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A2 verb #6,000 most common 9 min read

migrar

Top 6,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips migrar in 30 Seconds

Explanation migrar in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should understand 'migrar' as a basic word for moving. Think of it like 'to move' in a very general sense. You might see it in simple sentences about animals, like 'The birds move' (As aves migram). At this stage, focus on the fact that it ends in -ar, so it follows the most common conjugation pattern in Portuguese. You don't need to worry about complex technical meanings yet; just associate it with animals moving from one place to another when it gets cold. It is a 'big move' verb.

At the A2 level, you can start using 'migrar' to describe seasonal changes and simple human movements. You should be able to conjugate it in the present (eu migro, eles migram) and the simple past (eu migrei). You can use it to talk about people moving from the countryside to the city (migrar para a cidade). You are beginning to see the difference between 'migrar' and 'mudar-se' (moving house). You can also use it for simple tech tasks, like moving photos from a phone to a computer.

At B1, you should use 'migrar' in more diverse contexts, including work and social issues. You can discuss why people migrate (economic reasons, climate) and use the noun 'migração'. You should be comfortable using prepositions like 'de... para...' (migrar de Portugal para o Brasil). In a professional setting, you can use it to describe moving data or changing software. You understand that 'migrar' is a more formal and precise word than 'mudar' when talking about large groups or systems.

At B2, you are expected to use 'migrar' with nuance. You understand its role in technical 'migration' of databases and systems in a professional IT context. You can discuss the complexities of 'fluxos migratórios' (migratory flows) in a sociological debate. You can use the passive voice (os dados foram migrados) and future tenses to describe planned transitions. You also distinguish clearly between 'migrar', 'imigrar', and 'emigrar' and can explain the difference to others. Your vocabulary includes related terms like 'migrante' and 'migratório'.

At the C1 level, 'migrar' becomes a tool for abstract expression. You might talk about 'migrar de uma ideologia para outra' (migrating from one ideology to another) or the 'migração de capital' (migration of capital) in global markets. You use the word in academic writing and high-level business reports. You are aware of the subtle connotations the word carries in different Lusophone cultures, such as the historical weight of internal migration in Brazil or the 'brain drain' migration in Portugal. You use it fluently in complex grammatical structures.

At the C2 level, you use 'migrar' with the precision of a native speaker or a specialist. You can use it metaphorically in literature or philosophy to describe the movement of souls, ideas, or linguistic shifts over centuries. You understand its etymological roots and how it relates to other Latin-based languages. You can navigate highly technical discussions about cloud architecture migration or complex sociological theories of human displacement using 'migrar' and its derivatives with absolute accuracy and appropriate register.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

migrar in 30 Seconds

Migrar is a versatile Portuguese verb meaning 'to migrate', used for animals, people, and digital data.
It is a regular -ar verb, making its conjugation predictable and easy for beginners to learn.
Commonly used with the preposition 'para' to indicate destination and 'de' for origin.
Essential for discussing environmental science, sociology, and modern information technology contexts.

The Portuguese verb migrar is a multifaceted term that primarily describes the act of moving from one place, state, or system to another. At its core, it carries the sense of a significant transition, often driven by necessity, environment, or systemic changes. In the biological sense, it is the word used for birds flying south for the winter or whales traveling thousands of miles across oceans to reach breeding grounds. This seasonal movement is a fundamental part of the word's identity. However, in modern Portuguese, the scope of migrar has expanded significantly into the realms of technology and sociology.

Biological Context: Refers to the periodic, usually seasonal, movement of animals. For example, 'As andorinhas costumam migrar no outono' (Swallows usually migrate in autumn).

Technological Context: Used when moving data, software, or users from one platform or system to another. 'A empresa decidiu migrar todos os dados para a nuvem' (The company decided to migrate all data to the cloud).

Muitas espécies de aves precisam migrar para sobreviver ao inverno rigoroso.

