Sacar vs. retirar vs. levantar
While sacar, retirar, and levantar all translate to "to withdraw" in the context of finances, the choice depends heavily on the region (Brazil vs. Portugal) and the level of formality. Sacar is standard in Brazil, levantar is standard in Portugal, and retirar is a more general or formal term used in both.
Sacar
A2This is the most common verb used in Brazil when taking cash out of an ATM or a bank account. It is widely used in everyday conversation specifically for banking transactions.
Preciso passar no banco para sacar dinheiro antes do jantar.
(I need to stop by the bank to withdraw money before dinner.)
Ele tentou sacar todo o limite da conta.
(He tried to withdraw the entire account limit.)
Você vai sacar esse valor no caixa eletrônico?
(Are you going to withdraw this amount at the ATM?)
Não consegui sacar nada porque esqueci a senha.
(I could not withdraw anything because I forgot the password.)
Retirar
B1This verb translates to "to remove" or "to take out" and acts as a more formal or technical alternative. It is used in both Brazil and Portugal, often referring to removing funds from investments, online wallets, or business accounts rather than just grabbing cash.
O cliente decidiu retirar os fundos de investimento.
(The client decided to withdraw the investment funds.)
É possível retirar o saldo via transferência bancária.
(It is possible to withdraw the balance via bank transfer.)
A empresa vai retirar o lucro no final do mês.
(The company will withdraw the profit at the end of the month.)
Gostaria de retirar mil reais da minha poupança.
(I would like to withdraw one thousand reais from my savings.)
Levantar
A2This is the standard verb for withdrawing money in European Portuguese (Portugal). In Brazil, levantar usually means "to lift" (physical objects) or "to stand up" and is almost never used for banking.
Vou ao multibanco levantar dinheiro para o almoço.
(I am going to the ATM to withdraw money for lunch.)
Ela precisa de levantar duzentos euros urgente.
(She needs to withdraw two hundred euros urgently.)
Onde posso levantar dinheiro nesta rua?
(Where can I withdraw money on this street?)
Acabei de levantar o meu ordenado.
(I just withdrew my salary.)
Summary
To sound native, use sacar if you are speaking Brazilian Portuguese and levantar if you are speaking European Portuguese. You can use retirar in either region when you want to sound more formal or when referring to moving funds from investments.