Escritório vs. gabinete

Word practice demo

While both escritório and gabinete translate to "office" in English, their usage helps distinguish between a general workplace, a private room, and a government role, with significant differences in usage between Brazil and Portugal.

Escritório

This is the general term for a workplace where administrative or intellectual work happens. In Brazil, escritório is the universal word used for everything from a corporate building to a home office. In Portugal, escritório generally refers to the collective workplace (the company premises) or a professional firm (like a law firm), rather than the specific room where an individual sits.

O meu escritório fica no centro de São Paulo.

(My office is located in downtown São Paulo.)

Hoje vou trabalhar a partir do meu escritório em casa.

(Today I will work from my home office.)

Este escritório de contabilidade é muito conhecido.

(This accounting firm is very well known.)

Esqueci as chaves do carro no escritório.

(I left my car keys at the office.)

Gabinete

This word implies a private, enclosed space. In Portugal, gabinete is arguably the most common word for a specific room within a company where someone works (e.g., "come into my office"). In Brazil, however, gabinete is reserved for formal contexts, specifically for the offices of politicians (mayors, ministers) or high-ranking authorities (judges).

O chefe está no gabinete dele agora?

(Is the boss in his office right now?)

O gabinete do Ministro da Saúde emitiu um comunicado.

(The Minister of Health's office issued a statement.)

Os arquitetos trabalham num gabinete muito moderno.

(The architects work in a very modern studio.)

Vamos reunir no meu gabinete porque é mais silencioso.

(Let's meet in my private office because it is quieter.)

Summary

Use escritório as the safe, general term for a place of business in both countries. However, be aware that in Portugal, if you are inviting someone into your specific room, you typically call it a gabinete, whereas in Brazil, you would still call it an escritório unless you are a high-ranking government official.