Language/Portuguese/Grammar/Prepositions

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Portuguese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Unit 9: Indefinite Pronouns and Prepositions → Prepositions

Introduction

In this lesson, we will explore the usage of prepositions in Portuguese. Prepositions are essential in any language to indicate the relationship between words in a sentence. They provide valuable information about location, time, and direction. Understanding and using prepositions correctly is crucial for effective communication in Portuguese.

Throughout this lesson, we will cover the different prepositions used in Portuguese, their meanings, and their usage in context. We will also provide you with plenty of examples and exercises to reinforce your understanding. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use prepositions confidently and accurately in your Portuguese conversations.

Location Prepositions

In Portuguese, prepositions are used to describe the location of people, objects, and events. They indicate where something or someone is located in relation to another object or place. Let's explore some of the most common location prepositions and their usage.

"Em" - In/On/At

The preposition "em" is one of the most versatile location prepositions in Portuguese. It can be translated as "in," "on," or "at" in English, depending on the context.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Estou em casa.	[esh-toh em kah-sah]	I am at home.
O livro está em cima da mesa.	[oo lee-vroh es-tah em see-mah dah meh-sah]	The book is on the table.
Ela mora em Portugal.	[eh-lah mo-rah em por-too-gahl]	She lives in Portugal.
Vamos nos encontrar em São Paulo.	[vah-mohs nohs en-kon-trahr em sah-oo pah-oo-loo]	Let's meet in São Paulo.

"De" - From/Of

The preposition "de" is used to indicate origin or possession. It can be translated as "from" or "of" in English.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Sou de Lisboa.	[soh deh lee-sh-boh-ah]	I am from Lisbon.
O carro do meu pai.	[oo ka-roh doo may-oo pah-ee]	My father's car.
A chave da porta.	[ah sha-veh dah pohr-tah]	The key of the door.

"Para" - To/For

The preposition "para" is used to indicate direction or purpose. It can be translated as "to" or "for" in English.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Vou para o trabalho.	[voh pah-rah oo tra-bah-lyoo]	I am going to work.
Comprei um presente para você.	[kom-pray-ee oom preh-zen-ty pah-rah vo-seh]	I bought a gift for you.
Ele saiu para comer.	[eh-leh sah-ee pah-rah coh-mehr]	He went out to eat.

"No" - In/On

The preposition "no" is a contraction of the preposition "em" and the definite article "o." It is used to indicate a specific location.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Estou no parque.	[esh-toh noh pahr-kee]	I am in the park.
O livro está na mesa.	[oo lee-vroh es-tah nah meh-sah]	The book is on the table.
Vamos nos encontrar no restaurante.	[vah-mohs nohs en-kon-trahr noh res-tow-ran-ty]	Let's meet at the restaurant.

Time Prepositions

Prepositions are also used to express time in Portuguese. They indicate when an action takes place or for how long.

"Em" - In/On/At

The preposition "em" can also be used to indicate time, meaning "in," "on," or "at."

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Vou viajar em dezembro.	[voh vee-ah-jahr em deh-zem-broo]	I am going to travel in December.
A reunião é às 9 horas em ponto.	[ah reh-oo-nyong eh ahs no-vee oh-ras em pon-to]	The meeting is at 9 o'clock sharp.
Ela nasceu em 1990.	[eh-lah nah-soo em mil noh-vay-sen-tos noh-vayn-ta]	She was born in 1990.

"Desde" - Since/From

The preposition "desde" is used to indicate the starting point of an action or event. It can be translated as "since" or "from" in English.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Estudo português desde criança.	[es-too-doo por-too-gez deh-sdeh cree-an-sah]	I have been studying Portuguese since childhood.
Trabalho aqui desde 2010.	[trah-bah-lyoo ah-kee deh-sdeh doo-ee-zee zay-roh]	I have been working here since 2010.
Ele está doente desde ontem.	[eh-leh es-tah doo-ehn-teh deh-sdeh ohn-tem]	He has been sick since yesterday.

