Portuguese Phrase
Alguém tem que assinar na entrega.
Meaning
Someone must sign when the item is delivered. The phrase expresses a mandatory step in the hand‑over process, often used in logistics, retail, or service contexts.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are explaining a delivery requirement, for example at a store, a courier office, or when coordinating a shipment with a client. It works both in formal written instructions and in everyday spoken Portuguese.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Alguémtemqueassinarnaentrega
Alguém
Indefinite pronoun meaning ‘someone’; used when the subject is unknown or not specified.
tem que + infinitive
Periphrastic construction of obligation (equivalent to ‘has to’). ‘Tem que’ is more colloquial than ‘deve’.
assinar
Infinitive verb ‘to sign’; follows the ‘tem que’ construction.
na = em + a
Contraction of the preposition ‘em’ + feminine article ‘a’, meaning ‘on/at the’. Here it links the action to the moment of delivery.
entrega
Noun meaning ‘delivery’ or ‘hand‑over’; feminine, so it takes the article ‘a’.
🗨In Conversation
Alguém tem que assinar na entrega.
Someone has to sign upon delivery.
Tudo bem, eu assino quando o correio chegar.
All right, I’ll sign when the courier arrives.
✕Common Mistakes
Alguém tem de assinar na entrega.
‘Tem de’ is also correct but less common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese; learners often over‑use it in formal contexts.
Alguém tem que assinar entrega.
Leaving out the preposition changes the meaning; ‘assinar entrega’ sounds like ‘sign the delivery (as a document)’.
Alguém tem que assinar na entrega?
Adding a question mark turns the statement into a question; use only when you intend to ask.
↔Alternatives
É preciso assinar na entrega.
It is necessary to sign upon delivery.
Precisa assinar ao receber.
You need to sign when you receive it.
Alguém deve assinar na entrega.
Someone should sign at the delivery.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, many courier services (e.g., Correios, transportadoras) require a signature to confirm receipt. The phrase is neutral and works in both formal contracts and casual conversation. If you want to sound more formal, replace ‘tem que’ with ‘é necessário’ or ‘deve’. In some regions, people may say ‘tem de’ instead of ‘tem que’, but ‘tem que’ is the most widely accepted in everyday speech.