Definition
To wake up; to stop sleeping and become conscious and alert.
Example
Eu acordo cedo todos os dias para trabalhar.
Show translation
I wake up early every day to work.
Etymology
From Portuguese *acordar*, derived from Latin *accordāre* ("to bring into harmony, agree"), from *ad-* + *cor/cordis* ("heart"). The sense of "waking up" — hearts and minds coming back into sync — developed in Ibero-Romance languages by the medieval period.
Cultural note
Worth noting: *acordar* (to wake up) is a false friend with *acordo* (agreement/deal), which is already on the avoid list. Also beware the Spanish false friend *acordar*, which primarily means "to agree" — in Brazilian Portuguese, "to agree" is *concordar*. If you overhear a Brazilian say *"Acordo às seis"*, they mean "I wake up at six," not "I make a deal at six."