Portuguese Prepositions

By /

Portuguese Prepositions

Prepositions are small words or combination of words that connect some elements (nouns, pronouns or phrases)  to other words in a sentence. Thus, it’s very important to learn PREPOSITIONS and its structure because they are used in every day conversation. Are also vital words in the Portuguese vocabulary because they are linking words. These words place the position or movement of something in time and place. There are many but, basically, we only need 9 to communicate. In Portuguese some of them must be contracted with the definite articles above.

Prepositions of Location

The following prepositions are common in expressing location:
      • à – at
A generally carries the meaning to
      . It means
at
      in certain sentences.
      • Vamos nos  sentar à mesa? – Let’s sit at the table?
      • em – in/on/at
This preposition indicates places/locations. When used with definite or indefinite articles, a contraction is formed; these contractions coincide in gender and number with the place they refer to.

Definite Article

Feminine

Masculine

Translation

A

as

o

os

Em +

na

nas

no

nos

on / in / at + the

Indefinite Articles

Feminine

Masculine

Translation

uma

umas

um

uns

Em +

numa

numas

num

 nuns

on / in / at + a (or some(plural))
      • Em um restaurante – In a restaurant
      • Estou no Brasil – I am in Brazil
      • O presente está na mesa. – The gift is on the table.
      • Ela mora nos Estados Unidos. – She lives in the United States.
    • ao longo [de] – along
      • Caminho ao longo da avenida. – I walk along the avenue.
    • ao lado [de] – next [to]
      • Estou ao lado da companhia – I am next to the company.
    • em redor [de] – around
      • Estou em redor da companhia – I am around the company.
    • acima [de] / por cima [de] – above
      • Estou acima da companhia – I am above the company
    • perto [de] – near
      • Estou perto da companhia – I am near the company
    • debaixo [de] – under/below
      • Estou debaixo do escrivaninha – I am under the desk.
    • à frente [de] – in front of
      • Estou à frente da companhia – I am in front of the company.
    • dentro [de] – in/inside
      • Estou dentro da companhia – I am in/inside the company.
    • atrás [de] – behind
      • Estou atrás da companhia – I am behind the company.
    • em cima [de] – on top [of]
      • Estou em cima do telhado – I am on top of the roof.
    • em frente [de] – in front [of]
      • Estou em frente da companhia – I am in front of the company.
    • no meio [de] – in the center [of] / in the middle [of]
      • Estou no meio da companhia – I am in the middle of the company.
    • entre – [in] between
      • Estou entre as companhias – I am in between the companies.
  • fora [de] – outside [of]
    • Estou fora da companhia – I am outside the company.

Prepositions of Direction

    • a – to
      • Vou a São Paulo – I go to São Paulo
    • de – from
      • Venho de São Paulo – I come from São Paulo
    • através [de] – through
      • Vou através do parque – I go through the park
    • sobre – over
      • Salto sobre o rio – I jump over the river
      • para – for/to
Para frequently indicates an end point, goal, target, comparison or objective of a direction in time or space. Also be aware that, particularly in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, para is frequently shortened to pra or p’ra.
    • Vou para Lisboa – I go to Lisbon

Prepositions of Time

    • antes [de] – before
      • Vi o homem antes de ir ao cinema – I saw the man before going to the cinema
      • Tenho que visitar uma tia antes da festa. – I have to visit a friend before the party.
    • dentro [de] – in
      • Vou ver a competição dentro de alguns minutos – I will see the competitionsin a few minutes
    • depois [de] – after
      • Vou ver o filme depois de amanhã – I will see the movie after tomorrow
      • Estarei em casa depois do trabalho. – I’ll be home after the work.
    • desde – since
      • Conheço essa mulher desde ontem – I know that woman since yesterday
      • Estou estudando espanhol desde as dez da manhã. – I’ve been studying Portuguese since ten in the morning.
    • durante – during / for
      • Vi o filme durante cinco minutos – I saw the movie for two minutes
    • entre – between
      • Vou encontrar-me com a mulher entre as onze e as doze – I will meet the woman between 11:00 and 12:00.
    • até – until
      • Viajo para Brasil até amanhã – I will travel to Brazil you until tomorrow
      • Vou estudar espanhol até as três da tarde. – I will study Portuguese until three in the afternoon.
    • em – in + months
      • Eu estarei em férias em Cusco. – I’ll be on vacation in Cusco.
    • em – in + year
      • Nasci em 1981. – I was born in 1981.
  • em + day – on the + day + month/ on + month + day
    • Nasci em trinta e um de maio. – I was born on the thirty-first of May. – or – I was born on May thirty-first.

