essential items

[ɪˈsenʃəl ˈaɪtəmz]
noun phrasepl: essential items
itens essenciais
1. Things that are absolutely necessary or vitally important for basic functioning, survival, or daily life
During the pandemic, grocery stores remained open to provide essential items like food and medicine.
Durante a pandemia, as lojas de alimentos permaneceram abertas para fornecer itens essenciais como comida e medicamentos.
2. Basic goods or supplies required for fundamental needs
A emergency kit should contain essential items such as water, first aid supplies, and flashlights.
Um kit de emergência deve conter itens essenciais como água, suprimentos de primeiros socorros e lanternas.
3. Core or fundamental components of something
The essential items for a well-balanced diet include proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Os itens essenciais para uma dieta bem equilibrada incluem proteínas, carboidratos e gorduras saudáveis.
The term gained significant prominence in English and Portuguese during COVID-19 lockdowns when governments classified 'essential services' and 'essential items.' In Brazilian Portuguese, 'itens essenciais' or 'bens de primeira necessidade' are used interchangeably, though the latter is more formal and often used in legal/governmental contexts. In the US, this phrase is commonly used in emergency preparedness, retail contexts, and policy discussions.
NYC Slang
the basics / must-haves
Synonyms / Sinônimos
necessitiesbasicsnecessariesvital suppliesfundamental itemscore requirementsstaples
Antonyms / Antônimos
luxuriesnon-essentialsextrasfrivolitiesunnecessary items

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
itens essenciais
Most common and formal usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
coisas essenciais / itens de primeira necessidade
Often uses 'coisas essenciais' in casual speech
São Paulo
itens essenciais / bens de primeira necessidade
Formal business and official contexts prefer 'bens de primeira necessidade'
Portugal
artigos essenciais / bens de primeira necessidade
European Portuguese tends to use 'artigos' instead of 'itens'

Related Words

necessitybasic suppliesrequirementsstaple goodscommoditiesindispensable

Related Idioms & Phrases

the bare essentials
the nitty-gritty
the bottom line
cannot live without
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