Log inSign up

Tens de fazer o relatório para o chefe.

Tens de fazer o relatório para o chefe.
You have to do the report for the boss.
From Lesson 48:Expressing obligation (ter de)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Tens de fazer o relatório para o chefe.

para
to / for
fazer
to do
ter de
to have to
o relatório
the report
o chefe
the boss (m)

Questions & Answers about Tens de fazer o relatório para o chefe.

Why is there a de between Tens and fazer?
In Portuguese, to say you have an obligation to do something, you use the verb ter followed by the preposition de, and then the action verb in its basic dictionary form (like fazer). Together, ter de means you have to do something. Without de, the verb ter just means to possess or own something.
I sometimes hear people say ter que. Could I say Tens que fazer instead?
Yes, you will hear ter que very often in everyday spoken Portuguese. However, ter de is the traditional, grammatically correct way to express an obligation in Portugal. It is best to practice writing ter de, but do not be surprised when you hear ter que in casual conversations.
How do we know who has to do the report if the sentence does not start with a person?
The verb ending gives it away! Tens is the informal singular you form of the verb ter. In Portuguese, it is very common to drop the subject pronoun tu because the conjugated verb already makes it completely clear exactly who you are talking to.
Why does the sentence use para o chefe instead of just para chefe?
In Portuguese, you almost always need to include the definite article (o or a, meaning the) before a noun, even after a preposition like para. Since chefe is being treated as a specific masculine noun here, we use o, making it literally for the boss.
Fazer can mean to do or to make. How do I know which one it is here?
Yes, fazer covers both actions! You simply have to rely on the context to know how it sounds best in English. Since you generally do a report in English, that translation fits perfectly here. In Portuguese, there is no difference between the two concepts.

Learn Tens de fazer o relatório para o chefe and more in Portuguese

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Portuguese →