Portuguese Grammar
A Gente vs. Nós: How to Say ‘We’ in Brazilian Portuguese
Both a gente and nós mean ‘we,’ but a gente takes a singular verb: a gente vai; nós vamos.
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Portuguese Grammar
The Portuguese Present Progressive: Estou Falando and Everyday Actions
To say what is happening now, combine a form of estar with a gerund: estou estudando, ela está trabalhando.
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The Near Future in Portuguese: Use Ir + an Infinitive
A practical way to talk about the future in Brazilian Portuguese is ir in the present plus an infinitive: vou viajar.
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Why Brazilians Say Tem: ‘There Is’ and ‘There Are’ in Portuguese
Tem means ‘has’ in many sentences, and in everyday Brazilian speech it also commonly introduces something that exists or is available.
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Everyday Conversation
Você vs. O Senhor or A Senhora: Address Someone Politely in Portuguese
Você is widely used in Brazil; o senhor and a senhora can add respect, but the best choice depends on context and personal preference.
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Para Mim vs. Para Eu: Which Portuguese Pronoun Comes Next?
Use para mim when something is for you; use para eu before an infinitive when you are the person doing that action.
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Ainda vs. Já: Say ‘Still,’ ‘Already,’ and ‘Yet’ in Portuguese
Ainda can mean ‘still’ or ‘yet,’ while já often means ‘already’ or signals that something has happened by now.
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Ainda Não vs. Não… Mais: ‘Not Yet’ or ‘No Longer’ in Portuguese
Ainda não means ‘not yet’; não faço mais or não moro mais can mean ‘I no longer do/live’ in Brazilian Portuguese.
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What Does Até Mean in Portuguese? ‘Until,’ ‘Up To,’ and ‘Even’
Até can set an endpoint in time or place, and it can add the sense of ‘even’ when something is surprising or inclusive.
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What Does Só Mean in Portuguese? Learn ‘Only’ and ‘Alone’
Só is a flexible Brazilian Portuguese word that can mean ‘only,’ ‘just,’ or ‘alone’ depending on context and emphasis.
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How to Use Que to Connect Ideas in Portuguese
Que often means ‘that’ or ‘who’ when it links a noun to a clause that describes it: o livro que comprei.
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Quero Que Você…: Use the Portuguese Subjunctive for Requests and Wishes
Say quero que você venha when you want another person to come; use quero vir when you are the one who wants to come.
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Se Eu For vs. Se Eu Fosse: Talk About Real and Imagined Situations
Use se eu for for a possible future event; use se eu fosse to imagine a less real or counterfactual situation.
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Portuguese Commands: Fale, Fala, and Everyday Brazilian Usage
Brazilian commands vary with the form of address: standard você commands include fale and espere; everyday tu forms vary by region.
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Dele, Dela, Nele, and Nela: Portuguese Pronouns After Prepositions
Dele and dela often mean ‘his’ or ‘hers’; nele and nela often mean ‘in/on him’ or ‘in/on her.’
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The Portuguese Future Subjunctive: Use Se and Quando Naturally
After se or quando refers to an uncertain future event, Brazilian Portuguese often uses a future subjunctive form: quando eu chegar.
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The Present Subjunctive in Portuguese: Hope, Doubt, and Requests
The present subjunctive often follows expressions of hope, uncertainty, necessity, and requests about what another person may do.
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Portuguese Diminutives: What -Inho and -Zinho Really Add
The endings -inho and -zinho often mean ‘little,’ but tone and context can make a diminutive affectionate, casual, or softening.
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