vale-presente
The English phrase gift voucher is translated into Portuguese as vale-presente.
This phrase refers to a card or piece of paper that can be exchanged for goods or services at a specific store.
What does it mean word for word?
The term vale-presente is a compound of vale, meaning voucher or coupon and presente, meaning gift.
Which one should you use?
While vale-presente is the standard term, cartão-presente is a common synonym used specifically when referring to a plastic or digital card rather than a paper voucher. The term Cheque-prenda means gift check and is used to refer to this concept.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Cheque-prenda is more common in Portugal.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of the phrase, only the first element is inflected, resulting in vales-presente.
Did you know?
- In Portugal, you might hear the term cheque-prenda, which uses the word prenda for 'gift'. In Brazil, however, the word prenda usually refers to a 'trick' or a 'constraint', so using it for a gift might confuse a Brazilian speaker.
- In Brazil, the term vale is used for many types of benefit vouchers, such as vale-refeição for meals and vale-transporte for commuting, making it a central part of employee compensation culture.
- The word vale in vale-presente comes from the verb valer, meaning 'to be worth'. This makes the term a literal way of saying the paper 'is worth a gift'.
Examples in context
- Eu quero comprar um vale-presenteI want to buy a gift voucher
- Vou oferecer um cheque-prenda à minha mãeI'm going to give a gift check to my mother
- Estou precisando de um voucher de presenteI'm in need of a gift voucher
- Quero dar um vale de presente para minha amigaI want to give a gift voucher to my friend
- Vou comprar um cartão presente para meu irmãoI'm going to buy a gift card for my brother
- Eu ganhei um vale-presente da minha tia.I received a gift voucher from my aunt.
- Onde posso usar este vale-presente?Where can I use this gift voucher?
- Este vale-presente é válido para todo o site.This gift voucher is valid for the entire website.
Example conversation
Mariana and Rodrigo are talking about a birthday gift.
- MarianaRodrigo, você não vai acreditar no meu presente!Rodrigo, you won't believe my present!
- RodrigoO que é, Mariana?What is it, Mariana?
- MarianaEu ganhei um vale-presente de uma loja de roupas.I received a gift voucher from a clothing store.
- RodrigoQue legal! É um ótimo presente.That's cool! It's a great present.