Beyond biology and tech, we use migrar to talk about human populations. While 'imigrar' (to come into a country) and 'emigrar' (to leave a country) are more specific, migrar acts as a neutral, general umbrella term for the movement itself, regardless of the direction or political borders. It focuses on the transition. If a person moves from the countryside to the city (rural exodus), they are 'migrando'. If a worker moves between different regions within the same country to find work, they are 'migrando'. It is a word about flow and change.

In a professional setting, you will hear this word constantly regarding digital transformation. If a company switches from using physical servers to a cloud-based service, they are 'migrando os sistemas'. If a social media platform loses users to a competitor, journalists might say 'os usuários estão migrando para outra rede'. It implies a mass movement or a strategic shift. It is a verb of action, progress, and sometimes survival.

Precisamos migrar nosso banco de dados para o novo servidor até amanhã.

Sociological Context: The general movement of people between regions. 'As pessoas migram em busca de melhores condições de vida' (People migrate in search of better living conditions).

Using migrar correctly involves understanding its relationship with prepositions. The most common preposition used with this verb is para (to), indicating the destination. However, de (from) is used to indicate the point of origin, and entre (between) is used when discussing movement back and forth or across multiple areas. Because it is an intransitive verb in its simplest form (The birds migrate), it doesn't always need an object, but in technical contexts, it often takes a direct object (To migrate the data).

Eles decidiram migrar do campo para a cidade grande.

Structure: Migrar de [Origin] para [Destination]: This is the standard way to describe a complete move. 'Muitos trabalhadores migram do Nordeste para o Sudeste' (Many workers migrate from the Northeast to the Southeast).

When talking about animals, the verb is often used in the present tense to describe habitual behavior or the future tense for upcoming cycles. For instance, 'As baleias migrarão no próximo mês'. In technical writing, the passive voice is frequently used: 'Os arquivos foram migrados com sucesso' (The files were successfully migrated). This emphasizes the completion of the task rather than the person who did it.

É necessário migrar o software para a versão mais recente.

Reflexive Use?: Unlike 'mudar-se' (to move house), 'migrar' is rarely used reflexively. You don't usually say 'eu me migrei'. You simply say 'eu migrei'.

Advanced learners should note the noun form migração. It follows the same patterns. Phrases like 'fluxo migratório' (migratory flow) are common in news and academic texts. When writing about abstract concepts, like 'migrar de uma ideia para outra', it conveys a sense of gradual transition rather than a sudden change. It suggests a process that takes time and effort.

O projeto visa migrar a economia local para fontes de energia limpa.

Common Collocation: 'Migrar em massa' (to migrate in mass/large numbers). Used for both people and animals.

You will encounter migrar in several distinct environments in the Portuguese-speaking world. First, in news and documentaries. Brazil, for example, has a rich history of internal migration, particularly from the semi-arid 'Sertão' to the industrial 'Sudeste'. Documentaries about the lives of 'retirantes' (migrants fleeing drought) frequently use this word to describe their journey and the hardships of moving across the continent-sized country.

O documentário explica por que as populações ribeirinhas precisam migrar durante as cheias.

In the Corporate World: If you work in a Portuguese-speaking office, especially in IT, marketing, or operations, you will hear 'migrar' almost every week. It refers to moving projects, changing CRM systems, or shifting marketing budgets from traditional media to digital platforms. 'Vamos migrar o investimento para o Instagram' (Let's migrate the investment to Instagram).

Second, in academic and scientific circles. Biologists studying the Amazon or the Pantanal wetlands use 'migrar' to describe the movement of fish (like the piracema) and birds. Sociologists use it to discuss urbanization and the effects of globalization on labor. It is a word of 'serious' discussion, providing a more clinical or objective tone than synonyms like 'mudar'.

Durante a reunião, o diretor sugeriu migrar as operações para o regime de home office.

Third, in daily conversations about technology. Even non-technical people use it when talking about their phones. 'Vou migrar minhas fotos para o Google Photos' or 'Como eu faço para migrar o WhatsApp para o celular novo?'. In this context, it has become synonymous with 'transferring' or 'moving' digital assets. It sounds slightly more sophisticated than 'passar' (to pass/transfer).

Muitos jovens estão deixando o Facebook e decidindo migrar para o TikTok.

