Portuguese Grammar
Há vs. A in Portuguese: Talk About Time in the Past and Future
Há dois dias points backward to an elapsed period; daqui a duas horas points forward to a future moment.
Read article Learn Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese Blog
Practical guides, real-life examples, and cultural insights to help you understand everyday Brazilian Portuguese and speak with confidence.
1,009 articles
Portuguese Grammar
Tenho Estudado vs. Estudei: Two Portuguese Past Patterns
Portuguese tenho estudado often describes an activity repeated or continuing recently; estudei presents a past event as completed.
Read articleEveryday Grammar
Trazer vs. Levar: Bring or Take in Brazilian Portuguese
Trazer usually views movement toward the speaker or a reference point; levar views movement away from that point. The scene determines the verb.
Read article
Spoken Portuguese
Pra vs. Para: When Brazilian Portuguese Uses the Short Form
Para is the full form; pra is a common informal reduction in Brazilian Portuguese. Your audience and writing style guide the choice.
Read articlePortuguese Grammar
Indirect Questions in Portuguese: Ask More Naturally
An indirect question embeds a question inside a larger sentence: Você sabe onde fica a estação? The embedded clause keeps its normal order.
Read articleEveryday Conversation
What Does Como Assim Mean? Ask for Clarification in Portuguese
Como assim? is a conversational way to ask someone to explain, clarify, or give context for something surprising.
Read articleSpeaking Practice
How to Practice Speaking Portuguese Alone: A 10-Minute Routine
You can practise speaking before you have a partner: describe a familiar moment, make a few connected sentences, and review one phrase you needed.
Read articleFalse Friends
Novel vs. Novela: Choose the Right Portuguese Word
For a book-length work of fiction, Brazilian Portuguese usually uses romance. Novela often refers to a television serial.
Read articleFalse Friends
Fabric vs. Fábrica: A Portuguese False Friend
Fábrica is a factory; fabric is tecido. The words look similar but refer to different things.
Read articleFalse Friends
Intend vs. Entender: Don’t Confuse These Portuguese Words
Entender means to understand. For intend, try ter a intenção de or planejar, depending on the sentence.
Read articleFalse Friends
Lecture vs. Leitura: A Portuguese False Friend
Leitura means reading. Translate a lecture as palestra or aula, depending on whether you mean a talk or a class.
Read articleFalse Friends
Sopa vs. Soap: A Simple Portuguese False Friend
Sopa is something you eat; soap is sabão or sabonete. The similar words belong in very different parts of the day.
Read articleFalse Friends
Sympathetic vs. Simpático: What Does the Portuguese Word Mean?
Simpático describes a friendly or pleasant person. For someone who understands or supports you, try compreensivo or solidário.
Read articleEveryday Conversation
Ter Fome, Ter Sede, and Ter Sono: Talk About Needs in Portuguese
Portuguese often uses ter in everyday expressions where English uses ‘be’: ter fome, ter sede, and ter sono.
Read articlePortuguese Grammar
How to Say ‘Have You Ever?’ in Brazilian Portuguese
For many English ‘Have you ever…?’ questions, Brazilian Portuguese uses já with the simple past rather than a direct present-perfect translation.
Read articleEveryday Conversation
Fazer Sentido: Ask ‘Does That Make Sense?’ in Portuguese
Faz sentido? is a natural way to ask whether an idea or explanation makes sense in Brazilian Portuguese.
Read articleEveryday Grammar
Ligar vs. Acender: Turn On a Light or Device in Portuguese
Both ligar a luz and acender a luz are common. Acender highlights producing light; ligar is widely used for switching on devices.
Read articleEveryday Grammar
Dizer vs. Falar: How to Say ‘Say’ and ‘Speak’ in Portuguese
Dizer often focuses on the words or message; falar often describes speaking a language or having a conversation. Their uses can overlap.
Read article
Practice anywhere
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Short lessons and real conversations help you take what you learn into everyday Portuguese.