Juntar vs. Reunir: Bring People or Things Together in Portuguese
Juntar often highlights combining or collecting; reunir commonly highlights gathering people, information, or resources for a shared purpose.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Juntar often means to put things together, collect them, or add one item to another. It is useful for everyday tasks such as gathering documents, saving money, or combining ingredients.
Use juntar for collecting or combining things
The subject can also be people who come together. Context tells you whether juntar means collecting objects or getting a group together.
Juntei todos os documentos numa pasta.
I put all the documents together in a folder.
Vamos juntar dinheiro para a viagem.
Let’s save money together for the trip.
Junta as cadeiras perto da mesa, por favor.
Put the chairs together near the table, please.
Use reunir for a group, set of information, or formal meeting
Reunir commonly means to gather people or bring information and resources together, often for a purpose. A reunião is a meeting; reunir a equipe is to bring the team together. The verb can sound more organized or formal than juntar in some contexts.
Both verbs can describe gathering a group. Focus on what is being brought together and why, then learn the phrase as a whole.
A gerente reuniu a equipe para explicar o plano.
The manager gathered the team to explain the plan.
O relatório reúne dados de várias pesquisas.
The report brings together data from several studies.
A família se reuniu para comemorar.
The family got together to celebrate.
Put it into practice
Juntar often combines or collects; reunir often brings a group or set of information together for a purpose. The right choice depends on the object and context.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I put all the documents together in a folder”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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