got to work

[/ɡɒt tu wɜrk/]
verb phrase
começou a trabalhar; pôs-se a trabalhar
1. past tense of 'get to work': to start working or begin a task with focus and effort
I got to work on the project immediately after the meeting.
Comecei a trabalhar no projeto imediatamente após a reunião.
2. to arrive at one's workplace
I got to work early this morning.
Cheguei ao trabalho cedo esta manhã.
3. to begin doing something with determination and energy
After breakfast, she got to work cleaning the house.
Depois do café da manhã, ela se pôs a limpar a casa.
This phrase is commonly used in both American and Brazilian work contexts to express productivity and dedication. In the USA, it emphasizes the action-oriented work ethic, while in Brazil it's used similarly but often with more emphasis on determination and energy (pôr-se a = to set oneself to). The phrase reflects workplace culture valuing prompt engagement and task commitment.
NYC Slang
got down to work; jumped into it
Synonyms / Sinônimos
started workingbegan workset to workgot down to businessbuckled down
Antonyms / Antônimos
stopped workingquitprocrastinateddelayedpostponed

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
começou a trabalhar; pôs-se a trabalhar
Standard usage in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
meteu-se a trabalhar; começou o trabalho
Colloquial variation
São Paulo
começou a trabalhar; botou-se a trabalhar
Common informal usage
Portugal
pôs-se a trabalhar; começou a trabalhar
European Portuguese equivalent

Related Words

workget tostartedbegancommencedworkplace

Related Idioms & Phrases

get down to business
buckle down
set to work
hit the ground running
get the ball rolling
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