Portuguese Phrase
Primeiro, procura um advogado.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener to take the first step by looking for a lawyer. It is a direct, informal command that is often used when giving advice about legal matters.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are advising someone to start a legal process, such as after an accident, a contract dispute, or any situation where professional legal help is needed.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Primeiro,procuraumadvogado.
Primeiro (adverb)
Used to indicate the first step in a sequence; it can appear at the beginning of a sentence followed by a comma.
procura (imperative)
Second‑person singular imperative of procurar. In informal Brazilian Portuguese ‘tu’ is used, so ‘procura’ is a direct command.
um (indefinite article)
The masculine singular indefinite article, used before a singular countable noun.
advogado (noun)
Masculine noun meaning ‘lawyer’; it agrees with the article ‘um’.
🗨In Conversation
Primeiro, procura um advogado.
First, find a lawyer.
Claro, já vou ligar para um.
Sure, I’ll call one right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Primeiro, procure um advogado.
‘Procure’ is the formal imperative (você). Using it with ‘tu’ sounds overly formal; choose ‘procura’ for informal contexts or switch the whole sentence to ‘procure’ if you want a polite tone.
Primeiro, procura uma advogada.
If you mean a male lawyer, use ‘advogado’. ‘Advogada’ is feminine and changes the meaning.
Primeiro procura um advogado.
Missing the comma can make the sentence feel rushed; the pause after ‘Primeiro’ signals the ordering of steps.
↔Alternatives
Primeiro, contrate um advogado.
First, hire a lawyer.
Primeiro, encontre um advogado.
First, find a lawyer.
Primeiro, busque um advogado.
First, seek a lawyer.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, it is common to advise people to get legal representation early, especially after an accident or a dispute. If you are speaking to someone you don’t know well, use the formal imperative ‘procure’ (second‑person singular of ‘você’) instead of ‘procura’, which is informal and tied to the ‘tu’ form. Also, the comma after ‘Primeiro’ is optional in casual writing but helps clarify the sequence of steps.