Sumário

Sumário in Portuguese refers primarily to a table of contents at the beginning of a book or document that lists its parts and the corresponding starting pages. It can also denote a brief summary of the content in some contexts. The sumário serves as a navigational aid, allowing readers to locate chapters and sections quickly.

In printed works, the sumário appears after the title page and any front matter, and before the main text. It typically shows a hierarchical list: Part or Partes, Capítulo, Seção, and sometimes Subseção, with page numbers aligned on the right. Some publishers also include entries for figures, tables, or annexes, but those items may have their own lists.

The sumário is distinct from the índice and from the resumo. The índice (index) lists topics, names, or terms with their page references and is usually located at the end. The resumo (resumo) is a short synthesis of the document's content, intended to convey the main points without referencing page numbers.

Formatting tips include keeping headings exactly as they appear in the text, using consistent numbering, and employing dot leaders to connect titles to page numbers. In digital documents, a hyperlinked sumário enables one-click navigation. The sumário should be updated during editing to reflect additions or deletions and to maintain accuracy in pagination.

In Portuguese usage, sumário is common in Brazilian and European contexts and may be translated as “table of contents” in English.