acontecer
/a.kõ.teˈseɾ/
Definition
To happen or take place; used to describe an event or situation that occurs.
Example
O que aconteceu com o seu telefone?
Show translation
What happened to your phone?
Etymology
From Latin *accontinescere*, a combination of *ad-* (toward) + *contingere* (to touch, befall), which also gave Portuguese *contingência* (contingency) and French *acontir*. The verb entered Portuguese in the medieval period and stabilized as the go-to word for spontaneous or unplanned events.
Cultural note
In everyday Brazilian speech, *acontecer* shows up constantly in casual reassurances — *"Acontece!"* (lit. "It happens!") is the Brazilian equivalent of "These things happen!" or "Shit happens," used to brush off mistakes or bad luck with characteristic lightness. Don't confuse it with *ocorrer*, which is more formal and bureaucratic (used in police reports, news headlines), while *acontecer* feels warm and conversational.