What’s the difference between a ‘gabinete’ and an ‘escritório’?
1 Like
@chokers_gossips6h, they are at least partial synonyms (considering real-world usage patterns, because dictionaries pretty much list them as full synonyms in theory). In European Portuguese:
- Escritório may refer to an office in professional contexts - both the general building or floor, and the private offices that employees might have. It can also refer to a home office or study.
- Gabinete is mostly used in professional contexts only, in reference to private offices within a certain workplace or to identify the specific service provided at an office/desk (and not just the fact that it’s a professional space, as for escritório).
Some examples:
- Este é o Gabinete de Apoio ao Cliente. (This is the Customer Service Desk)
- Não me consigo concentrar no escritório. (I can’t concentrate at the office)
- Já mobilei o meu escritório de casa. (I’ve already furnished my home office/study)
- Aquela é uma cadeira de escritório. (That’s an office chair)
- Doutora, pode vir ao meu gabinete? (Dr., can you come into my office?)