Language/Portuguese/Grammar/Nouns
Nouns are fundamental to language, referring to people, places, things, animals, or concepts. In grammar, they play a significant role as the subject of a clause, the object of a verb, or a preposition.
In Portuguese, nouns have a gender, either masculine or feminine, which affects the use of accompanying words like articles and adjectives. Learning the gender of individual nouns and their gender agreement rules is essential for effective communication in the language.
Additionally, the plural form of nouns in Portuguese follows specific rules based on the word ending. These rules can be challenging for non-native speakers, but they are essential for conveying the correct meaning and avoiding confusion in communication.
By comprehending and practicing the usage of common nouns in Portuguese, learners can improve their language skills and become more confident in communicating in the language. This lesson will delve into the rules and usage of common nouns in Portuguese, including their gender and plural forms.
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages:Conditional Mood, Adjectives, How to Use Be & Questions.
Gender of Nouns in Portuguese[edit | edit source]
It is important to note that in Portuguese, the majority of nouns ending in -o are masculine, while the majority of nouns ending in -a are feminine, which is a rule that also applies in Spanish. For instance, words such as "o passaro" (the bird), "o livro" (the book), and "o cachorro" (the dog) are all masculine. On the other hand, "a casa" (the house), "a lareira" (the fireplace), and "a garrafa" (the bottle) are all feminine.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as nouns that end in -gem, -dade, or -ção, which are often feminine even if the French translation is not feminine. Some examples of such words are "a viagem" (the trip), "a lição" (the lesson), "a cidade" (the city), and "a estação" (the train station).
While this may seem daunting at first, it is an important aspect of learning Portuguese and can greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively in the language. By becoming familiar with the gender of different nouns, you can ensure that you are using the correct articles and pronouns, which can have a significant impact on the overall clarity of your message.
Additionally, it is worth noting that there are some Portuguese nouns that are of common gender, meaning they can be either masculine or feminine depending on the context. These nouns often end in -e, -or, or -ão. For example, "o agente" (the agent) can be either masculine or feminine depending on whether the agent is male or female. Likewise, "o estudante" (the student) can be used for both male and female students.
Learning the gender of nouns in Portuguese can be challenging for non-native speakers, but it is an important aspect of mastering the language. To become proficient in Portuguese, it is necessary to memorize the gender of individual words, as well as to develop an intuition for which gender certain types of words tend to be. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help learners of Portuguese practice and develop their language skills, such as online courses, language exchange programs, and language learning apps.
Portuguese Nouns Agreement[edit | edit source]
In Portuguese, nouns agree in gender, meaning that the article, adjective, and other accompanying words must agree with the gender of the noun they are modifying. For example, to talk about a male friend we would use the word "amigo," while to talk about a female friend we would use the word "amiga." Nouns ending in -ês will become -esa in the feminine form.
This agreement also applies to adjectives, which must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, similar to the rules in French. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, particularly with masculine adjectives that end in -a, -ar, -e, -l, -m, -s, or -z, which do not change in the feminine.
In Portuguese, adjectives are usually placed after the noun they modify, with some exceptions. For example, we would say "um chapéu grande" for a big hat, and "uma casa amarela" for a yellow house.
While understanding and applying these rules can be challenging for non-native speakers, it is essential to learn them to communicate effectively in Portuguese. Practice and repetition can help learners to master the gender agreement rules, and there are many resources available, such as language courses, textbooks, and language exchange programs, to assist in learning the Portuguese language.
