabulary ('premente').

2

Não basta informatizar; é preciso educar digitalmente a população.

It is not enough to computerize; it is necessary to digitally educate the population.

Coordinating conjunction 'não basta... é preciso'.

3

O custo de não informatizar pode ser superior ao investimento inicial.

The cost of not computerizing can be higher than the initial investment.

Infinitive used as a noun with negation.

4

Informatizaram-se os arquivos mortos para liberar espaço físico.

The dead files were computerized to free up physical space.

Passive 'se' construction (more formal).

5

A resistência em informatizar certos setores advém do medo do desemprego.

The resistance to computerizing certain sectors stems from the fear of unemployment.

Complex prepositional phrase.

6

O software foi desenvolvido para informatizar microempresas.

The software was developed to computerize micro-businesses.

Purpose clause with 'para'.

7

Ao informatizar o fluxo de caixa, o erro humano é minimizado.

When computerizing the cash flow, human error is minimized.

Reduced temporal clause with 'ao'.

8

Informatizar a justiça é um passo vital para a democracia.

Computerizing justice is a vital step for democracy.

Infinitive as subject in a philosophical context.

1

Informatizar-se-ia todo o sistema, não fosse a escassez de recursos.

The entire system would be computerized, were it not for the scarcity of resources.

Mesoclisis (very formal) and conditional.

2

A dialética entre informatizar e humanizar os serviços é complexa.

The dialectic between computerizing and humanizing services is complex.

Abstract philosophical usage.

3

O imperativo de informatizar transcende a mera conveniência técnica.

The imperative to computerize transcends mere technical convenience.

High-level academic vocabulary.

4

Houve quem criticasse a pressa em informatizar o ensino primário.

There were those who criticized the rush to computerize primary education.

Relative clause with 'quem' and subjunctive.

5

Informatizar pressupõe uma reestruturação profunda da cultura organizacional.

Computerizing presupposes a profound restructuring of the organizational culture.

Verb 'pressupor' with complex object.

6

A despeito das falhas, informatizar foi o caminho mais sensato.

Despite the failures, computerizing was the most sensible path.

Formal concession 'a despeito de'.

7

Tão logo se informatize o setor, os lucros deverão subir.

As soon as the sector is computerized, profits should rise.

Temporal 'tão logo' + subjunctive.

8

Informatizar é, em última análise, uma forma de perpetuar a memória.

Computerizing is, in the final analysis, a way of perpetuating memory.

Parenthetical 'em última análise'.

Common Collocations

informatizar o sistema
informatizar a empresa
totalmente informatizado
precisar informatizar
informatizar a escola
informatizar os dados
decidir informatizar
projeto para informatizar
processo de informatizar
ajudar a informatizar

Common Phrases

Sistema informatizado

— A computerized system. Used to indicate that a place uses computers.

Este banco possui um sistema informatizado moderno.

Informatizar o estoque

— To put the inventory on a computer system. Common in retail.

Vamos informatizar o estoque para evitar perdas.

Unidade informatizada

— A computerized unit or branch. Often used in health or government.

Esta é a única unidade informatizada da região.

Informatizar o atendimento

— To computerize the customer service process.

Informatizar o atendimento reduziu o tempo de espera.

Rede informatizada

— A computerized network.

A rede informatizada da empresa caiu hoje.

Informatizar a gestão

— To computerize the management of a business.

É vital informatizar a gestão financeira.

Plenamente informatizado

— Fully computerized.

O processo eleitoral brasileiro é plenamente informatizado.

Informatizar o arquivo

— To computerize the archives or files.

Eles vão levar meses para informatizar o arquivo.

Informatizar o tribunal

— To computerize the court system.

Informatizar o tribunal agilizou os julgamentos.

Informatizar a biblioteca

— To computerize the library.

É mais fácil achar livros na biblioteca informatizada.

Often Confused With

informatizar vs digitalizar

English speakers use 'digitalize' for everything, but in Portuguese, 'digitalizar' is specifically for scanning or converting analog media to digital files.

informatizar vs informar

Don't confuse 'to inform a person' with 'to computerize a system'.

informatizar vs formatar

Formatar means to format a hard drive (erase it) or format a document. It is not the same as implementing a system.

Idioms & Expressions

"Entrar na era da informática"

— To start using computers; to modernize. Used when a place is very behind.

