Lessons and examples of prepositions in European Portuguese, showing how words like em, de, para, com and por are used to express place, direction, time and relationships between ideas.
Often, languages don’t translate into each other neatly. The sentence structure I bring in this lesson is one of them. If you want to say “to no longer do something” in European Portuguese, you’ll often come across this structure: deixar de + infinitive For example: Deixei de fumar.I stopped smoking. Ela deixou de trabalhar aqui.She … Read more
The verb voltar means “to return” or “to go back”, but the preposition that follows it can change what we mean. Two very common structures are: voltar a + infinitivevoltar a/para + place At first, these can be confusing because voltar a can have two different meanings. Let’s look at how they work. Voltar a … Read more
If you want to say that someone started doing something in Portuguese, you probably already know the structure: começar a + infinitivo Comecei a estudar português.I started studying Portuguese. But there is another very useful construction that can sometimes be translated similarly: passar a + infinitivo Passei a estudar português. At first, these two structures … Read more
You’ve already learned how to use a, em, and para to talk about movement. Now it’s time to learn another very common use of de. Let’s keep it simple. The Core Idea 👉 DE = where someone or something is from, also to whom someone is related, or to whom something belongs Use de to … Read more
You now know how to use a and para. But when do we use one and not the other? Let’s keep it simple. The Core Idea 👉 A = simple movement 👉 PARA = destination + intention or a longer stay Both can mean “to” in English, but Portuguese often makes a distinction. A PARA … Read more
If you’ve ever said vou em Lisboa or estou a casa, you’re not alone.Prepositions of movement are one of the first confusing areas in European Portuguese. In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn how to express movement clearly using simple structures like ir a, ir para, and more. This post brings together all A0 lessons on … Read more
If you’ve learned “a” already, you might be wondering: 👉 When do I use “para” instead? Let’s keep it simple. The Core Idea 👉 PARA = destination + intention Use it when: Watch the Video How to Use PARA in European Portuguese (Simple Beginner Guide) Simple Examples Common Mistakes 👉 A common mistake is using … Read more
If you’ve ever said: Vou a o supermercado ❌ …you’re very close. This is the next step after learning “a” in Portuguese, and it’s actually very simple. The Core Idea You already know: 👉 A = where you are going But when the word has an article: Watch the Video How to Use AO and … Read more
If you’ve ever said: Estou em o café ❌ …you’re very close, but not quite right. This is a common beginner step in European Portuguese, and once you understand it, it becomes automatic. The Core Idea You already know: 👉 EM = where you are 📍 But now we add something new: 👉 Some words … Read more
Have you ever said something like: …and felt unsure if it was correct? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Beginners often get em and a mixed up, but the solution is simpler than you might think. The Core Idea That’s your anchor. Start here. Think of em as the location pin and a as an arrow … Read more