Recibo vs. nota fiscal vs. comprovante vs. comprovativo
The Portuguese terms recibo, nota fiscal, comprovante, and comprovativo all translate to a receipt or proof of purchase, but they differ in regional usage, legal function, and level of detail. Understanding whether you are in Brazil or Portugal, and whether the document is for tax purposes or a simple bank transaction, will dictate which word is most appropriate.
Recibo
A2The word recibo refers to a general written acknowledgment that money has been received in exchange for goods or services. It is used in both standard European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese, most frequently for manual payments, professional services, or rent.
O mecânico assinou o recibo depois que eu paguei pelo conserto do motor.
(The mechanic signed the receipt after I paid for the engine repair.)
Sempre exija um recibo ao pagar o aluguel do seu apartamento.
(Always demand a receipt when paying the rent for your apartment.)
Eles me deram um recibo simples escrito à mão na feira de artesanato.
(They gave me a simple handwritten receipt at the craft fair.)
O contador solicitou o recibo dos materiais comprados na semana passada.
(The accountant requested the receipt for the materials bought last week.)
Nota fiscal
B1The term nota fiscal is specific to Brazil and refers to a highly formal, government-regulated tax invoice. It serves as the official proof of purchase that details the taxes paid and is legally required to claim a product warranty or return goods.
A loja online enviou a nota fiscal por e-mail logo após a confirmação do pedido.
(The online store sent the tax receipt by email right after the order confirmation.)
Você não conseguirá trocar o computador quebrado se perder a nota fiscal.
(You will not be able to exchange the broken computer if you lose the tax invoice.)
Peça para incluir o seu número de identificação na nota fiscal da compra.
(Ask to include your identification number on the purchase receipt.)
A transportadora foi parada pela polícia para verificar a nota fiscal da carga.
(The transport company was stopped by the police to check the tax invoice for the cargo.)
Comprovante
B1The word comprovante is widely used in Brazil to denote a smaller slip that proves a specific action or transaction occurred, such as a credit card terminal slip, an ATM printout, or a digital bank transfer receipt.
O garçom trouxe a máquina de cartão e me entregou o comprovante impresso.
(The waiter brought the card machine and handed me the printed receipt.)
Por favor envie o comprovante de depósito por mensagem para liberar a entrega.
(Please send the deposit receipt by message to release the delivery.)
A máquina do caixa eletrônico estava sem papel e não emitiu o comprovante.
(The ATM machine was out of paper and did not issue the receipt.)
Mostrei o comprovante de compra no meu celular para o segurança da loja.
(I showed the proof of purchase on my cell phone to the store security guard.)
Comprovativo
B2The term comprovativo is the European Portuguese equivalent of comprovante, used primarily in Portugal to refer to any ticket, slip, or document acting as proof of a purchase, payment, or standard transaction.
O cliente guardou o comprovativo de pagamento na carteira ao sair do supermercado.
(The customer kept the payment receipt in his wallet upon leaving the supermarket.)
Tem de apresentar o comprovativo de transferência bancária na secretaria da universidade.
(You have to present the bank transfer receipt at the university office.)
Não deite fora o comprovativo até ter a certeza de que a máquina funciona.
(Do not throw away the proof of purchase until you are sure the machine works.)
O sistema digital gera um comprovativo automático após a compra dos bilhetes para o concerto.
(The digital system generates an automatic receipt after the purchase of the concert tickets.)
Summary
While they all establish proof of a transaction, your choice of word varies by context. Use nota fiscal in Brazil for official tax receipts and store purchases. Opt for recibo for manual or service-based payment acknowledgments worldwide. Finally, use comprovante in Brazil and comprovativo in Portugal for bank transfer slips, ATM printouts, and card machine receipts.