Finalmente aquela padaria vai entrar na era da informática.

Informal
"O sistema caiu"

— The system is down. Related to computerized environments.

Não posso te atender agora, o sistema caiu.

Neutral
"Estar fora do sistema"

— To be off the grid or not in the database.

Seu nome está fora do sistema, não posso fazer nada.

Neutral
"Rodar o sistema"

— To run the system or software.

Vamos rodar o sistema para ver se há erros.

Technical/Informal
"Dar um tilt"

— To have a glitch or a breakdown (can apply to computers or people).

O computador deu um tilt quando tentei informatizar os dados.

Slang
"Ficar no papel"

— To remain on paper; to not be digitized or computerized.

Muitas ideias boas ainda ficam no papel.

Informal
"Atualizar o chip"

— To update one's thinking (metaphor related to computers).

Você precisa atualizar o chip e aprender a usar o novo software.

Slang
"Processar a informação"

— To process information (often used for humans understanding things).

Espere um pouco, estou processando a informação.

Neutral
"Fazer um backup"

— To make a backup; used metaphorically for having a 'Plan B'.

É sempre bom fazer um backup dos seus planos.

Informal
"Em tempo real"

— In real-time. A key benefit of informatizing.

Agora podemos ver as vendas em tempo real.

Neutral

Easily Confused

informatizar vs Digitalizar

Both involve computers and data.

Informatizar is about the system/organization; Digitalizar is about the specific document/file.

Informatizei a empresa, mas ainda preciso digitalizar estes papéis.

informatizar vs Automatizar

Both imply technology doing work.

Informatizar is putting it on a computer; Automatizar is making it run by itself.

Depois de informatizar o estoque, vamos automatizar os pedidos.

informatizar vs Informar

Similar root word.

Informar is giving news/facts to someone; Informatizar is a technical implementation.

Vou te informar quando terminarmos de informatizar o escritório.

informatizar vs Computadorizar

Exact synonyms.

Informatizar is much more common in Brazilian Portuguese; Computadorizar sounds a bit more literal and technical.

Eles decidiram computadorizar o laboratório.

informatizar vs Modernizar

Informatizing is a way of modernizing.

Modernizar is broad (new paint, new furniture, new ideas); Informatizar is specific to IT.

Modernizar a escola inclui informatizar as salas de aula.

Sentence Patterns

A1

Eu quero + informatizar + [noun]

Eu quero informatizar meu negócio.

A2

Nós vamos + informatizar + [noun]

Nós vamos informatizar a recepção.

B1

É preciso + informatizar + para + [infinitive]

É preciso informatizar para ganhar tempo.

B1

Se + [subject] + informatizasse...

Se ele informatizasse a loja, venderia mais.

B2

O processo de + informatizar + é + [adjective]

O processo de informatizar é complexo.

B2

[Noun] + foi + informatizado

O setor financeiro foi informatizado.

C1

Ao + informatizar + [noun], + [consequence]

Ao informatizar o sistema, a margem de erro cai.

C2

Informatizar + pressupõe + [complex object]

Informatizar pressupõe uma mudança de paradigma.

Word Family

Nouns

informatização (computerization)
informática (computer science)
informação (information)
informático (IT professional)

Verbs

informar (to inform)
desinformar (to misinform)
reinformar (to inform again)

Adjectives

informatizado (computerized)
informático (related to IT)
informativo (informative)
informado (informed)

Related

computador
sistema
software
rede
banco de dados

How to Use It

frequency

High in professional and administrative contexts; medium in daily life.

Common Mistakes
  • Eu vou informatizar este PDF. Eu vou digitalizar este PDF.

    You don't computerize a file; you digitalize it. Informatizar is for the system.

  • A empresa está informatizada de novos funcionários. A empresa está informada sobre os novos funcionários.

    Confusing 'informatizada' with 'informada' (informed).

  • Nós informatizamos o computador. Nós usamos o computador para informatizar o sistema.

    You don't computerize a computer; you use a computer to computerize a system.

  • Eles querem informatizar-se. Eles querem informatizar a empresa.

    While reflexive is possible, it's much more common to specify what is being computerized.

  • O plano de informatizar foi muito bom. O plano de informatização foi muito bom.

    Using the infinitive where the noun 'informatização' sounds more natural.

