Olive Harvest in Portugal: Words and Phrases to Know

If you live in Portugal or visit in late autumn, you’ll notice people gathering olives everywhere.
The olive harvest — a apanha da azeitona — is one of the country’s oldest traditions, and it fills the countryside with activity, conversation, and the scent of fresh olive oil.

Here are some words and expressions to help you understand — and join in.

🫒 Key Vocabulary

• azeitona — olive
• azeite — olive oil
• apanha — harvest / gathering
• colheita — harvest (more general)
• rede — net (used to catch falling olives)
• vara — pole used to shake the branches
• lagar — olive press / mill
• azeite virgem extra — extra virgin olive oil

👩‍🌾 Common Verbs

• apanhar — to pick, gather
• sacudir — to shake
• esmagar — to crush
• prensar — to press
• encher — to fill
• produzir — to produce

These verbs appear often in conversation and on signs around olive farms and mills.

💬 Useful Phrases

• Vamos apanhar azeitonas. → We’re going to pick olives.
• O lagar está a funcionar. → The olive press is running.
• Este azeite é da colheita deste ano. → This olive oil is from this year’s harvest.
• Gosto do cheiro do azeite novo. → I love the smell of fresh olive oil.

🌿 A Tradition That Brings People Together

In many villages, families and neighbours help each other during the harvest.
It’s hard work, but it’s also social — filled with food, laughter, and stories.
Even if you’re not part of a harvest, learning the words helps you appreciate what’s happening around you.

🧭 Final Thought

The olive harvest is a living piece of Portuguese culture — a time of community and gratitude.
And like so many things in Portugal, it’s best understood one word (and one olive) at a time.