Quick answer
Atingir often emphasizes contact or impact. Alcançar emphasizes arriving at or successfully achieving the target.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
atingir
to hit, reach, or affect
Use atingir for making contact with a target, level, place, or person, sometimes with harmful impact.
alcançar
to reach, catch up with, or achieve
Use alcançar for successfully arriving at a target, goal, person, or level.
How to choose
- atingir: Choose atingir if the sentence points to making contact with a target, level, place, or person, sometimes with harmful impact.
- alcançar: Choose alcançar if the sentence points to successfully arriving at a target, goal, person, or level.
Examples
A tempestade atingiu o litoral.
The storm hit the coast.
A equipe alcançou a meta anual.
The team achieved its annual target.
Common trap
Both can reach a number or goal. For harm or physical impact, atingir is clearer; for achievement, alcançar is often warmer.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with atingir, then once with alcançar. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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