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
Sair is everyday leaving. Partir is depart or set off.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
sair
to leave or go out
Use sair for leaving a place, going out socially, or something coming out.
partir
to depart
Use partir for departing, setting off, or leaving in a more formal or narrative tone.
How to choose
- sair: Choose sair if the sentence points to leaving a place, going out socially, or something coming out.
- partir: Choose partir if the sentence points to departing, setting off, or leaving in a more formal or narrative tone.
Examples
Vou sair de casa as oito.
I am going to leave home at eight.
O trem parte ao meio-dia.
The train departs at noon.
Common trap
For going out with friends, use sair, not partir.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with sair, then once with partir. 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.