TRANSLATIONS INTO PORTUGUESE
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TRANSLATE INTO PORTUGUESE?
The price of translation from/into Portuguese is set individually for each order. The price consists of several components according to the current price list of the Skrivanek translation agency. The price of a consecutive translation is determined on the basis of the time necessary to provide the service and the combination of languages for which translation is required. The price of a written translation is determined based on the volume of the material to be translated, the duration of the translation, the specifics of the text content, the presence of text repetitions in the translation, the need for graphic processing, text formatting, proofreading, as well as additional services of the client’s choosing.
IS THERE A PRICE LIST FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES?
Yes, the price list for translation and interpretation (simultaneous and consecutive), localisation and adaptation services from/into Portuguese is an integral part of the cooperation agreement with our clients. Translation project managers of the Skrivanek agency always provide detailed information on translation costs prior to starting a translation project. The cost of each order is determined individually according to the current Skrivanek price list, based on the number of words in the source text, duplication in translation and other parameters. To estimate the cost, we are waiting for you to send your translation material by email.
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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE
The Portuguese language belongs to the Romance group of the Indo-European language family.
Portuguese originated in the autonomous region of Galicia, located in northern Portugal and northwestern Spain. Galician was a mixture of local dialects and Latin, and Portuguese was formed as a successor language in around the fourteenth century. Even today, those who speak Portuguese and Galician have no difficulty understanding each other. Meanwhile, Portuguese is also relatively close to Spanish.
There are only two standards of written Portuguese for teaching – European (Lusitanian) Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese, which have the same orthographic and lexical differences as British and American English, but also differ grammatically in some ways. Dialects of spoken Portuguese, however, vary greatly in terms of accent and vocabulary. There are ten main dialect zones in Portugal and its islands. Among the dialects of Portuguese in Spain, there is one that stands out – Galician, which is sometimes treated as a separate language for political purposes. Dialects in Brazil retain many lexical traces of Amerindian and African languages, as well as the languages of European immigrants. The revival of modern Portuguese in Angola and Mozambique has been enabled by extensive standardisation of the language to the detriment of dialects.
There are no grammatical conjugations in Portuguese, but the number of verb conjugations can seem endless. Each verb tense has six different conjugations. The use of pronouns (I, you, we, he, they) is omitted as standard because the verb conjugation clearly indicates the person and number.
Portuguese was declared an official language in 1290.
Portuguese gradually developed from Latin after it was introduced to Portugal in around 200 BC. However, it was not until 1290, when the Portuguese poet King Denis I declared it the language of Portugal, that Portuguese was recognised as an official language.
The earliest records in Portuguese date back to the ninth century.
The longest word in Portuguese, anticonstitucionalíssimamente has 29 letters and means “in a very unconstitutional way”.
The word “to be” (ir/būt) is universal in Latvian, but in Portuguese it has two different verb forms: ser and estar. Ser is used to denote something constant and unchanging. Estar – is for temporary situations such as mood or weather conditions.
PORTUGUESE ALPHABET
The writing system in Portugal is based on the Latin alphabet, with the Portuguese alphabet consisting of 26 letters. However, until 2009 it only had 23.
Until recently, the letters K, W and Y were not part of the Portuguese language. In words such as “kilogram” for example, the letter K was replaced by qu–quilograma, and the sounds W and Y could only be found in foreign words.
In 2009, the Portuguese-speaking countries of the world came together to sign the new Orthographic Agreement, which standardised the forms of spelling in different variations of Portuguese and introduced the letters K, W and Y.
The Portuguese language has undergone several systematic changes of sounds over the course of its evolution from common Latin roots. Although lexically, Portuguese is closer to Spanish, when comparing vowels it is more similar to Italian and Catalan as they have also retained the original Latin vowels, now replaced by diphthongs in Spanish and French.
HOW DIFFICULT IS THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE?