Nouns:[edit | edit source]
- O cão (the dog, masculine)
- A gata (the cat, feminine)
- O pássaro (the bird, masculine)
- A borboleta (the butterfly, feminine)
- O leão (the lion, masculine)
- A girafa (the giraffe, feminine)
Adjectives:[edit | edit source]
- Um cão grande (a big dog, masculine singular)
- Uma gata pequena (a small cat, feminine singular)
- Uns pássaros vermelhos (some red birds, masculine plural)
- Umas borboletas amarelas (some yellow butterflies, feminine plural)
- Um leão feroz (a fierce lion, masculine singular)
- Uma girafa alta (a tall giraffe, feminine singular)
Exceptions with Masculine Adjectives:[edit | edit source]
- Um café quente (a hot coffee, masculine singular)
- Uma blusa rosa (a pink blouse, feminine singular)
- Um filme bom (a good movie, masculine singular)
- Uma televisão preta (a black TV, feminine singular)
Portuguese Nouns Plural[edit | edit source]
In addition to the gender agreement rules, the plural of adjectives and nouns in Portuguese also has specific rules based on the word ending. Here are some examples to illustrate these rules:
Words ending in a vowel (except -ão): plural by adding an -s[edit | edit source]
- O livro (the book) -> Os livros (the books)
- A mesa (the table) -> As mesas (the tables)
- O amigo (the friend) -> Os amigos (the friends)
Words ending in -l: plural by changing -l to -is[edit | edit source]
- O animal (the animal) -> Os animais (the animals)
- A escola (the school) -> As escolas (the schools)
- O papel (the paper) -> Os papéis (the papers)
Words ending in -n, -r, -s, -z: plural by adding -es[edit | edit source]
- O jardim (the garden) -> Os jardins (the gardens)
- O professor (the teacher) -> Os professores (the teachers)
- A luz (the light) -> As luzes (the lights)
Words ending in -m: plural by changing -m to -ns[edit | edit source]
- O item (the item) -> Os itens (the items)
- O som (the sound) -> Os sons (the sounds)
- O problema (the problem) -> Os problemas (the problems)
Words ending in -il: plural by changing -il to -eis[edit | edit source]
- O barril (the barrel) -> Os barris (the barrels)
- O fuzil (the rifle) -> Os fuzis (the rifles)
- O cantil (the canteen) -> Os cantis (the canteens)
Words ending in -ão: offer several possibilities in the plural: add an -s, change -ão to -ões, or change -ão to -ães[edit | edit source]
- A mão (the hand) -> As mãos (the hands) or Os mãos (less common)
- O coração (the heart) -> Os corações (the hearts)
- A estação (the station) -> As estações (the stations) or Os estações (less common)
Common Portuguese Nouns[edit | edit source]
Noun | Sound | |
---|---|---|
A Ajuda | The Help | [ah ah-joo-dah] |
A Água | The Water | [ah ah-goo-ah] |
O Apelido | The Surname | [oo ah-peh-lee-doo] |
Os Anos | The Years | [oosh ah-noosh] |
O Autocarro | The Bus (in EU Portuguese) | [oo aoo-toh-car-roo] |
(O) Azar | (The) Bad luck
Tough |
[oo ah-zahr] |
O Balcão | The Balcony
The Counter |
[oo bahl-kaong] |
O Banho | The Bath | [oo bah-nyioo] |
O Bilhete | The Ticket | [oo bee-lyieh-teh] |
O Cartão | The Card | [oo cahr-taong] |
A Casa | The House
The Home |
[ah kah-sah] |
A Chegada | The Arrival | [ah shay-gah-dah] |
O Casal | The Couple | [oo kah-zahl] in EU
[oo kah-zahoo] in BR |
A Coisa | The Thing | [Ah koee-zah] |
A Conta | The Bill | [ah-kong-tah] |
O Copo | The Glass | [oo koh-poo] |
O Cuidado | Careful
The carefulness |
[oo-koo-ee-dah-doo] |
