Have you been wondering when to use definite articles in Portuguese? Then wonder no more. I have prepared the ultimate list of when and how you need to use them. But before we start, if you’re unsure what definite articles in Portuguese are, click the link and familiarize yourself with them first.
Here is a video for this lesson for convenience and including when we don’t need the articles. But if you just want a quick summary for now, then read on.
1 – With days of the week
With days of the week when referring to habitual actions or a specific event occurring on a particular day*
*sometimes we don’t use an article when we colloquially state what we’re doing on the next mentioned day relative to when you say it. For example, if in the above sentence, the person had said “Na quinta” instead of “na próxima quinta”, it’s likely that they would have just said “Quinta vou ao cinema.” (Thursday, I’m going to the cinema). Both ways are considered correct in everyday speech and which one you use is optional.
2 – Before possessive pronouns
3 – With the seasons of the year and also with festive seasons
4 – With the hours of the day when “things occur”
5 – With the names of countries
Portugal and a few other countries are an exception to this rule though! This is a topic I explore in this lesson too.
6 – Before peoples’ names when referring to them in the third person
7 – Before the titles senhor/senhora/menina and other titles if they exist
8 – Spelling and pronunciation
The article also allows us to distinguish between nouns that have the same spelling and pronunciation.
Now that you know when to use definite articles in Portuguese, you need to learn when you DON’T need definite articles in Portuguese.
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