B2 Collocation Neutral 2 min de lectura

completar tarefa

to complete task

Use this to professionally or clearly state that a specific assignment or chore is finished.

En 15 segundos

  • To finish a specific job or duty completely.
  • Used in professional, academic, and household contexts.
  • A standard, reliable way to report progress.

Significado

It means you have finished a specific job or duty you were supposed to do. It is the satisfying feeling of crossing something off your to-do list.

Ejemplos clave

3 de 6
1

In a project meeting

Eu preciso completar a tarefa antes do prazo final.

I need to complete the task before the deadline.

💼
2

Texting a roommate about chores

Já completei a tarefa de limpar a cozinha!

I already completed the task of cleaning the kitchen!

🤝
3

A teacher talking to a student

Parabéns por completar a tarefa tão rápido.

Congratulations on completing the task so quickly.

😊
🌍

Contexto cultural

While Portuguese culture is often seen as relaxed, the professional environment is quite structured. This phrase gained massive traction with the digitalization of workplaces and the adoption of 'To-Do' list culture in Brazil and Portugal. It represents the modern shift toward efficiency and clear communication in the Lusophone corporate world.

💡

The 'Checkmark' Feeling

Use this phrase when you want to sound organized. It implies the task had a clear beginning and end.

⚠️

Don't overdo it

If you use this for every tiny thing (like picking up a pen), you'll sound like a robot. Save it for actual 'tasks'.

En 15 segundos

  • To finish a specific job or duty completely.
  • Used in professional, academic, and household contexts.
  • A standard, reliable way to report progress.

What It Means

Completar tarefa is your bread and butter for getting things done. It literally means to complete a task. It is straightforward and clear. You use it when a job is 100% finished. No loose ends left. It feels like that big green checkmark in your mind.

How To Use It

You can use it as a standard verb-noun combo. Just conjugate completar to fit who is doing the work. Use it for work projects or simple chores. It is very flexible. You can say eu completei a tarefa (I finished the task). Or ask você completou a tarefa? (Did you finish the task?). It sounds organized and reliable.

When To Use It

Use it in the office during meetings. It sounds professional and direct. Use it at home when talking about chores. It works well for school assignments too. If you are using a productivity app in Portuguese, you will see this everywhere. It is the go-to phrase for progress reports. Use it when you want to sound productive and focused.

When NOT To Use It

Do not use it for finishing a meal. That would sound like eating is a chore! Avoid it for finishing a movie or a book. For those, use terminar. It is too robotic for romantic contexts. Do not tell your partner you "completed the task" of buying flowers. That might get you a cold shoulder. It implies a duty, not necessarily a passion.

Cultural Background

Brazilians and Portuguese people value productivity, but they also love a chat. In a workplace, saying you completou a tarefa shows you are serious. It is a very "standard" Portuguese expression. It has become more common with the rise of digital project management. It reflects a modern, organized lifestyle. It is less about the "hustle" and more about the "result."

Common Variations

You will often hear finalizar a tarefa for a more polished finish. Terminar o trabalho is a very common, slightly more casual alternative. If you are in a rush, you might just say tá pronto (it's ready). In slang, some might say matar a tarefa (to kill the task). That one is very informal and high-energy. Use it with friends!

Notas de uso

The phrase is highly versatile and sits right in the middle of the formality scale. It is safe to use in 90% of situations involving work or obligations.

💡

The 'Checkmark' Feeling

Use this phrase when you want to sound organized. It implies the task had a clear beginning and end.

⚠️

Don't overdo it

If you use this for every tiny thing (like picking up a pen), you'll sound like a robot. Save it for actual 'tasks'.

💬

The 'Matar' Alternative

Brazilians often say 'matar a tarefa' (kill the task) when they are excited to get a difficult job out of the way!

Ejemplos

6
#1 In a project meeting
💼

Eu preciso completar a tarefa antes do prazo final.

I need to complete the task before the deadline.

Standard professional usage for deadlines.

#2 Texting a roommate about chores
🤝

Já completei a tarefa de limpar a cozinha!

I already completed the task of cleaning the kitchen!

A bit formal for home, but clear and satisfying.

#3 A teacher talking to a student
😊

Parabéns por completar a tarefa tão rápido.

Congratulations on completing the task so quickly.

Used to give positive feedback on schoolwork.

#4 Joking about a difficult day
😄

Minha única tarefa hoje era sobreviver, e eu completei!

My only task today was to survive, and I completed it!

Using formal structure for a humorous effect.

#5 Feeling overwhelmed with work
💭

É impossível completar essa tarefa sozinho.

It is impossible to complete this task alone.

Expressing a need for help or frustration.

#6 Confirming a status in an app
👔

Clique aqui para completar a tarefa.

Click here to complete the task.

Common UI/UX language in software.

Ponte a prueba

Choose the correct form of the verb to say 'We completed the task'.

Nós ___ a tarefa ontem.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: completamos

In Portuguese, 'nós' (we) requires the verb 'completar' to end in '-amos' in the past tense.

Complete the sentence with the missing noun.

Você já terminou de completar a ___?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: tarefa

Since 'a' is a feminine article, it must be followed by the feminine noun 'tarefa'.

🎉 Puntuación: /2

Ayudas visuales

Formality of 'Completar Tarefa'

Casual

Using 'Terminar' or 'Tá pronto'

Terminei!

Neutral

The standard phrase 'Completar tarefa'

Completei a tarefa.

Formal

Using 'Finalizar a incumbência'

Finalizei a incumbência.

Where to use 'Completar Tarefa'

Completar Tarefa
💼

Office

Reporting to a boss

📚

School

Finishing homework

🏠

Home

Doing the dishes

📱

Software

Productivity apps

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Yes, it is very common, especially in work and school environments. You will see it in every productivity app like Trello or Asana.

Not really. It is better to use terminar de ler. Completar tarefa sounds like the book was a boring assignment.

Completar implies finishing all parts of something, while terminar is just the act of ending. They are often interchangeable.

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your mom without any issues.

You can say Eu completei minhas tarefas domésticas. It sounds very clear and responsible.

Yes! If you finish a quest or mission, you can say you completou a tarefa or completou a missão.

Usually, yes. In school, tarefa specifically means 'homework'. So completar a tarefa often means finishing homework.

You can say dar um check (to give a check) or matar a pendência (to kill the pending item).

You would usually say completar a prova or terminar a corrida. Tarefa sounds a bit too much like office work for a race.

Using fazer (to do) instead of completar when you want to emphasize that it is 100% done. Fazer just means you are working on it.

Frases relacionadas

terminar o trabalho

to finish the work

dar conta do recado

to handle the job / to deliver

mãos à obra

let's get to work / hands to the task

fazer o dever de casa

to do one's homework

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