A Desculpa | The Excuse | [ah dsh-cool-pah] |
O Dia | The Day | [oo deer] |
O Dinheiro | The Money
The Cash |
[oo dee-nyieh-ee-roh] |
A Direita | The Right hand side | [ah dee-ray-ee-tah] |
O Direito | The (legal) Right | [oo dee-ray-ee-too] |
A Era | The Era | [ah air-rah] |
O Esquerdo/A Esquerda | The Left hand side | [ah eesh-kayr-dah]
[oo eesh-kayr-doo] |
A Esquina | The Corner | [ah sh-keen-ah] |
O Estudo | The Study | [oo sh-too-doo] |
O Favor | The Favour | [oo fah-vohr] |
O Fim | The End | [oo feeng] |
A Frente | The front | [ah-frayn-tt] in EU
[ah-frayn-tchee] in BR |
O Frio | The cold | [oo free-oo] |
A Gente | One (The people)
We |
[ah jayn-tt] in EU and [ah jayn-tt] in BR |
O Homem | The Man | [oo oh-mayeen] |
* A Hora (also compare with Tempo and Vez) | The Time
The Hour |
[ah oh-rah] |
O Horário | The Timetable | [oo oh-ráh-ree-oo] |
A Ida | The Go | [ah ee-dah] |
O Lado | The Side | [oo lah-doo] |
A Licença | The Permission
The Licence |
[ah lee-sayn-sah] |
A Maioria (de) | Most (of)
The majority (of) |
[ah may-oo-ree-ah] |
O Mal | The Bad thing | [oo mahll] |
O MêsOs Meses | The month/The months | [oo may-sh]
[oosh may-say-sh] |
O Minuto | The minute | [oo mee-noo-too] |
A Mulher | The Woman
The Wife |
[ah moo-lyier] |
A Noite | The Night | [ah noh-ee-teh] |
O Nome | The Name | [oo noh-meh] |
As Novidades | The News
(in terms of what is new) |
[ash noo-vee-dah-desh] |
O Número | The Number | [oo noo-may-roh] |
O Ônibus | The Bus (Brazilian Portuguese | [oo oh-nee-booss] |
A Palavra | The Word | [ah pah-lah-vrah] |
(Os) Parabéns | (The) Congratulations | [(oosh) pah-rah-baingsh] |
O Pé | The Foot | [oo peh] |
As Pessoas | The People | [ash peh-soh-ash] |
A Porta | The Door | [ah pohr-tah] |
O Português | The Portuguese | [oo poor-too-gay-sh] |
O Prato | The Plate
The dish |
[oo prah-too] |
A Pressa | The hurry
The Rush |
[ah pray-sah] |
O Primeiro | The first | [oo pree-mahee-roh] |
O Princípio | The Beginning | [oo preen-cee-peeoh] |
O Problema | The Problem | [oh proh-blay-mah] |
O Próximo | The Next
The following |
[oo pro-see-moo] |
O Quarto | The Fourth
The Bedroom |
[oo kwar-too] |
O Recado | The Message | [oo ray-kah-doo] |
A Rua | The road
The street |
[ah roo-ah] |
O Semáforo | The Traffic lights | [oo say-mah-foo-roh] |
A Semana | The Week | [ah say-mah-nah] |
A Sorte | The Luck | [ah sohr-tt] in EU or [ah sohr-tchee] in BR |
(A) Tarde | Late
(The) Afternoon |
[(ah) tar-deh] in EU or [(ah) tar-tchee] in BR |
* O Tempo (also compare with Horas and Vez) | The Time (as
The Weather |
[oo taym-poo] |
O Trabalho | The Work
The Assignment |
[oo trah-bah-lyioo] |
O Troco | The Change | [oo troh-koo] |
O Último | The Last (one) | [oo ool-tee-moo] in EU and
[oo ool-tchee-moo] in BR |
* A Vez (also compare with Tempo and Horas) | The turn
The time |
[ah vaysh] |
A Viagem | The journey
The Trip |
[ah vee-ah-jaying] |
A Volta | The Return
The Going back |
[ah vohl-tah] |
O Vôo | The Flight | [oo voh-oo] |
Videos[edit | edit source]
A Brief Grammar of the Portuguese Language: Nouns[edit | edit source]
More Portuguese Grammar | Nouns and Prepositions[edit | edit source]
How to recognize feminine and masculine noun in Portuguese[edit | edit source]
The TOP 10 most used nouns in Portuguese[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- How to Use Be
- Time
- Questions
- Future Tense
- Porquê VS Porque
- Plural
- Conditional Mood
- How to Use Have
- Gender