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Study Resource: Common expressions with ‘ter’ in Brazilian Portuguese

By: Fabiana Dametto Oliveira

Expressions with ‘ter’ that are translated using “have” in English


Ter	Example
ter a oportunidade de Translation: to have the opportunity to	Tive a oportunidade de viajar para a Europa no ano passado. Translation: I had the opportunity to travel to Europe last year.
ter tempo de Translation: to have time for	Não tenho tempo de fazer exercícios todos os dias. Translation: I don’t have time to exercise every day.
ter o direito/dever de Translation: to have the right/obligation (to)	Você tem o direito de perguntar sobre o assunto. Translation: You have the right to ask about the subject.
ter bom senso Translation: to have common sense	Por favor, tenha bom senso ao tomar essa decisão. Translation: Please, have common sense when making that decision.
ter experiência de/com Translation: to have experience	Eu tenho muita experiência em programação. Translation: I have a lot of experience in programming.
ter um compromisso Translation: to have a commitment	Desculpe, não posso sair hoje à noite, tenho um compromisso importante. Translation: Sorry, I can't go out tonight, I have an important commitment.
ter jeito com/para Translation: to have a knack	Roberta tem jeito para consertar as coisas. Translation: Roberta has a knack for fixing things.
ter um dom Translation: to have a talent/gift	Ele tem o dom de ser cozinheiro. Translation: He has a talent for being a cook.
ter um argumento Translation: to have an argument	Eu tenho vários argumentos que provam a minha teoria. Translation: I have several arguments that prove my theory.
ter um bom coração Translation: to have a good heart	Ele pode parecer rude às vezes, mas tem um bom coração. Translation: He may seem rude at times, but he has a good heart.
ter o direito/dever de Translation: to have the right/obligation (to)	Você tem o direito de perguntar sobre o assunto. Translation: You have the right to ask about the subject.
ter carinho Translation: to have affection	Quando viu a amiga chorando, ela teve muita simpatia e ofereceu ajuda. Translation: When she saw her friend crying, she had a lot of sympathy and offered help.
ter respeito Translation: to have respect	Devemos ter respeito pelo meio ambiente. Translation: We should have respect for the environment.
ter habilidade Translation: to have a skill	Ela tem muita habilidade para tocar piano e já se apresentou em vários concertos. Translation: She has a lot of skill in playing the piano and has performed in several concerts.
ter sangue de barata Translation: to have nerves of steel	Ela lida com situações estressantes com muita tranquilidade. Tem sangue de barata mesmo! Translation: She deals with stressful situations with a lot of calmness. She really has nerves of steel!
ter prioridade Translation: to have priority	A segurança dos nossos clientes tem prioridade máxima. Translation: The safety of our clients has top priority.

Expressions with ‘ter’ that are not translated into English using “have”


Ter	Example
ter culpa de/por Translation: to take the blame for / to be blamed for	Eu não tive culpa naquele acidente de trânsito. Translation: I was not at fault in that traffic accident.
ter em conta Translation: to take into account	Temos que ter em conta que o orçamento para o projeto não é alto. Translation: We have to take into account that the budget for the project is not high.
não ter jeito Translation: there is no way	Não tem jeito de fazer o celular funcionar novamente. Translation: There’s no way to get the phone working again.
ter sangue frio Translation: to keep a cool head / to stay calm Literally: to keep in cold blood	Em situações de emergência, é importante ter sangue frio e manter a calma. Translation: In emergency situations, it’s important to keep a cool head and stay calm.
ter êxito Translation: to be successful (to succeed)	Eu espero que meu negócio tenha êxito. Translation: I hope my business is successful.
ter razão Translation: to be right about something	Você tinha razão quando disse que aquele hotel era maravilhoso! Translation: You were right when you said that hotel was wonderful!
ter cuidado de/com Translation: to be careful with	Tenha cuidado ao dirigir naquela estrada. Translation: Be careful while driving on that road.
ter confiança Translation: to be confident	Tenho confiança de que passarei nas provas finais. Translation: I am confident that I will pass the final exams.