Tips

Regularity is Key

Since it's a regular -AR verb, once you learn the stem 'informatiz-', you can easily conjugate it in any tense.

System vs. Document

Always ask: 'Am I talking about the whole process or just one piece of paper?' Use 'informatizar' for the process.

Nasal Start

Practice the 'in-' sound. It's not like the English 'in'. Close your mouth slightly and let the air go through your nose.

Workplace Essential

If you work in an office in a Lusophone country, this is one of the top 50 verbs you need to know.

Passive Voice

In reports, use 'O sistema foi informatizado' to sound more professional.

Speed

Because it's a long word, native speakers often say it quickly. Practice the rhythm: in-for-ma-ti-ZAR.

Root Word

Remember 'Informática'. If you know that 'Informática' is Computer Science, 'Informatizar' is just the action form.

Don't Overuse Digitalizar

Many learners over-rely on 'digitalizar'. Using 'informatizar' shows a higher level of Portuguese.

Modernity

Understand that 'informatizar' often carries a sense of 'improvement' or 'progress' in Portuguese culture.

Noun vs Verb

Be careful not to confuse 'informatização' (the process) with 'informatizar' (the action) when listening to news.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Information' + 'T' (Technology) + 'ZAR' (like a Tsar ruling over the computers). To 'informatizar' is to let Information Technology rule your office.

Visual Association

Imagine a dusty office full of paper files suddenly being sucked into a glowing blue computer screen. That transition is 'informatizar'.

Word Web

Informação Computador Internet Sistema Eficiência Moderno Digital Dados

Challenge

Try to say 'Eu preciso informatizar meu sistema' five times fast without tripping over the 'tizar' ending.

Word Origin

From the noun 'informática' (computer science/informatics) + the verbal suffix '-izar'. The word 'informática' itself is a portmanteau of 'informação' (information) and 'automática' (automatic), coined in French as 'informatique' in 1962.

Original meaning: To make information automatic; to use machines to process data.

Romance (Portuguese), derived from Latin roots 'informare'.

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities, though be aware that 'informatizar' can sometimes imply job losses due to automation in labor-heavy sectors.

English speakers might find 'computerize' sounds a bit 1980s, but 'informatizar' is still very current and professional in Portuguese.

Government 'Simplex' program in Portugal. Brazil's 'Urna Eletrônica' (Electronic Voting) success stories. The song 'Pela Internet' by Gilberto Gil mentions digital transformation.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Business Management

  • Informatizar a folha de pagamento
  • Reduzir custos ao informatizar
  • Software para informatizar
  • Treinamento para informatizar

Government Services

  • Informatizar o sistema público
  • Transparência ao informatizar
  • Informatizar o cadastro
  • Modernização da prefeitura

Healthcare

  • Informatizar o prontuário médico
  • Agendamento informatizado
  • Histórico do paciente no sistema
  • Rede hospitalar informatizada

Education

  • Informatizar a secretaria
  • Laboratório de informática
  • Matrícula informatizada
  • Diário de classe digital

Logistics

  • Informatizar o rastreio
  • Controle de carga informatizado
  • Sistema de entregas
  • Otimizar a frota

Conversation Starters

"Você acha que é difícil informatizar uma empresa pequena?"

"A sua escola era totalmente informatizada quando você era criança?"

"Quais são as vantagens de informatizar o sistema de saúde?"

"Você já ajudou alguém a informatizar o próprio trabalho?"

"O que acontece se um país não quiser informatizar seus serviços?"

Journal Prompts

Descreva como você usaria a tecnologia para informatizar a sua rotina diária.

Escreva sobre uma experiência em que um sistema informatizado falhou e o que você fez.

Quais setores da sociedade ainda precisam ser informatizados no seu país?

Se você fosse o dono de uma loja antiga, como você começaria a informatizá-la?

Reflita sobre os prós e contras de informatizar toda a documentação histórica de uma cidade.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, it can apply to anything that can be managed by a computer system, including hospitals, farms (agrotech), schools, and even home management.

It is common when talking about work or services. You won't hear it while buying bread, but you will hear it if the bakery's computer system is broken.

No, you should use 'digitalizar' for that. 'Informatizar' is for whole systems.

It is a regular verb: eu informatizei, você informatizou, nós informatizamos, eles informatizaram.

