If you look at the right side of the blog, you’ll notice the word of the day, where we feature a word in Portuguese, its English translation, and its proper application seven days a week. In this new series, we’ll talk a bit about the word of the day to expand upon its use.

Today’s word of the day is gerente.

First, let’s talk about the pronunciation. The first part of the word, ge, uses the z/j sound, the kind you’d hear in rouge and other French-based words. The last part of the word, te, is pronounced chee in some parts of Brazil, like Rio and Sao Paulo, and pronounced tea in other parts, like Pernambuco. Click on the word to hear its pronunciation.

Next, let’s look at the use of the word. Gerente is a manager, but can also be used to describe a boss, owner/operator, or a storekeeper.

Felipe, o gerente geral da empresa, tem muita responsibilidade. Felipe, the company’s general manager, has a lot of responsibility.

Hoje conversei com meu gerente, e pedi demissão. I spoke to my boss today, and I quit.

A gerente da escola do balé gasta muito dinheiro. The woman who runs the ballet school spends a lot of money.

O libanês velho é o gerente da loja de brinquedos na esquina. The old Lebanese man owns the toy store on the corner.