Other prepositions

    • de – from [origin, possession, composition]
      • Este livro vem da América Latina – This book comes from América Latina
      • A Rússia é o maior país do mundo. – Russia is the largest country in the world.
      • É completamente de prata – It’s entirely made of silver
    • para – for/in order to [recipient, goal]
      • Este livro é para ti – This book is for you
    • por – for/because of [cause]
Por generally indicates an intermediate point of time.
    • Eu morei no Perú por 5 anos. – I lived in Peru for 5 years.
    • Você faria isso por mim? – Would you do that for me?
    • Obrigado por tudo. – Thanks for everything.
Por sometimes form contractions with definitive articles:

Definite Article

Feminine

Masculine

Translation

A

As

O

Os

por+

pela

pelas

pelo

pelos

For / by / through + the
      • Dou-te este presente pela tua ajuda. – I give you this gift for you assistance.
      • Estilhaços voaram pelas janelas. – Shards flew through the windows.
      • Enviei o cartão pelo correio. – I sent the card by post.
      • Luis caminhou  pelos  campos. – Luis walked across the fields.
      • com – with
This preposition combines with many of the prepositional pronouns.
      • Vou com o meu tio – I go with my uncle.
    • contra – against
      • Sou contra o aborto – I’m against the miscarriage
    • sem – without
      • Vou sem o meu pai – I go without my father
  • sobre – about
    • Falo sobre a história – I speak about the history
  • por causa [de] – because of
  • menos – except, but
  • apesar [de] – despite, in spite of
  • a respeito [de] – regarding, concerning
  • conforme, segundo – according [to]
  • em vez [de] – instead [of]
  • junto [com] – together [with]

The use of the preposition “de”

This preposition is used to specify possession (of), origin (from), location (in, on), and material.
  • Comprei um anel de ouro. – I bought a gold ring.
  • Eles são de México. – They are from Mexico.
In some cases “de” is used with definite articles forming contractions. Generally these contractions are used to show the ownership of something.

Definite Article

Feminine

Masculine

Translation

A

As

O

Os
De+ da das do dos From / of + the
  • O Brasil é o maior país da América Latina. – Brazil is the largest country in Latin America.
  • Ela não encontrou os agendas das amigas. – She did not find her friends’ notebooks.
  • Ele gosta dos novos amigos. – He likes the new friends.
  • Eu sou do Perú. – I am from Peru.
1) Eu vou viajar depois de amanhã. (I’m going to travel after tomorrow.) 2) João vai estudar Português comigo próximo ano. (João will study Portuguese with me next year.)/ Eu  estou com ela. (I’m with her) 3) O cachorro está dentro de casa. (The dog is inside the house.) 4) As chaves estao sob a mesa. (The keys are under the table.) 5) Eu quero encontrar você antes do pôr-do-sol. (I want to see you before the sunset.) 6) Onde você está? Eu estou em casa. (Where are you? I’m at home) 7) Entre eu e você só existe amizade. (Between me and you there is only friendship.) 8) Há sete alunos e um professor entre nós. (There are seven students and one teacher among us) Some verbs are also followed by preposition, such as GOSTAR, PRECISAR. In Portuguese these verbs are ALWAYS followed by the preposition “DE”(in English it is not necessary): Eg: Eu gosto de você. (I like you) Ana gosta de chocolate. (Ana likes chocolate.) Carlos gosta de feijoada. (Carlos likes feijoada.) Many students have difficulties to make difference between: DE and DO, DOS, DA, DAS. There are many situations where you can use them,  let’s see some exemples how to use it properly. First of all, remember that main preposition is “DE”, the other ones are combination of DE + articles: DE + A: DA (feminim, singular) DE + AS: DAS (feminim, plural) DE + O: DO (masculin, singular) DE + OS: DOS (masculin, plural)
  • DE:
__De onde você é? (Where are you from?) __Eu sou de Fortaleza. /Eu sou de Sao Paulo/ Eu sou de Brasília/ Eu sou de Bogotá/ Eu sou de Buenos Aires/ Eu sou de Londres. *exceptions: Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. Eu sou do Rio de Janeiro/ Eu sou da Bahia. Use “DE” when you’re talking about the city where you’re from.
  • DO/DA/DOS/DAS
__De onde você é? (Where are you from?) __ Eu sou do Brasil/do Japao/do Peru./da Colômbia/da Inglaterra/ da República Tcheca/dos Estados Unidos/das Ilhas Malvinas. *exceptions: Eu sou de Portugal./ Eu sou de Cuba Use DO/DA/DOS/DAS when you’re talking about the country you’re from. To use the correct preposition in this case you must learn the gender of the countries in Portuguese. We have a helpful list for you: Speak Portuguese Let’s look at the Prepositions, and then their contractions.
Prepositions
Meaning
Sound
Contractions
Meaning
De
From Of About
[deh] EU [chee] BR
Do da dos das
From the Of the About the
A
To At (with time)
[Ah]
Ao À Aos Às
To the At the
Até
Up to Until Even (e.g. Even Maria was there)
[Ah-tay]
Até o Até a Até os Até as
Up to the Until + time Even the
Em
In On At
[eng]
No Na Nos Nas
In the On the At the
Por *
For Through Via By
[poohr]
Pelo Pela Pelos Pelas
For the Through The Via The By the
Para *
To Towards For (as aim) In orther to
[pah-rah]
Para o Para a Para os Para as
To the Towards the For the In order to
Com
With
[con]
Com o Com a Com os Com as
With the
Sem
Without
[seng]
Sem o Sem a Sem os Sem as
Without the
Sobre
About
[soh-bray]
Sobre o Sobre a Sobre os Sobre as
About the
 ]]>

Scroll to Top