Diária

Diária is a Portuguese term used to describe a payment or rate associated with a single day. It is used in several contexts, most notably as a per diem allowance for travel and as a daily wage for casual or temporary work. The exact sense can vary by country and sector, but the core idea is payment tied to one day of activity or travel.

In the travel and public administration context, a diária refers to a fixed daily amount intended to cover lodging, meals, and incidental expenses during work trips away from home. It may be granted in advance or reimbursed after the trip, and rates are often standardized by government agencies or employers. Tax treatment and documentation requirements differ by jurisdiction and organization.

Separately, diária also denotes the daily wage paid to a worker for a day’s labor, common in agriculture, construction, and other temporary arrangements. The daily rate may be negotiated and can be affected by overtime rules, hazard pay, or specific contract terms.

Diárias are also used in hospitality to indicate a lodging rate charged per day, such as hotel diárias or accommodation per-night charges. This usage reflects the broader sense of a daily unit of pricing or compensation.

Etymology traces diária to Latin diaria, from dies meaning day. In contemporary usage, the term remains versatile, appearing in payroll, travel reimbursements, and lodging pricing. See also per diem, daily wage, and hotel rate.