Onde vs. Aonde: Ask ‘Where?’ and ‘Where To?’ in Portuguese
Onde asks where something is; aonde can ask where someone is going when the verb expresses movement toward a destination.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Onde means ‘where’ when you ask about a location: onde fica a estação? (where is the station?). It also connects a noun to a place clause: o café onde nos encontramos (the café where we meet). The question asks where something is or where an event happens, not which direction someone is traveling.
Use onde for a place or location
In conversation, onde você está? is a direct way to ask where someone is. When the answer is a location, a preposition such as em may appear: estou no trabalho, estou em casa.
Onde fica a entrada do museu?
Where is the museum entrance?
Você sabe onde eles moram?
Do you know where they live?
Este é o lugar onde a gente se conheceu.
This is the place where we met.
Use aonde when the verb calls for a destination with a
Aonde combines a + onde. It fits a destination when the verb or phrase uses the preposition a: aonde você vai? (where are you going?). In everyday Brazilian speech, aonde você vai? is common, while many speakers also use onde in the same question.
Choose aonde when the direction or destination is the focus and the verb pattern supports a. For other movement verbs, follow their usual preposition: para onde vamos? is also natural for ‘where are we going?’ Learn the whole verb-plus-preposition pattern instead of treating every movement as aonde.
Aonde você vai depois do trabalho?
Where are you going after work?
Para onde vocês querem viajar?
Where do you all want to travel to?
Onde você deixou as chaves?
Where did you leave the keys?
Put it into practice
Use onde for a location. Use aonde when you ask about a destination and the verb pattern includes a; para onde is another clear way to ask about direction.
Quick practice
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