This is the 1717th most frequent Portuguese word.
contratar
"Contratar" means "to hire" or "to contract" in English.
Here, 'contratar' is used to mean 'to hire', referring to engaging someone's professional services.
Eu preciso contratar um advogado para cuidar do meu caso.
I need to hire a lawyer to handle my case.
'Contratar' is again used as 'to hire', but this usage emphasizes the engagement or subscription to a service provided by a company.
Eles decidiram contratar o serviço de limpeza para o escritório.
They decided to hire the cleaning service for the office.
In this sentence, 'contratar' conveys the action of obtaining the services of a professional for a specific task or project.