Portuguese terms, explained
A home-education glossary
Keep the words you’ll see in school emails, official guidance and conversations with other families close at hand. Pronunciation hints are rough approximations of European Portuguese.
- Ensino doméstico
- Home education. Roughly: “en-SEEN-oo doh-mess-TEE-koo”
- Ensino individual
- Individual education delivered by a qualified teacher. Roughly: “en-SEEN-oo ee-nee-vee-DWAHL”
- Escola de matrícula
- The school where the child remains enrolled. Roughly: “esh-KOH-lah duh muh-TREE-koo-lah”
- Responsável educativo
- The person responsible for delivering the child’s education. Roughly: “hress-pon-SAH-vel eh-doo-kah-TEE-voo”
- Professor-tutor
- The teacher appointed by the school to monitor and support the child’s education. Roughly: “pruh-fess-OOR too-TOHR”
- Protocolo de colaboração
- The agreement between the family and the school. Roughly: “pruh-too-KOH-loo duh kuh-lah-boh-RAH-sow”
- Aprendizagens Essenciais
- Portugal’s national Essential Learning expectations. Roughly: “ah-pren-dee-ZAH-gnesh eh-sen-SY-aish”
- Português Língua Não Materna (PLNM)
- Portuguese-language curriculum and support for pupils learning Portuguese as an additional language. Usually said as its letters: “P L N M”
- Escolaridade obrigatória
- Compulsory schooling. Roughly: “esh-koo-lah-ree-DAH-deh oo-bree-gah-TOH-ree-ah”
Definitions and pronunciation hints checked on 25 September 2026.
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