diminuir

Diminuir is a Portuguese verb meaning to reduce, lessen, or decrease. It can refer to quantities, sizes, intensities, values, or frequencies, and is used both transitively (diminuir o preço) and intransitively (as vendas diminuíram).

Etymology: the word comes from Latin diminuere, formed from minuere “to lessen,” with a prefix that reinforces the sense of making smaller. It shares cognates with related Romance languages, such as diminuir in Spanish and diminuer in French.

Conjugation and forms: Diminuir is a regular verb of the -ir group. In the present indicative, common forms are eu diminuo, ele diminui, nós diminuímos, eles diminuem; the tu and vós forms vary by dialect and are sometimes less used in contemporary speech. The gerund is diminuindo, and the past participle is diminuído. The imperfect and preterite follow standard -ir patterns, with forms like eu diminuía and eu diminui.

Usage: the verb denotes a decrease in amount, size, degree, frequency, or intensity. It is often paired with adjectives or nouns to describe measurable changes, such as diminuir a velocidade, diminuir o consumo, diminuir os preços, or diminuir a dor. In mathematics or economics, it describes decréscimos; in everyday language, it can express moderation or reduction of a quantity or impact.

Related terms: diminuição (noun) refers to the act or result of diminuindo; antonyms include aumentar, crescer. Diminuir is commonly contrasted with reduzir, baixar, or aumentar depending on nuance and register.

Examples: “Diminuir o consumo de energia.” “As temperaturas diminuíram nas últimas semanas.” “A empresa pretende diminuir os preços.”