Patamares

Patamares is the plural of patamar, a term used in Portuguese to denote a level, a stage, or a threshold that marks progression or categorization. It can refer to physical platforms as well as to abstract levels in measurement and evaluation. In architecture, a patamar is the horizontal platform between two flights of stairs, often serving as a resting point or transition.

In everyday and formal language, patamares are used as guidelines or benchmarks. They are commonly employed to describe income groups (patamares de renda), performance levels (patamares de desempenho), quality standards (patamares de qualidade), or eligibility thresholds (patamares de elegibilidade) in policies and programs. They can define targets that organizations or governments strive to reach, or categories for analysis and reporting. In education and technology, patamares may refer to stages of learning or maturity levels in processes and systems. The term is widely used in Brazilian Portuguese and is understood in European Portuguese, with similar meanings.

Translations into English often use milestones, levels, or thresholds depending on context. The concept emphasizes progression or stratification into discrete steps, facilitating comparison, budgeting, or evaluation. Critics warn that rigid patamares can obscure nuance or fail to capture distributional aspects, especially when applied to heterogeneous populations. Despite this, the idea remains a common and flexible tool for planning, measurement, and communication across sectors.