Imigrar vs. Emigrar: Move Into or Move Away?
Imigrar focuses on entering a new country; emigrar focuses on leaving the country of origin.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Imigrar means to move into or settle in a country different from the one where someone previously lived. The focus is the destination and the receiving country. A person who moves to Brazil from another country imigra para o Brasil.
Use imigrar from the destination’s perspective
The noun is imigrante. It describes a person who has moved into the country being discussed; the same person may be an emigrant from the country they left.
A família imigrou para o Brasil em 2020.
The family immigrated to Brazil in 2020.
Ela é uma imigrante que vive em São Paulo.
She is an immigrant who lives in São Paulo.
Muitas pessoas imigram em busca de novas oportunidades.
Many people immigrate in search of new opportunities.
Use emigrar from the point of departure
Emigrar means to leave one’s country to live elsewhere. The focus is the place of departure: someone emigra do Brasil para Portugal (emigrates from Brazil to Portugal). The noun is emigrante.
Both verbs describe the same move from different perspectives. Choose the destination when you want imigrar, and the country left behind when you want emigrar.
Meus avós emigraram da Itália.
My grandparents emigrated from Italy.
Ele emigrou para estudar no Canadá.
He emigrated to study in Canada.
Uma pessoa pode ser emigrante em um país e imigrante em outro.
A person can be an emigrant in one country and an immigrant in another.
Put it into practice
Imigrar views the move from the destination; emigrar views it from the country left behind. The same person may be both an immigrant and an emigrant.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “A person can be an emigrant in one country and an immigrant in another”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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