In Literature: Classic Brazilian literature (like 'Vidas Secas' by Graciliano Ramos) deals with the theme of migration. While the word 'migrar' itself might be used sparingly, the concept is central to the national identity and narrative.

The most common mistake English speakers make with migrar is confusing it with its more specific cousins: emigrar and imigrar. While they all share the same root, their prefixes change the meaning significantly. If you use 'migrar' when you specifically mean 'leaving your home country to live elsewhere', you aren't wrong, but you are being less precise than using 'emigrar'.

The 'E' vs 'I' Confusion: Emigrar (E = Exit) means to leave a country. Imigrar (I = In) means to enter a country. Migrar is the neutral word for the general act of moving.

Another mistake is using migrar when you should use mudar-se. If you are moving from Apartment 402 to Apartment 505 in the same building, you are definitely not 'migrando'. 'Migrar' implies a change of region, habitat, or a complex system. Using it for a simple house move sounds overly dramatic or technical, like you are treating your family as a data packet or a flock of birds.

Errado: Eu vou migrar para a casa ao lado. (Too formal/strange)

Grammatically, some learners try to use it with the preposition em to indicate the destination. This is incorrect. You don't 'migrar em São Paulo' (unless you are moving *within* the city, but even then it's awkward); you 'migrar para São Paulo'. The verb implies movement *towards* a goal, so the preposition of direction is required.

Correto: Eles decidiram migrar para o exterior em busca de trabalho.

Finally, avoid overusing the technical sense in casual conversation. If you are just sending a file to a friend, 'enviar' or 'mandar' is much more natural. Save 'migrar' for when you are moving your entire digital life or changing your operating system. Using big words for small tasks can make your Portuguese sound 'engessado' (stiff/robotic).

To truly master Portuguese, you need to know which 'movement' verb fits the specific situation. Migrar is part of a large family of verbs related to change of location. Depending on the context—whether it's a person moving house, a bird flying south, or a file being moved—a different word might be more appropriate.

Migrar vs. Mudar-se: Use 'Mudar-se' for personal relocation (changing your residence). Use 'Migrar' for large-scale movements or technical system shifts.

Migrar vs. Deslocar-se: 'Deslocar-se' is more about the physical act of moving from point A to point B (commuting, traveling). 'Migrar' implies a more permanent or long-term change of 'home' or 'base'.

Ao invés de migrar, ele apenas se desloca diariamente para o trabalho.

In technical settings, you might consider transferir or converter. If you are just moving a file, 'transferir' is best. If you are changing the file format while moving it, 'converter' might be used alongside 'migrar'. However, 'migrar' remains the industry standard for the overall process of moving from an old system to a new one.

For sociological contexts, povoar (to populate) or colonizar (to colonize) are related but have very different political connotations. Migrar is the most objective and neutral term available to describe the flow of people across the globe. It focuses on the movement itself rather than the political or historical result of that movement.

A empresa preferiu transferir o funcionário do que migrar todo o departamento.

Transitar: Meaning 'to pass through'. Use this for temporary movement or passing through a space without staying.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"A instituição planeja migrar seus ativos financeiros para o exterior."

Neutral

"Muitas pessoas migram para buscar trabalho."

Informal

"Vou migrar minhas coisas pro computador novo."

Child friendly

"Os passarinhos migram para não sentir frio."

Slang

"A galera tá migrando toda pro outro rolê."

Fun Fact

The root 'migr-' is also found in the word 'migrate' in English, making it a perfect cognate for learners!

Pronunciation Guide

UK /miˈɡɾaɾ/

US /miˈɡɾaχ/

The stress is on the last syllable: mi-GRAR.

Rhymes With

falar cantar andar amar lugar mar olhar pensar

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'i' like the English 'i' in 'migrate'. In Portuguese, it is always 'ee' as in 'meet'.
Over-stressing the first syllable. It must be the last.
Making the 'g' sound too soft. It should be a hard 'g' as in 'go'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize because it is a cognate of 'migrate'.

Writing 2/5

Regular -ar conjugation makes it simple to write in any tense.

