poupança
/po(w)ˈpɐ̃.sɐ/
The English phrase 'savings' is translated into Portuguese as poupança.
poupança is used to refer to savings. When you want to refer specifically to a savings account, it is common to use the phrases conta poupança or conta de poupança.
What does it mean word for word?
The word poupança comes from the verb poupar, meaning 'to save' or 'to spare', combined with the suffix '-ança', which forms a noun indicating an action or result.
Which one should you use?
In a banking context, poupança refers specifically to a low-risk, interest-bearing savings account, whereas economia refers to the general act of saving money or the concept of economy.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike the English 'savings', which is typically used in the plural, the Portuguese poupança is a singular feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of poupança is /po(w)ˈpɐ̃.sɐ/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- While poupança means 'savings', the verb poupar is also used to tell someone to 'spare' a person from a difficult task or an unpleasant experience.
- In Brazil, poupança is not just a banking term but a cultural phenomenon, serving as the most popular investment tool for the general public because of its perceived safety.
- The noun ending -ança in poupança is a linguistic relic from Old Galician-Portuguese that evolved from the Latin suffix -antia.
Examples in context
- Tom não tem poupança.Tom has no savings.This sentence is useful for stating that someone has no savings using poupança.Tatoeba #4398522 by ajdavidl, translation #2548596 by CK
- Gostaria de abrir uma poupança.I'd like to open a savings account.This sentence is useful for expressing the desire to open a savings account using poupança.Tatoeba #1396717 by alexmarcelo, translation #324791 by CK
- Ele pôs muito dinheiro na poupança.He put a lot of money in savings.This sentence is useful for describing putting money into savings using poupança.Tatoeba #3698124 by carlosalberto, translation #2258435 by _undertoad
- Eu estou pensando em abrir uma poupança para guardar dinheiro.I am thinking of opening a savings account to save money.
- As minhas economias estão aumentando a cada mês.My savings are increasing every month.
- Estou tentando poupar dinheiro para a viagem dos meus sonhos.I'm trying to save money for my dream trip.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Felipe are talking about buying a new car.
- MarianaVocê usou a sua poupança para o carro?Did you use your savings for the car?
- FelipeSim, usei quase tudo da poupança.Yes, I used almost all of my savings.
- MarianaAgora você precisa economizar mais.Now you need to save more.
- FelipeEu sei, vou recomeçar a minha poupança.I know, I will start my savings again.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry poupança, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries poupança, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
