indispensable activities
[ɪn.dɪ.ˈspen.sə.bəl æk.ˈtɪv.ə.tiz]
noun phrasepl: N/A (already plural)
atividades indispensáveis
1. Essential tasks or actions that are absolutely necessary and cannot be done without; activities that are vital or crucial for functioning or survival
During the pandemic, the government classified healthcare and grocery stores as indispensable activities.
Durante a pandemia, o governo classificou saúde e supermercados como atividades indispensáveis.
2. Required or mandatory actions that must be performed to achieve a specific goal or maintain a certain standard
Learning basic mathematics is one of the indispensable activities in primary education.
Aprender matemática básica é uma das atividades indispensáveis na educação primária.
3. Core or fundamental operations that cannot be eliminated or postponed without negative consequences
For a restaurant, food preparation and sanitation are indispensable activities.
Para um restaurante, preparação de alimentos e higiene são atividades indispensáveis.
This phrase gained prominence in both Brazilian and American English during the COVID-19 pandemic when governments needed to classify which businesses and services could remain open. In Brazil, 'atividades indispensáveis' became widely used in official government decrees and public discourse. The term reflects a formal, institutional register commonly used in legal documents, government announcements, and organizational policy-making in both countries.
NYC Slang
must-do activities or the essentials
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