Speaking 3/5

The final 'r' and the 'gr' cluster can be tricky for some beginners.

Listening 2/5

Clear pronunciation and distinct syllables make it easy to hear.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

mudar ir vir passar lugar

Learn Next

imigrar emigrar deslocamento permanecer habitante

Advanced

transumância diáspora expatriado fluxo sedentarismo

Grammar to Know

Regular -ar Verb Conjugation

Eu migro, Tu migras, Ele migra, Nós migramos...

Preposition 'Para' for Destination

Migrar para o Brasil.

Preposition 'De' for Origin

Migrar de Portugal.

Gerund Construction

Eles estão migrando agora.

Passive Voice with 'Ser'

Os dados foram migrados com sucesso.

Examples by Level

As aves migram no inverno.

The birds migrate in winter.

Simple present tense, 3rd person plural.

Eu quero migrar meus arquivos.

I want to migrate my files.

Infinitive after 'querer'.

Muitos animais migram.

Many animals migrate.

Subject-verb agreement.

Eles migram para o sul.

They migrate to the south.

Use of preposition 'para'.

As baleias migram pelo mar.

The whales migrate through the sea.

Preposition 'pelo' (por + o).

Por que as aves migram?

Why do the birds migrate?

Interrogative sentence.

Peixes também migram.

Fish also migrate.

Adverb 'também' placement.

Nós vamos migrar amanhã.

We are going to migrate tomorrow.

Near future with 'ir' + infinitive.

As pessoas migram para as cidades grandes.

People migrate to big cities.

Plural subject and verb.

O salmão migra para o rio.

The salmon migrates to the river.

Singular subject.

Você já migrou seus dados?

Have you already migrated your data?

Pretérito Perfeito (Past Simple).

Eles migraram do campo no ano passado.

They migrated from the countryside last year.

Preposition 'do' (de + o).

É comum migrar nesta época.

It is common to migrate at this time.

Impersonal expression with infinitive.

As andorinhas migram todos os anos.

The swallows migrate every year.

Frequency expression 'todos os anos'.

Eu migrei para um novo plano de celular.

I migrated to a new cell phone plan.

Metaphorical use in tech/services.

Eles não querem migrar agora.

They don't want to migrate now.

Negative sentence.

Muitos trabalhadores migram em busca de emprego.

Many workers migrate in search of a job.

Purpose clause 'em busca de'.

A empresa vai migrar o sistema para a nuvem.

The company is going to migrate the system to the cloud.

Transitive use of the verb.

Se o clima mudar, os animais vão migrar mais cedo.

If the climate changes, the animals will migrate earlier.

Conditional 'se' + future.

Estamos migrando nossos serviços para o ambiente digital.

We are migrating our services to the digital environment.

Present continuous (Gerúndio).

Ela migrou de carreira aos quarenta anos.

She migrated careers at forty years old.

Figurative use for career change.

O governo estuda por que os jovens migram.

The government is studying why young people migrate.

Indirect question.

Eles migraram para fugir da guerra.

They migrated to flee from the war.

Infinitive of purpose 'para fugir'.

A migração interna é muito forte no Brasil.

Internal migration is very strong in Brazil.

Noun form 'migração'.

A equipe técnica conseguiu migrar o banco de dados sem erros.

The technical team managed to migrate the database without errors.

Verb 'conseguir' + infinitive.

Os usuários estão migrando para plataformas mais seguras.

Users are migrating to more secure platforms.

Continuous action with 'estar' + gerund.

É fundamental migrar para fontes de energia renovável.

It is essential to migrate to renewable energy sources.

Formal adjective 'fundamental'.

A espécie corre risco se não conseguir migrar.

The species is at risk if it cannot migrate.

Complex conditional sentence.

O software foi migrado para a versão 2.0 ontem.

The software was migrated to version 2.0 yesterday.

Passive voice (ser + participle).

Eles pretendem migrar toda a produção para a nova fábrica.

They intend to migrate all production to the new factory.

Verb 'pretender' (to intend).

A população migrou devido à falta de recursos.

The population migrated due to the lack of resources.

Causal expression 'devido à'.

