Portuguese Vocabulary
De Manhã, À Tarde, À Noite: Time-of-Day Phrases in Portuguese
Use de manhã, à tarde, and à noite to place an activity in the day; Brazilian speakers also commonly say de tarde.
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Portuguese Grammar
Chegar em vs. Chegar a: Talk About Arriving in Brazil
Both chegar a and chegar em are heard in Brazil. Learn the traditional pattern and the common spoken usage without overcorrecting speakers.
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Estou com Calor vs. Sou Quente: Say ‘I’m Hot’ in Portuguese
To say that you feel hot, use estou com calor. Sou quente describes a lasting characteristic and can suggest a very different meaning about a person.
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Portuguese Pronunciation
LH vs. NH in Portuguese: Pronounce Filho and Caminho
Portuguese lh and nh are different sounds: lh is a palatal lateral, while nh is a palatal nasal, as in filho and caminho.
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Why DI and TI Can Sound Like ‘Jee’ and ‘Chee’ in Brazil
In many Brazilian accents, d and t before an unstressed i gain a ‘j’ or ‘ch’ quality, so cidade and noite sound different from their spelling.
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Portuguese Word Stress and Accent Marks: A Practical Guide
Portuguese often stresses the next-to-last syllable in words ending in a vowel, -s, -em, or -ens; written accents mark exceptions and vowel quality.
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Everyday Expressions
Sem Pressa vs. Sem Correr: Say ‘No Rush’ in Portuguese
Sem pressa is the direct everyday way to say ‘no rush’; pode fazer com calma adds a reassuring ‘take your time.’
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What Does Tomara Que Mean? Express Hope in Portuguese
Tomara que means ‘I hope that’ or ‘let’s hope that’ and is commonly followed by a subjunctive verb for a desired or uncertain outcome.
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De Novo vs. Mais Uma Vez: Say ‘Again’ in Portuguese
De novo and mais uma vez both mean ‘again’; mais uma vez can emphasize one additional time, while de novo is especially conversational.
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Talvez vs. Quem Sabe: Say ‘Maybe’ in Brazilian Portuguese
Talvez is a direct ‘maybe,’ quem sabe sounds like ‘who knows,’ and pode ser often accepts a possible plan.
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What Does Saúde Mean? Say ‘Bless You’ and Make a Toast in Portuguese
Saúde literally means ‘health’ and is a familiar response after a sneeze as well as the standard word for ‘cheers’ in a toast.
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What Does Tipo Mean in Brazilian Portuguese? ‘Like’ and ‘Type’
Tipo means ‘type’ or ‘kind’ as a noun; in casual speech, it can also work as a filler similar to ‘like’ or ‘sort of.’
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Para de vs. Parar de: Give a Command or Name an Action
Para de falar is a command to stop talking; parar de falar is the infinitive phrase ‘to stop talking.’ The missing r changes the role.
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Não Tem Problema vs. Sem Problema: Reassure Someone in Portuguese
Não tem problema and sem problema can both reassure someone, while tudo bem is a flexible response to apologies and small requests.
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How to Pronounce S at the End of Brazilian Portuguese Words
Word-final s can sound like s or sh in Brazil, depending on region and context; before a vowel, it may link to the next word.
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Voltar a vs. Voltar para: Return Somewhere or Do Something Again?
Voltar para points to a destination; voltar a + infinitive means to do an action again after a pause.
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Por vs. Pôr in Portuguese: When the Accent Changes the Verb
Por usually introduces a relationship such as cause, route, or exchange; pôr is the verb ‘to put.’ The circumflex marks the infinitive.
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Pais vs. País: Parents or Country in Portuguese?
Pais means ‘parents’; país means ‘country.’ The acute accent marks a separate stressed vowel, and the plural is países.
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