prestar queixa
/pɾesˈta(ʁ) ˈke(j).ʃɐ/word by word
To press charges in Portuguese is prestar queixa.
The phrase prestar queixa is used specifically in the context of reporting a crime to the police or a legal authority to initiate a formal investigation.
Meaning: to formally accuse a person of a crime (verb)
Did you know?
- While prestar queixa is the formal way to press charges, Brazilians often use the slang term dar um B.O, referring to the Boletim de Ocorrência (Police Report) document itself.
- In Portuguese, the word queixa is used both for a legal criminal charge and for a medical symptom described by a patient to a doctor.
- The word prestar in prestar queixa usually means 'to provide' or 'to render', but in other contexts it is used in the phrase não prestar to describe someone who is useless or a bad person.
Examples in context
- Eu quero prestar queixa.I want to press charges.Tatoeba #6058451 by bill, translation #2011912 by CK
- O Tom vai prestar queixa?Is Tom going to press charges?Tatoeba #5993414 by bill, translation #3731533 by CM
- Eu não quero prestar queixa.I don't want to press charges.Tatoeba #5990079 by bill, translation #2013914 by CK
- Ela decidiu denunciar o agressor à polícia.She decided to press charges against the assailant to the police.
- Ele decidiu fazer uma queixa-crime contra o ladrão.He decided to press charges against the thief.
- O empresário decidiu processar o ex-funcionário.The businessman decided to press charges against the former employee.
- A vítima decidiu abrir um processo contra o agressor.The victim decided to press charges against the assailant.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Juliana are discussing a theft that happened at their office.
- GabrielJuliana, você vai prestar queixa?Juliana, are you going to press charges?
- JulianaSim, Gabriel, não posso deixar passar isso.Yes, Gabriel, I cannot let this slide.
- GabrielEu acho que prestar queixa é o melhor.I think pressing charges is the best thing.
- JulianaConcordo, vou à polícia agora mesmo.I agree, I'm going to the police station right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (prestar, queixa) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
