The term “físico-financeiro” in Portuguese, specifically in Brazilian Portuguese, translates roughly to “physical-financial” in English. It describes a situation or analysis where both the physical (tangible, material) and financial aspects are considered in conjunction. Understanding its hyphenation is crucial for correct writing and communication.
The rule for hyphenating “físico-financeiro” isn’t arbitrary; it stems from grammatical principles governing compound adjectives in Portuguese. Let’s break it down:
When two or more words form a compound adjective that modifies a noun and at least one of those words has a different number of grammatical genders and/or numbers, a hyphen is generally used. In this case, both “físico” (physical) and “financeiro” (financial) are adjectives. Because they function together to describe a single, combined characteristic, they are joined by a hyphen when preceding the noun they modify.
For example:
- Análise físico-financeira (physical-financial analysis) – Here, “físico-financeira” is an adjective describing the type of analysis. Because it comes before the noun “análise”, it’s hyphenated. Note that “financeira” agrees in gender with “análise” (feminine singular).
- Relatório físico-financeiro (physical-financial report) – Similar to the above, “físico-financeiro” is an adjective modifying “relatório”.
However, it’s essential to consider the context. If the words are used separately to describe the noun, a hyphen is *not* used. Though uncommon in the specific phrase “físico-financeiro,” a general example would be: “Problemas físicos e financeiros” (Physical and financial problems). Here, “físicos” and “financeiros” are separate adjectives independently describing “problemas”; hence, no hyphen.
In the context of “físico-financeiro,” it’s overwhelmingly likely that you’ll be using it as a compound adjective, thus requiring the hyphen. It emphasizes the integrated nature of the physical and financial components of the subject at hand.
Think of examples where you might use “físico-financeiro”:
- Evaluating a project’s physical infrastructure in relation to its budget.
- Analyzing the physical inventory alongside its financial value.
- Assessing the physical resources of a company in light of its financial stability.
In all these cases, the physical and financial aspects are intertwined, making “físico-financeiro” the appropriate and hyphenated term to use.
In short, when “físico” and “financeiro” combine to form a single, compound adjective that precedes the noun it modifies, use a hyphen: físico-financeiro.