Suar vs. transpirar
The Portuguese words suar and transpirar both mean to sweat, but they differ slightly in frequency, formality, and context of use.
Suar
A2Suar is the more commonly used and informal word for to sweat. It is used in everyday speech to describe the act of sweating, either literally (producing sweat) or figuratively (putting in a lot of effort).
Depois da corrida, eu suei muito.
(After the run, I sweated a lot.)
Vou precisar suar para terminar esse trabalho a tempo.
(I’ll need to work hard (sweat) to finish this task on time.)
Está tão calor que todo mundo está suando.
(It’s so hot that everyone is sweating.)
Transpirar
B2Transpirar is a more formal and technical word for sweating. It is commonly used in medical, scientific, or descriptive contexts, and it can also mean figuratively that something becomes known or evident.
Durante o exercício, o corpo transpira para regular a temperatura.
(During exercise, the body sweats to regulate temperature.)
Ele tentou esconder o nervosismo, mas estava transpirando muito.
(He tried to hide his nervousness, but he was sweating a lot.)
Com o tempo, a verdade acabou por transpirar.
(Over time, the truth ended up coming out.)
Summary
Suar is the most common and informal word for to sweat, often used in general and casual speech, while transpirar is more formal and technical, sometimes used figuratively to mean to become known.