O site migrará para um novo domínio no próximo mês.

The site will migrate to a new domain next month.

Future Simple (Futuro do Presente).

A instabilidade econômica forçou o capital a migrar para mercados mais seguros.

Economic instability forced capital to migrate to safer markets.

Abstract usage in economics.

Observamos uma tendência de migrar o foco do marketing para o conteúdo orgânico.

We observe a trend of migrating marketing focus to organic content.

Nominalization 'tendência de'.

O filósofo discute como as ideias migram entre diferentes culturas.

The philosopher discusses how ideas migrate between different cultures.

Metaphorical usage.

Caso decidam migrar o servidor, avisem com antecedência.

Should you decide to migrate the server, let us know in advance.

Subjunctive mood 'decidam'.

A migração de cérebros é um problema para países em desenvolvimento.

Brain drain (migration of brains) is a problem for developing countries.

Idiomatic expression 'migração de cérebros'.

O sistema operacional permite migrar as configurações facilmente.

The operating system allows migrating settings easily.

Direct object placement.

Muitas empresas estão sendo obrigadas a migrar seu modelo de negócio.

Many companies are being forced to migrate their business model.

Passive continuous 'estão sendo obrigadas'.

A arte barroca migrou da Europa para as Américas com variações.

Baroque art migrated from Europe to the Americas with variations.

Historical/Artistic context.

A semântica da palavra migrou ao longo dos séculos.

The semantics of the word migrated over the centuries.

Linguistic usage.

É imperativo que a humanidade aprenda a migrar para um estilo de vida sustentável.

It is imperative that humanity learns to migrate to a sustainable lifestyle.

Subjunctive after 'É imperativo que'.

O capital especulativo tende a migrar instantaneamente perante qualquer risco.

Speculative capital tends to migrate instantly in the face of any risk.

Adverbial usage 'instantaneamente'.

A alma, segundo certas crenças, pode migrar para outros corpos.

The soul, according to certain beliefs, can migrate to other bodies.

Philosophical/Religious context.

A complexidade de migrar sistemas legados é frequentemente subestimada.

The complexity of migrating legacy systems is often underestimated.

Technical jargon 'sistemas legados'.

O fluxo de informações migrou dos jornais impressos para os algoritmos.

The flow of information migrated from printed newspapers to algorithms.

Societal shift context.

A narrativa migra entre o realismo e o fantástico sem aviso prévio.

The narrative migrates between realism and the fantastic without prior notice.

Literary criticism context.

A soberania digital exige a capacidade de migrar dados entre provedores livremente.

Digital sovereignty requires the ability to migrate data between providers freely.

Political/Tech context.

Common Collocations

migrar para a nuvem

migrar em massa

migrar do campo

migrar dados

migrar sazonalmente

migrar de sistema

fluxo migratório

migrar para o exterior

migrar de plataforma

migrar internamente

Common Phrases

Migrar é preciso.

— A play on 'Navegar é preciso', implying movement is necessary for life.

Para crescer na carreira, migrar é preciso.

Migrar de malas e bagagens.

— To move completely, with everything one owns.

Ele migrou para o Canadá de malas e bagagens.

Migrar para melhor.

— To move in order to improve one's situation.

Sempre buscamos migrar para melhor.

Hora de migrar.

— Time to move on or change.

O projeto acabou, é hora de migrar.

Migrar por necessidade.

— To move because one has no other choice.

Muitos migram por necessidade, não por vontade.

Dificuldade em migrar.

— Having trouble with a transition or move.

Tivemos dificuldade em migrar o site.

Migrar para o digital.

— The process of digitalization.

O varejo precisa migrar para o digital.

Vontade de migrar.

— A desire to move or change location.

Sinto uma grande vontade de migrar para o litoral.

Migrar entre mundos.

— To move between different social or cultural circles.

Ela migra entre mundos com facilidade.

Migrar em busca de sol.

— A common reason for animal (and tourist) movement.

As aves migram em busca de sol e comida.

