Orçou

Orçou is the third-person singular form of the Portuguese verb orçar, meaning to estimate costs, prepare a budget, or price a project or item. It is commonly used in business, construction, procurement, and budgeting contexts to indicate that a cost estimate has been prepared or a price has been set for a future expenditure.

The verb orçar is used regularly in Brazilian and European Portuguese. In the preterite tense, its forms are eu orcei, tu orçaste, ele orçou, nós orçamos, vós orçastes, eles orçaram. The past participle is orçado and the gerund is orçando. The related noun orçamento refers to a budget or budgeting process, and orçamental is an adjective describing a budgetary matter.

Usage notes include its close association with budgeting and cost estimation rather than actual spending. It is often paired with nouns such as orçamento, projeto, or serviço, to express the act of estimating or setting a price before contracting or executing a task. Synonyms include estimar, calcular, or avaliar, though orçar emphasizes the financial planning aspect.

Examples:

- A empresa orçou o projeto em 2 milhões de reais.

- O órgão público orçou o novo programa para o próximo exercício.

- Ela orçou a compra de equipamentos para controlar custos.