atual

Atual is a Portuguese adjective meaning current, present, up-to-date, or modern. It is used to describe things connected to the present moment or the latest state of affairs, such as a situation, data, technology, or institutions. Examples include a situação atual (the current situation), os dados atuais (the current data), and o governo atual (the current government). While most phrases place the adjective after the noun, occasional stylistic use places atual before the noun for emphasis, as in atuais tendências (current trends).

In grammar, atual is invariable in gender, with the plural form atuais for both masculine and feminine nouns. The adjective commonly follows the noun, but it can appear before it depending on emphasis or fixed expressions.

Etymology and relation to other terms: atual comes from Latin actualis, via French actuel. It is related to words for “current” and “modern.” A common distinction in Portuguese is between atual and presente: atual emphasizes the present state or up-to-dateness, often in dynamic or time-sensitive contexts, while presente more broadly refers to the moment itself or to the notion of presence, and can also denote a gift (present).

Derivatives and related forms include atualizar (to update), atualização (update or updating), atualizado/a (updated), and atualmente (currently). These forms are used across contexts such as technology, news, and governance to express timeliness and current status.