Often Confused With

migrar vs imigrar

Means specifically to enter a country. 'Migrar' is general.

migrar vs emigrar

Means specifically to leave a country. 'Migrar' is general.

migrar vs mudar

Often used for changing things or moving house; 'migrar' is for larger shifts.

Idioms & Expressions

"Bicho carpinteiro"

— Someone who can't stay still, always 'migrating' from one spot to another.

Esse menino tem bicho carpinteiro!

Informal

"Mudar de ares"

— To move to a new place for a fresh start.

Preciso migrar, mudar de ares um pouco.

Neutral

"Fazer as malas"

— To prepare to leave/migrate.

Vou fazer as malas e migrar para a Europa.

Neutral

"Bater asas"

— Literally 'to beat wings', used for people leaving a place.

Ele bateu asas e migrou para outra empresa.

Informal

"Levantar acampamento"

— To pack up and move (migrate) to a new location.

Vamos levantar acampamento e migrar para o norte.

Informal

"Trocar seis por meia dúzia"

— To migrate/change to something that is exactly the same (no improvement).

Migrar para aquele sistema foi trocar seis por meia dúzia.

Informal

"Virar a página"

— To move on to a new phase (metaphorical migration).

É hora de migrar de projeto e virar a página.

Neutral

"Correr o mundo"

— To travel/migrate extensively across the globe.

Ele migrou por anos e correu o mundo todo.

Neutral

"Pôr o pé na estrada"

— To start a journey or migration.

Amanhã vamos pôr o pé na estrada e migrar.

Informal

"Cair no mundo"

— To leave home and go out into the world (often a permanent migration).

Depois da faculdade, ele caiu no mundo e migrou para a Ásia.

Informal

Easily Confused

migrar vs imigrar

Similar sound and root.

Imigrar is entering a country (In); Migrar is the general movement.

Eu imigrei para o Brasil (I entered Brazil).

migrar vs emigrar

Similar sound and root.

Emigrar is leaving a country (Exit); Migrar is the general movement.

Eu emigrei de Portugal (I left Portugal).

migrar vs mudar-se

Both mean 'to move'.

Mudar-se is for moving house; Migrar is for regions, habitats, or systems.

Eu me mudei para a casa nova.

migrar vs transferir

Both involve moving something.

Transferir is usually for objects, money, or people moved by others; Migrar is for the entity moving itself or a whole system.

O chefe me transferiu de filial.

migrar vs viajar

Both involve travel.

Viajar is temporary (vacation); Migrar is more permanent or seasonal/systemic.

Vou viajar por duas semanas.

Sentence Patterns

[Animal] + migra.

O pássaro migra.

[Pessoa] + migrou + para + [Lugar].

Ela migrou para a Europa.

[Empresa] + vai migrar + [Objeto] + para + [Sistema].

A Apple vai migrar o iCloud para novos servidores.

É necessário + migrar + [Objeto].

É necessário migrar o site.

A tendência de + migrar + [Abstrato] + é + [Adjetivo].

A tendência de migrar o capital é evidente.

[Sujeito] + migrou + de + [Área A] + para + [Área B].

Ele migrou da engenharia para o marketing.

Caso + [Sujeito] + migre, + [Consequência].

Caso a população migre, a economia sofrerá.

O ato de + migrar + implica + [Conceito].

O ato de migrar implica coragem.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Very common in news, business, and science.

Common Mistakes

Eu migrei na minha nova casa. → Eu me mudei para minha casa nova.
Use 'mudar-se' for residential moves.
As aves imigram no inverno. → As aves migram no inverno.
Animals 'migram'; 'imigrar' is for human legal entry into a country.
Vou migrar meu dinheiro pro banco. → Vou transferir meu dinheiro para o banco.
Use 'transferir' for small amounts of money or simple transactions.
Eles migram em São Paulo. → Eles migram para São Paulo.
Use 'para' to show the destination of the migration.
O sistema foi migrado de ontem. → O sistema foi migrado ontem.
Don't use 'de' before time adverbs like 'ontem'.

Tips

Preposition Power

Always pair 'migrar' with 'para' for the destination. It makes your Portuguese sound natural.