Portuguese is considered one of the easiest languages in the world to learn. It is a very euphonious and rich language. Learning the language is easiest for those who already speak one of the Romance languages – Spanish or Italian. Sometimes, of course, you can get confused by the variety of Portuguese pronunciation – even though it is one language, pronunciation varies greatly from country to country and region to region. The expansiveness, energy and power of the language must also be considered.
Of course, being amongst people who speak the language and thus having the opportunity to listen, read and talk, plays a prominent role in language acquisition.
Portuguese language courses in Latvia are offered by several language schools, including Skrivanek.
WHERE IS THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE USED AND HOW WIDESPREAD IS IT?
Portuguese is the mother tongue of more than 220 million people in Portugal, Brazil and Angola. Interestingly, only about 10 million (or <5%) of them live in Portugal. Brazil has more Portuguese speakers than any other country where Portuguese is spoken!
Portuguese is spoken by about 240 million people. It is the sixth most spoken language in the world, both internationally and in terms of the number of speakers. It is the third most widely spoken European language after English and Spanish.
Portuguese is now quite firmly established among the world’s languages, being the fastest growing European language after English, which is already spoken on almost every continent. Portuguese is spreading rapidly in South America, Europe, Africa and Asia and, according to UNESCO, may well become an “international language of communication”.
Portuguese is the only official language in nine countries: Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor-Leste. Portuguese is also the official language of the Chinese autonomous territory of Macau.
PORTUGUESE TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS
Our team of professional translators and interpreters performs the translation of standard documents, technical translations and notarised translations. Skrivanek Translation Agency also conducts proofreading and the stylistic improvement of texts in Portuguese. Of course, language specialists can provide information about cultural differences, business etiquette, history and traditions.
All translators, interpreters, proofreaders and editors have signed a confidentiality agreement, so you can trust us with your documents.
For business clients, we most often perform the following translations from/into Portuguese: translation of e-commerce content and homepages, translation of advertising slogans and marketing texts, translation of cooperation agreements and business documentation. We also provide consecutive interpretation services for business and other types of talks, conferences and other events. For individuals, we translate identity documents, marriage certificates, children’s birth certificates, education documents, passports, medical documents, and more.
PORTUGUESE FOR BUSINESS
Portuguese plays an important role in the development of international business and the global economy. Brazil’s huge size, large and dynamic economy – the ninth largest in the world, and 200 million inhabitants make it a key destination for many international companies. It is an agricultural and raw material powerhouse, being the world’s largest exporter of coffee, soy beans, sugar and orange juice. It is also an important producer of automobiles, textiles, computers, aircraft and footwear and is the twelfth largest trading partner of the United States. Almost all major US multinational corporations have developed their business in Brazil – it is a significant market for companies such as Walmart, ExxonMobil, John Deere, Apple, GM, GE, J.P. Morgan and Ford.
Portuguese is also a key language in the fields of diplomacy and economic development; it is the working and/or official language of some of the most important international organisations, such as the African Union, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, the European Union, MERCOSUR (The Southern Common Market), the Organisation of American States, the Organisation of Ibero-American States and the Union of South American Nations.
Portuguese is the fastest growing Western language in the world after English and has the greatest potential to grow as an international language of communication in South America and South Africa.
PORTUGUESE IN LATVIA
Latvia and Portugal celebrated 100 years of diplomatic relations in 2021. Over the last century, both countries have faced enormous political, social and economic challenges, which they have managed to overcome through the strong determination of their peoples.
The political dialogue between the two countries has significantly intensified in the context of Latvia’s integration processes into the EU and NATO. Since joining the European Union, Latvia, like Portugal, has been on its periphery. The comparative weight and representation of both countries in the EU institutions in the future, as well as possible common interests even now, encourage constructive consultations between Latvian and Portuguese officials.
Cooperation with Portugal offers Latvia-wide, previously unexploited opportunities for export and investment attraction. There is potential for cooperation in traditional export sectors – education, IT, metalworking, electronics, pharmaceutical and food processing industries. At the same time, there is also potential for cooperation in developing third-country markets, using Latvia’s experience in Central Asia and Portugal’s experience in Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil and Angola, as well as in Latin America.
