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Prepositions
1. General
Overview
Prepositions are
words which are used before a noun or
pronoun to indicate their place, position, or time. Some verbs are also followed
by prepositions.
The preposition must always
agree with the word that follows it.
To use the right
preposition it is important to know whether the word it relates to is a verb
(with no gender) or whether it is a masculine, feminine, plural or singular
noun.
Prepositions
may not translate predictably between languages and lead to charming errors, but
rarely misunderstandings.
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2. Most frequently used
prepositions (in their basic form)
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| de |
of/from |
| em |
in/on/at |
| a |
to/for/at |
| para |
to/for |
| por |
for/by/through |
| com |
with |
Remark:
Keep in mind that some verbs like gostar/precisar
(to like/to need) require a preposition in Portuguese, but not in English.
Example:
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| Ela gosta de
dançar. |
She likes dancing. |
| Eu vou para
casa. |
I go home. |
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2.1.
Prepositions and
the definite article
| PORTUGUESE |
MASCULINE |
FEMININE |
ENGLISH |
| de + o(s)
- a(s) |
do(s) |
da(s) |
of/from + the |
| em
+ o(s) - a(s) |
no(s) |
na(s) |
in/on/at + the |
| a + o(s)
- a(s) |
ao(s) |
à(s) |
to/for/at + the |
| para
+ o(s) - a(s) |
para
o(s) |
para
a(s) |
to/for + the |
| por + o(s)
- a(s) |
pelo(s) |
pela(s) |
for/by/through + the |
| com + o(s)
- a(s) |
com
o(s) |
com
a(s) |
with + the |
Example:
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| Eles moram no
Brasil. |
They live in
Brazil. |
| Obrigado pela
informação. |
Thanks for the information. |
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2.2.
Prepositions and
the indefinite article
| PORTUGUESE |
MASCULINE |
FEMININE |
ENGLISH |
| de +
um/uma |
de um |
de
uma |
of/from + a |
| em
+ um/uma |
em um
= num |
em
uma = numa |
in/on/at + a |
| a +
um/uma |
a um |
a uma |
to/for/at + a |
| para
+ um/uma |
para
um |
para
uma |
to/for + a |
| por +
um/uma |
por
um |
por
uma |
for/by/through +
a |
| com +
um/uma |
com
um |
com
uma |
with + a |
Remark:
- Contractions dum/duma (de um/de uma) are
rarely used in Brazil nowadays.
- The contractions of prepositions and the indefinite
article have a plural form, but they are rarely used.
Example:
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| Ela trabalha num
banco. |
She works in
a bank. |
| Vamos a
um barzinho depois. |
We are going to
a pub later. |
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3.
Prepositional Phrases
If a preposition has more than one word it is called a prepositional
phrase.
You have to memorize prepositional phrases.
Remember that some prepositions can vary in gender (do/da) or in number (dos/das)
depending on the
context.
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| antes
de |
before |
| a
partir de |
from...on |
| de
acordo com |
according to |
| em
vez de |
instead of |
| por
causa de |
because of/due to |
Example:
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| A escola fica perto do
banco. |
The school is close to
the bank. |
| Quem é aquele senhor atrás
de você? |
Who is that gentleman behind
you? |
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