Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Apoiar is backing. Suportar is tolerating. Sustentar is sustaining or maintaining.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
apoiar
to support or back
Use apoiar for helping, endorsing, or supporting a person, idea, or cause.
suportar
to bear or tolerate
Use suportar for enduring pressure, pain, weight, or an unpleasant situation.
sustentar
to sustain or maintain
Use sustentar for holding up, maintaining an argument, or financially supporting someone.
How to choose
- apoiar: Choose apoiar if the sentence points to helping, endorsing, or supporting a person, idea, or cause.
- suportar: Choose suportar if the sentence points to enduring pressure, pain, weight, or an unpleasant situation.
- sustentar: Choose sustentar if the sentence points to holding up, maintaining an argument, or financially supporting someone.
Examples
Eu apoio a proposta.
I support the proposal.
Nao suporto esse barulho.
I cannot stand that noise.
Ele sustenta a familia.
He supports the family financially.
Common trap
English "support" splits into several Portuguese verbs. Do not default to suportar.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with apoiar, then once with suportar. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.