tramitar

Senses

1. 1.

   to process

   to move through bureaucratic or administrative procedures (documents, applications, etc.)

2. 2.

   to be processed

   to go through official channels or stages (used for proposals, bills, legal cases)

3. 3.

   to handle

   to take care of the bureaucratic steps required for something

Examples

• "O projeto de lei está tramitando no Congresso há meses."

  The bill has been making its way through Congress for months.

• "Você precisa tramitar esse documento na secretaria até sexta-feira."

  You need to process this document at the office by Friday.

• "O processo judicial tramita na vara cível desde o ano passado."

  The lawsuit has been going through civil court since last year.

Usage

Common in bureaucratic, legal, and governmental contexts. Often used with "em" (tramitar em algum lugar). The noun form is "tramitação" (processing, handling). Frequently appears in news reports about legislation: "o projeto tramita na Câmara/Senado."