Pôr vs. colocar vs. meter
While pôr, meter, and colocar are synonyms generally translating to to put, the choice depends heavily on regional differences between Brazil and Portugal, as well as the level of formality. Pôr is the irregularity root verb, colocar is the formal or widely used alternative in Brazil, and meter carries specific nuances of insertion that can be offensive in Brazil if used incorrectly.
Pôr
A1This is the most fundamental and direct verb for to put. It is an irregular verb. In Portugal, pôr is the default word for almost any situation involving placing an object. In Brazil, while commonly used in speech and fixed expressions (like pôr a mesa), it is often replaced by colocar in writing or formal situations to avoid grammatical conjugation difficulties.
Você pode pôr o livro na estante?
(Can you put the book on the shelf?)
Ela pôs o casaco porque estava frio.
(She put on the coat because it was cold.)
Vamos pôr a mesa para o jantar.
(Let's set the table for dinner.)
Eles vão pôr mais dinheiro no projeto.
(They are going to put more money into the project.)
Colocar
A1This implies placing something in a specific location or positioning it. In Brazil, colocar is used extremely frequently as a neutral standard for to put because it sounds more educated or polite than pôr. In Portugal, colocar is slightly more formal and implies arranging something with care or precision, rather than a casual action.
Por favor, coloque o cinto de segurança.
(Please put on your seatbelt.)
O garçom colocou os pratos na mesa.
(The waiter placed the plates on the table.)
Onde devo colocar as minhas malas?
(Where should I put my bags?)
Ele foi colocado em uma situação difícil.
(He was put in a difficult situation.)
Meter
A2This verb conveys the idea of inserting something inside something else, sometimes forcefully or casually. In Portugal, meter is very common in daily colloquial speech for to put (ex: putting things in a bag). However, in Brazil, meter is often considered aggressive slang or has strong, vulgar sexual connotations. Brazilians generally avoid meter in polite conversation, preferring botar (informal) or colocar.
Ele meteu a chave na fechadura.
(He stuck the key in the lock.)
Não te metas onde não és chamado.
(Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong.)
Consegues meter toda a roupa na mala?
(Can you fit all the clothes in the suitcase?)
Meter medo em alguém não é a solução.
(To put fear into someone is not the solution.)
Summary
To sound natural and polite in Brazil, prefer using colocar for almost all situations, and be very careful with meter as it can sound rude or obscene. In Portugal, use pôr as your standard verb for to put, use meter casually for inserting things/putting inside, and reserve colocar for when you mean placing something with specific care or formality.