Introduction
Receber is a common and versatile verb in Brazilian Portuguese. It can mean to receive something, to welcome a person, to host guests, or even to be paid. For English-speaking learners, understanding how to use receber in different contexts is essential for everyday conversation and polite interactions. This article explains its grammar, conjugation patterns, and natural examples.
- Basic meaning and uses of receber
- Conjugation overview
- Direct and indirect objects with receber
- Common constructions and prepositions
- Passive and reflexive uses
- Idiomatic and extended uses
- Negative forms and questions
- Politeness and cultural notes
- Practical examples in everyday situations
- Tips to practice and remember
- Conclusion
Basic meaning and uses of receber
Receber primarily means to get or to receive. This is the direct equivalent of English to receive. But in Portuguese, it also covers welcoming, hosting, accepting, and sometimes earning or being paid. The context and prepositions that follow receber determine the exact meaning.
Core senses
Receber has these core senses:
– To get or obtain something: Ele recebeu um presente.
– To welcome or greet someone: Nós recebemos os convidados.
– To host an event or offer hospitality: Ela recebeu a família em casa.
– To accept something, like news or a proposal: Você recebeu a notícia bem?
– To be paid or to earn: Ele recebeu o salário ontem.
Conjugation overview
Receber is a regular verb of the second conjugation ending in -er. Its stem is receb- and it follows predictable patterns for tense and person. Below are the most useful forms for beginners and intermediate learners.
Present indicative
Presente do indicativo is used for current actions or general truths.
eu recebo
tu recebes
ele/ela/você recebe
nós recebemos
vós recebeis (rare in Brazilian Portuguese)
eles/elas/vocês recebem
Example: Eu recebo muitos e-mails todos os dias.
Simple past (pretérito perfeito)
Use pretérito perfeito to talk about completed past actions.
eu recebi
tu recebeste (less common in Brazil; often receives tu forms similar to other regions)
ele/ela/você recebeu
nós recebemos
vós recebestes
eles/elas/vocês receberam
Example: Ontem ela recebeu um convite para o casamento.
Imperfect (pretérito imperfeito)
Use pretérito imperfeito for ongoing or habitual actions in the past.
eu recebia
tu recebias
ele/ela/você recebia
nós recebíamos
vós recebíeis
eles/elas/vocês recebiam
Example: Quando eu era criança, recebíamos visitas todo fim de semana.
Future simple and conditional
Futuro do presente is used for actions that will happen; condicional expresses what would happen.
eu receberei (futuro)
eu receberia (condicional)
Example: Receberei notícias em breve. / Eu receberia ajuda se pedisse.
Direct and indirect objects with receber
Receber usually takes a direct object — the thing or person being received. You can also use prepositions to add detail. Understanding when to use direct objects vs. prepositional phrases clarifies meaning.
Receiving things (direct objects)
When you receive concrete items, use a direct object without a preposition.
Eu recebi um pacote.
Ela recebeu o cheque.
If you want to specify from whom something was received, use de.
Eu recebi uma carta de João.
Nós recebemos doações de várias pessoas.
Welcoming people (direct object or preposition)
For welcoming or greeting people, you can use receber with a direct object (the person) or with a preposition to emphasize manner or place.
Recebemos os hóspedes às oito horas. (direct object)
Recebemos os hóspedes com jantar e música. (with com to describe how)
To indicate receiving someone at a place, use em or em + definite article.
Eu vou receber os clientes no escritório.
Ela recebeu os amigos em casa.
Common constructions and prepositions
The preposition choice affects nuance. Here are common patterns you will encounter and how to use them correctly.
Receber + direct object
Direct and most common for things and people.
Recebi um e-mail importante.
Recebemos os participantes no auditório.
Receber + de
Use de to indicate the source or origin.
Recebi uma carta de minha amiga.
Ele recebeu o prêmio de uma instituição internacional.
Receber + com
Com is used to describe how someone is welcomed or what accompanies the reception.
Recebemos os visitantes com café e bolo.
A família recebeu o bebê com festa.
