Portuguese Phrase
Você entende o cargo?
Meaning
Literally, “Do you understand the position?” It is used to check whether someone has grasped the duties, responsibilities, or the nature of a job role that has just been explained.
When to use
Use this question after describing a job, a task, or a set of responsibilities, especially in a workplace onboarding, a team meeting, or a training session. It can also appear in academic contexts when discussing a role in a case study.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vocêentendeocargo?
Você (pronoun)
Second‑person singular subject pronoun; used in both formal and informal contexts in Brazil.
entende (verb)
Present indicative of entender ‘to understand’; conjugated for ‘você’ (third‑person singular form).
o (definite article)
Masculine singular article that agrees with the noun cargo.
cargo (noun)
Masculine noun meaning ‘position’, ‘job role’ or ‘responsibility’.
? (question mark)
In Portuguese, the question mark is placed only at the end of the sentence (the opening ‘?’ is not used).
🗨In Conversation
O seu cargo inclui gerenciar a equipe de vendas e analisar os relatórios mensais.
Your role includes managing the sales team and analyzing the monthly reports.
Você entende o cargo?
Do you understand the position?
✕Common Mistakes
Você entende o cargo?
When asking about comprehension of a concept, ‘compreende’ is often more appropriate in formal contexts.
Você entende os cargo?
If the noun is plural (e.g., multiple responsibilities), use ‘os cargos’. The article must agree in gender and number.
Tu entende o cargo?
In some regions of Brazil, ‘tu’ is used instead of ‘você’; mixing pronouns can sound inconsistent.
↔Alternatives
Você compreende o cargo?
Do you comprehend the role?
Entendeu o que envolve o cargo?
Did you get what the role involves?
Ficou claro qual é o seu cargo?
Is it clear what your position is?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘entender’ is the everyday verb for ‘to understand’, while ‘compreender’ sounds slightly more formal or academic. When speaking with a superior, you might prefer the more formal ‘compreende’ or rephrase the question to sound less direct, e.g., ‘Ficou claro qual é o seu cargo?’ Avoid using the informal ‘tu’ unless you know the person well, as ‘você’ is the neutral form in most professional settings.