IT Essential

If you work in tech, 'migrar' is one of the top 10 verbs you need to know. Use it for systems, servers, and data.

Hard G

Make sure the 'G' in 'migrar' is hard, like in 'great', never soft like in 'giant'.

Cognate Alert

Use your English knowledge! 'Migrate' and 'Migrar' are almost identical in usage.

Historical Context

In Brazil, 'migrar' often refers to the 'êxodo rural' (moving from country to city).

Abstract Use

Use 'migrar' for abstract changes in thought or style to sound more sophisticated.

Final R

In many Brazilian cities, the final 'r' in 'migrar' is silent or very soft when speaking fast.

Professional Emails

Use 'migrar' when informing clients about system updates or platform changes.

News Keyword

You will hear 'migração' and 'migrar' frequently in news reports about the environment and economy.

The 'M' Rule

Migrar = Mass Movement. It's for big groups or big systems.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Mighty Great Road' (Mi-Gra-R) that animals take to move across the world.

Visual Association

Imagine a flock of birds forming the letter 'M' for Migrar as they fly south.

Word Web

Birds Data Cloud Move Change Travel System Season

Challenge

Write three sentences: one about a bird, one about your phone, and one about a person, all using the word 'migrar'.

Word Origin

From the Latin verb 'migrare', which means 'to move from one place to another' or 'to change one's abode'.

Original meaning: To change habitation or depart.

Italic -> Romance -> Portuguese.

Cultural Context

Be sensitive when discussing human migration, as it is often tied to economic hardship or political crisis.

English speakers use 'migrate' very similarly, but Portuguese uses 'migrar' more frequently for internal movements within the country.

The song 'Asa Branca' by Luiz Gonzaga (about a bird migrating due to drought). The book 'Vidas Secas' by Graciliano Ramos. The film 'Central do Brasil' (Central Station).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

IT / Technology

Migrar o banco de dados
Migrar para a nuvem
Migrar usuários
Migrar sistema

Biology / Nature

Migrar no inverno
Migrar para reprodução
Aves que migram
Peixes migradores

Economics / Sociology

Migrar em busca de emprego
Migração interna
Migrar para o exterior
Fluxos migratórios

Career

Migrar de área
Migrar de carreira
Migrar de empresa
Migrar para o digital

Daily Life

Migrar de plano
Migrar arquivos
Migrar contatos
Migrar de rede social

Conversation Starters

"Você já pensou em migrar para outro país para trabalhar?"

"Por que você acha que tantas pessoas estão migrando das redes sociais antigas?"

"Quais animais você conhece que precisam migrar todos os anos?"

"Você já teve que migrar todos os seus dados de um celular para outro? Foi difícil?"

"Na sua opinião, qual é o maior desafio para quem decide migrar para uma cidade grande?"

Journal Prompts

Descreva uma situação em que você teve que migrar (seja de lugar, de emprego ou de tecnologia). Como foi a experiência?

Se você pudesse migrar para qualquer lugar do mundo amanhã, para onde iria e por quê?

Reflita sobre como a tecnologia nos obriga a migrar constantemente para novos sistemas. Isso é bom ou ruim?

Escreva sobre a importância de proteger os caminhos que os animais usam para migrar.

Como você se sente em relação à ideia de migrar de carreira no futuro? Quais seriam seus medos?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Technically you could, but it sounds very strange. Use 'mudar-se' for moving house. 'Migrar' is for moving to a different region, country, or moving digital data.

Yes, it is a perfectly regular -ar verb. You conjugate it just like 'falar' or 'amar'.

A 'migrante' is anyone in the act of moving. An 'imigrante' is specifically someone who has arrived in a new country to live.

You say 'migrar dados'. It is very common in IT contexts.

No, it can be intransitive (e.g., 'As aves migram'). However, if you specify the destination, you usually need 'para'.

Yes, especially if you are changing your entire career field (e.g., 'migrar da educação para a tecnologia').

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

The noun is 'migração'.

It is more formal than 'mudar', but it is a standard neutral word in science and technology.

Usually, we only use 'migrar' for animals because 'emigrar' implies political borders and human legal status.