The noun form is 'informatização', which means 'computerization'.

Yes, it is used in all Portuguese-speaking countries with the same meaning.

Not exactly. While they are related, 'informatizar' is about the computer system, and 'automatizar' is about the process running itself.

Metaphorically, it could mean someone who uses a lot of technology, but it's usually applied to systems or organizations.

It is neutral to formal. In very casual speech, people might just say 'colocar no computador'.

There isn't a single common word, but 'desinformatizar' exists (though rare). Usually, people say 'voltar ao sistema manual'.

Test Yourself 200 questions

writing

Translate to Portuguese: 'We need to computerize the office.'

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
writing

Use 'informatizar' in a sentence about a hospital.

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writing

Write a sentence in the past tense with 'informatizar'.

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writing

Explain the difference between 'informatizar' and 'digitalizar' in one sentence.

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writing

Translate: 'The library is fully computerized.'

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writing

Create a question using 'informatizar'.

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writing

Write a sentence using the future subjunctive of 'informatizar'.

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writing

Translate: 'They are computerizing the sales sector.'

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writing

Use the noun 'informatização' in a sentence.

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writing

Translate: 'I would computerize the system if I had money.'

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writing

Write a sentence using 'informatizar' in the present tense for 'eu'.

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writing

Translate: 'It is important to computerize public services.'

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writing

Use 'informatizado' to describe a store.

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writing

Translate: 'We already computerized the inventory.'

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writing

Write a sentence using 'informatizar' and 'eficiência'.

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writing

Translate: 'She wants to computerize her files.'

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writing

Use 'informatizar' in a sentence about a school.

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writing

Translate: 'The system was computerized in 2020.'

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writing

Write a sentence using 'informatizar' in the imperative (command).

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writing

Translate: 'We are going to computerize the database.'

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speaking

Pronounce the word 'informatizar' slowly.

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'Eu quero informatizar minha loja.'

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speaking

Say: 'O sistema está informatizado.'

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speaking

Say: 'Nós vamos informatizar o estoque.'

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speaking

Say: 'Eles informatizaram a empresa.'

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speaking

Say: 'A informatização é importante.'

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speaking

Say: 'Precisamos informatizar os dados.'

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speaking

Say: 'Se eu pudesse, eu informatizaria tudo.'

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speaking

Say: 'O hospital foi informatizado.'

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speaking

Say: 'Estamos informatizando os processos.'

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speaking

Say the syllables of 'informatização'.

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'Vou informatizar meu arquivo.'

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speaking

Say: 'A escola é informatizada.'

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speaking

Say: 'Eles querem informatizar o setor.'

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speaking

Say: 'O governo informatizou a justiça.'

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speaking

Say: 'Você já informatizou o sistema?'

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speaking

Say: 'É caro informatizar.'

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speaking

Say: 'Informatizar traz eficiência.'

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speaking

Say: 'O sistema informatizado é rápido.'

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speaking

Say: 'Vamos informatizar a recepção.'

Read this aloud:

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listening

Listen to the word: 'Informatizar'. How many syllables do you hear?

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listening

Listen to the sentence: 'O gerente informatizou o setor.' Which sector was mentioned?

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listening

Listen: 'A informatização é lenta.' Is computerization fast or slow?

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listening

Listen: 'Precisamos informatizar.' What do they need to do?

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listening

Listen: 'O sistema foi informatizado ontem.' When was it computerized?

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listening

Listen: 'Eles estão informatizando a clínica.' What are they computerizing?

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listening

Listen: 'Vou informatizar meus dados.' Whose data is it?

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listening

Listen: 'A biblioteca já é informatizada.' Is the library already computerized?

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listening

Listen: 'Informatizar custa caro.' Is it cheap or expensive?

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listening

Listen: 'Se informatizarmos, seremos melhores.' What is the condition?

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listening

Listen: 'O técnico vai informatizar a rede.' Who will do the work?

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listening

Listen: 'Não queremos informatizar agora.' Do they want to do it now?

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listening

Listen: 'A informatização trouxe lucros.' What did computerization bring?

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listening

Listen: 'O tribunal está informatizado.' What is computerized?

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listening

Listen: 'Informatizar é o futuro.' What is 'informatizar' according to the speaker?

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/ 200 correct

Perfect score!

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