Receber + em
Em indicates the place where the reception happens.
Ela recebeu os convidados em casa.
Recebemos a equipe em nosso escritório.
Receber + para
Para can show purpose or intended recipient in some contexts.
Recebi um presente para você. (a gift intended for you)
Eles receberam orientações para trabalhar melhor.
Passive and reflexive uses
Receber can appear in passive constructions or in reflexive-like patterns to emphasize being on the receiving end.
Passive voice
In passive constructions, receber is often replaced by ser + recebid o/recebida depending on the noun gender. This is more formal and less common in everyday speech but useful to know.
O prêmio foi recebido com entusiasmo.
As mensagens foram recebidas ontem.
Reflexive or pronominal use
Although receber is not reflexive by default, Portuguese sometimes uses pronouns to indicate who benefits or to soften the verb.
Ele se recebeu bem na nova escola. (colloquial; rarer — suggests he adapted well)
Nós nos recebemos com alegria. (uncommon)
More typical is usar reflexive forms of other verbs for reciprocal meanings, but you will still see pronouns with receber to add emphasis or clarify the indirect object.
Idiomatic and extended uses
Receber appears in idiomatic expressions and broader contexts beyond physical receiving.
To get news, information, or attention
Receber notícia / receber informação is common.
Você recebeu notícias sobre a reunião?
Eles receberam muitas mensagens de apoio.
To be paid or to earn
Receber also means to get paid.
Ela recebeu o salário ontem.
Quanto você recebe por hora?
In formal contexts: receber alguém
In formal or business settings, receber can mean to meet or host a visitor officially.
O prefeito recebeu a delegação estrangeira no salão nobre.
A diretora recebeu os candidatos para entrevistas.
Negative forms and questions
Negating receber follows standard Portuguese rules: place não before the verb. Questions often change intonation or use question words.
Eu não recebi a mensagem.
Você recebeu o e-mail? (simple yes/no)
Quando você recebeu o pacote? (question word)
Common mistakes to avoid
– Using receber when querer would be correct: Não diga Eu recebo ir ao cinema. Use Eu quero ir ao cinema.
– Forgetting de when indicating origin: Eu recebi o presente Maria is incorrect; use Eu recebi o presente de Maria.
– Overusing reflexive pronouns with receber in contexts where they are unnecessary.
Politeness and cultural notes
In Brazilian culture, receber carries social warmth when used for welcoming people. Inviting someone and then receiving them with attention, food, and small talk is common. Saying Seja bem-vindo or Sejam bem-vindos often accompanies receiving guests and emphasizes hospitality.
When hosting, simple phrases are useful:
Seja bem-vindo!
Fique à vontade.
Sinta-se em casa.
In business settings, receiving someone formally—O gerente receberá os investidores—suggests a planned, official meeting and a degree of respect.
Practical examples in everyday situations
Below are realistic Brazilian Portuguese sentences that show how receber is used in speech and writing.
Recebi um presente de aniversário dos meus colegas.
Nós recebemos nossos amigos para jantar no sábado.
Ela recebeu uma ligação importante durante a reunião.
O hotel recebeu muitos turistas durante o feriado.
Eles receberam a notícia com surpresa e alegria.
Você já recebeu sua encomenda?
Ele recebeu o pagamento na conta esta manhã.
Tips to practice and remember
To internalize receber:
– Memorize key conjugations: presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito imperfeito, futuro, and condicional.
– Practice with contexts: items (receber um pacote), people (receber convidados), money (receber salário), and news (receber notícias).
– Pay attention to prepositions: de for source, em for place, com for accompaniment, and para for purpose or recipient.
– Listen for the verb in natural speech: podcasts, Brazilian TV, and conversations will show how native speakers use nuances.
Conclusion
Receber is a flexible and frequently used verb in Brazilian Portuguese. It covers receiving things, welcoming people, hosting events, and even getting paid. By learning its conjugation patterns, common prepositions, and typical contexts, you will be able to use receber naturally in everyday conversations and formal situations. Practice with real sentences and pay attention to nuance to master its many uses.