"Até" - Until

The preposition "até" is used to indicate the endpoint of an action or event. It can be translated as "until" in English.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
A loja fica aberta até às 20 horas.	[ah loh-zhah fee-kah ah-bair-tah ah-teh ahs vee-ntay ho-ras]	The store is open until 8 p.m.
Vou esperar até você chegar.	[voh es-peh-rahr ah-teh vo-seh chee-gahr]	I will wait until you arrive.
Ela vai estudar até tarde.	[eh-lah vah-ee es-too-dahr ah-teh tar-deh]	She will study until late.

Direction Prepositions

Prepositions are also used to indicate direction in Portuguese. They show the movement or direction of a person or object.

"Para" - To/Towards

The preposition "para" is commonly used to indicate movement or direction towards a specific place.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Vou para a praia.	[voh pah-rah ah prah-ee-ah]	I am going to the beach.
Ela corre para o parque.	[eh-lah kor-reh pah-rah oo pahr-kee]	She runs to the park.
O avião está voando para Lisboa.	[oo ah-vee-own es-tah vo-ahn-doo pah-rah lee-sh-boh-ah]	The airplane is flying to Lisbon.

"De" - From

The preposition "de" can also indicate movement or direction from a specific place.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Venho de casa.	[ve-nyoh deh kah-sah]	I am coming from home.
Ela sai de São Paulo.	[eh-lah sah-ee deh sah-oo pah-oo-loo]	She is leaving from São Paulo.
A trilha vai de montanha a montanha.	[ah tree-lyah vah-ee deh mohn-ta-nyah ah mohn-ta-nyah]	The trail goes from mountain to mountain.

"A" - To

The preposition "a" is used to indicate movement or direction to a specific place.

Here are some examples:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Vou a casa da minha avó.	[voh ah kah-sah dah mee-nyah ah-voh]	I am going to my grandmother's house.
Ele vai ao cinema.	[eh-leh vah-ee ah-oo see-neh-mah]	He is going to the cinema.
A estrada leva a uma bela praia.	[ah es-trah-dah leh-vah ah oo-mah beh-lah prah-ee-ah]	The road leads to a beautiful beach.

Conclusion

Prepositions play a crucial role in the Portuguese language, providing valuable information about location, time, and direction. In this lesson, we have explored the usage of prepositions in Portuguese, including location prepositions like "em," "de," "para," and "no," time prepositions like "em," "desde," and "até," and direction prepositions like "para," "de," and "a."

By familiarizing yourself with these prepositions and practicing their usage through examples and exercises, you will become more confident in using prepositions accurately in your Portuguese conversations. Keep practicing and expanding your knowledge of prepositions to enhance your overall language proficiency.

Continue your language journey and explore the next unit of our "Complete 0 to A1 Portuguese Course" to expand your grammar knowledge and vocabulary further.

Table of Contents - Portuguese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Unit 1: Greetings and Basic Phrases

• Greetings
• Basic Phrases

  ---

Unit 2: Verbs - Present Tense

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Ser and Estar

  ---

Unit 3: Family and Descriptions

• Family Members
• Physical Descriptions
• Personality Descriptions

  ---

Unit 4: Verbs - Future and Conditional Tenses

• Future Tense
• Conditional Tense

  ---

Unit 5: Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Cultures

• Brazil
• Portugal
• Cape Verde
• Angola

  ---

Unit 6: Food and Drink

• Food
• Drink
• Eating Customs

  ---

Unit 7: Verbs - Past Tense

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

  ---

Unit 8: Travel and Transportation

• Air Travel
• Ground Transportation
• Transportation Customs

  ---

Unit 9: Indefinite Pronouns and Prepositions

• Indefinite Pronouns
• Prepositions

  ---

Unit 10: Health and Emergencies

• Medical Vocabulary
• Emergency Services

Videos

How to use preposition DE in European Portuguese? Grammar ...

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