The two countries have also successfully co-operated in the field of culture. Thus, with the support of the Gulbenkian Cultural Foundation and the Camões Institute (Instituto Camŏes) an anthology of contemporary Portuguese poetry, translated and prepared by L. Briedis, was published in two languages. The National Library of Latvia has established contacts with the Gulbenkian Foundation to select the necessary literature. In 2001, Porto and Riga were European Capitals of Culture. In 2002, the Days of Riga were held in Porto, and the ballet company of the Latvian National Opera visited Portugal as part of their tour.
According to the 2021 statistics of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, there are currently 172 Portuguese living in Latvia who are mostly workers and students. By exchanging professional experience and enriching knowledge and skills in the field of foreign education, the residents of Portugal and Latvia continue to build ever stronger and more stable bilateral relations.
On 1 January 2021, Portugal suspended the work of the Portuguese Embassy in Latvia due to the economic crisis. Since then, the interests of the State in Latvia have been represented by an ambassador residing in Stockholm. On 18 January 2021, at an online ceremony, President of Latvia Egils Levits accredited H. E. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Portuguese Republic, Sarah Feron Martins (H. E. Mrs Sara Feronha Martins).
WORLD PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE DAY
In 2009, The intergovernmental organisation Community of Portuguese Language Countries declared 5 May as World Portuguese Language Day. The community of Portuguese Language countries has been officially cooperating with UNESCO since 2000. However, it was not until 2019 that the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference decided to proclaim 5 May as World Portuguese Language Day. World Portuguese Language Day is dedicated to the promotion of the language. Language plays a key role in uniting the Portuguese people and preserving their culture and identity. Portuguese is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is spoken by more than 265 million people worldwide and is the most widely spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere. Thus, Portuguese is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. People who speak Portuguese are called lusophones. Today, the majority of lusophones reside in Brazil.
SOLUTIONS THAT WE MOST OFTEN PROVIDE IN PORTUGUESE:
- translation of documents into Portuguese;
- urgent translation;
- notarised translation;
- translation of a home page;
- proofreading of texts in Portuguese;
- text adaptation and creative copywriting;
- DTP – graphic design services;
- interpretation into Portuguese;
- personalised Portuguese language courses.
SUGGESTED LANGUAGE COMBINATIONS:
Portuguese – Latvian, Latvian – Portuguese; Lithuanian– Portuguese, Portuguese – Lithuanian; Estonian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Estonian; English – Portuguese, Portuguese – English; Russian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Russian; Polish – Portuguese, Portuguese – Polish; Ukrainian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Ukrainian; Czech – Portuguese, Portuguese – Czech; German – Portuguese, Portuguese – German; Spanish – Portuguese, Portuguese – Spanish; French – Portuguese, Portuguese – French; Italian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Italian; Danish – Portuguese, Portuguese – Danish; Swedish – Portuguese, Portuguese – Swedish; Norwegian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Norwegian; Finnish – Portuguese, Portuguese – Finnish; Arabic – Portuguese, Portuguese – Arabic; Armenian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Armenian; Belarusian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Belarusian; Bulgarian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Bulgarian; Hungarian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Hungarian; Hebrew – Portuguese, Portuguese – Hebrew; Greek – Portuguese, Portuguese – Greek; Georgian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Georgian; Hindi – Portuguese, Portuguese – Hindi; Dutch – Portuguese, Portuguese – Dutch; Korean – Portuguese, Portuguese – Korean; Kurdish – Portuguese, Portuguese – Kurdish; Chinese – Portuguese, Portuguese – Chinese; Romanian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Romanian; Slovak – Portuguese, Portuguese – Slovak; Slovenian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Slovenian; Turkish – Portuguese, Portuguese – Turkish; Ukrainian – Portuguese, Portuguese – Ukrainian, etc.