This is the 1578th most frequent Portuguese word.
refere
"Refere" is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb "referir," meaning "to refer" or "to mention."
Here, 'refere-se' (refers to) is used to indicate that the article is mentioning or relating to a particular topic.
O artigo refere-se aos novos avanços tecnológicos.
The article refers to the new technological advancements.
In this sentence, 'refere' (refers) is used to indicate the act of giving reference or citing specific material.
Ele sempre refere os melhores estudos para basear suas pesquisas.
He always cites the best studies to base his research on.
Within this context, 'refere' (states) is used to mean that something is explicitly mentioned or stated.