Quick answer
Legal can mean permitted by law—or “cool” in conversation. Jurídico means related to the legal field.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
legal
legal, lawful, or cool
Use legal for what the law permits, and in informal Brazil, what is nice or enjoyable.
jurídico
legal or juridical
Use jurídico for what relates to law, legal analysis, courts, or the legal profession.
How to choose
- legal: Choose legal if the sentence points to what the law permits, and in informal Brazil, what is nice or enjoyable.
- jurídico: Choose jurídico if the sentence points to what relates to law, legal analysis, courts, or the legal profession.
Examples
O acordo é legal e válido.
The agreement is lawful and valid.
A empresa pediu orientação jurídica.
The company requested legal advice.
Common trap
An assunto jurídico is a legal matter, but it may concern conduct that is ilegal. The field and the lawfulness are different questions.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with legal, then once with jurídico. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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