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Portuguese Phrase

A gente preferia um aumento de 15% no orçamento.

/a ˈʒẽ.tʃi pɾe.feˈɾi.a ũ aʊˈmen.tu dʒi ˈkĩ.tɐ ˈpɔɾ.tu ˈno oɾ.biˈɲã.tʃu/
Meaning"We would prefer a 15% increase in the budget."
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Meaning

The speaker is saying that, in a polite or hypothetical way, they would like the budget to be raised by fifteen percent. It’s often used in meetings or negotiations when discussing financial allocations.

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When to use

Use this sentence in business meetings, budget reviews, or any situation where a group is requesting a higher allocation of funds. The tone is courteous and slightly tentative, making it appropriate for formal or semi‑formal contexts.

✦Grammar Breakdown

A gentepreferiaum aumentode 15%no orçamento

1

A gente

Colloquial equivalent of “nós”. It always takes third‑person singular verb agreement, even though it means “we”.

2

preferia

Imperfect indicative of “preferir”. In this context it expresses a polite, hypothetical preference, similar to “would prefer”.

3

um aumento

Masculine noun phrase meaning “an increase”. The article “um” agrees with “aumento”.

4

de 15%

The preposition “de” introduces the percentage value that quantifies the increase.

5

no orçamento

Contraction of “em + o”. It indicates the budget that is being discussed.

🗨In Conversation

A

A gente preferia um aumento de 15% no orçamento.

We would prefer a 15% increase in the budget.

Entendo. Vou levar a proposta ao diretor para avaliação.

I understand. I’ll take the proposal to the director for review.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • A gente preferiríamos um aumento de 15% no orçamento.

    While grammatically correct, using “preferiríamos” sounds more assertive; the original sentence aims for a softer, hypothetical tone.

  • A gente preferia um aumento de 15% no orçamento.

    In very formal contexts you should replace “a gente” with “nós”.

  • A gente preferia um aumento 15% no orçamento.

    The preposition “de” must stay; omitting it makes the phrase sound incomplete.

↔Alternatives

  • Nós preferiríamos um aumento de 15% no orçamento.

    We would prefer a 15% increase in the budget.

  • Gostaríamos de um aumento de 15% no orçamento.

    We would like a 15% increase in the budget.

  • Seria possível aumentar o orçamento em 15%?

    Would it be possible to increase the budget by 15%?

pt

Cultural Tip

“A gente” is very common in everyday Brazilian Portuguese, but in formal written documents you’ll usually see “nós”. Also, using the imperfect “preferia” to express a polite wish is typical in business Portuguese; it softens the request compared to the more direct “preferimos”.