The word um can be translated as the indefinite article “a/an” or as the number “one,” as in:
Um dia iremos nos encontrar.
One day we will meet.
In this example, instead of quantity, um expresses vagueness and uncertainty: um dia(one day/any day).
Brazilian Portuguese Articles
Brazilian Portuguese indefinite articles: What are they and how to use them?
By: Ana Amélia Rodrigues dos Santos Thu Dec 12 2024
The indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese are um, uma, uns, and umas, which translate to “a(n)” or “some.” Like “an” and “some” in English, they are used before nouns that are non-specific or unfamiliar, and are most often used when introducing a noun for the first time:
Um amigo veio me ver. Ele…
A friend came to see me. He…
However, there is more to learn about indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese! When should you use each form? Why can using an indefinite article before a noun sometimes completely change its meaning?
In this post, we’ll review the indefinite articles and their contractions, along with when to use versus omit indefinite articles with nouns! Let’s dig in and learn more about these small, but very interesting words.
Table of Contents
What are the indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese?
The indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese are um, uma, uns, umas(a, an). They are variable, which means that they agree in genderNo definition set for genderLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. (masculine/feminine) and numberNo definition set for numberLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. (singular/plural) with the noun. Take a look:
Number/gender | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
Singular | um a/an um carro a car | uma a/an uma casa a house |
Plural | uns some uns computadores some computers | umas some umas televisões some televisions |
Important
What are the contractions with indefinite articles?
In some cases, you will encounter contractionsNo definition set for contractionsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. between the Brazilian Portuguese indefinite articles and certain prepositionsNo definition set for prepositionsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. For example:
Ele mora numa casa no interior.
He lives in a house in the countryside.
→ em(in) + una(a) = numa(in a)
Indefinite articles can be combined with the prepositions em(in), de(of/from), por(for/by), com(with), and para(to). Usually, these combined forms are not used in more formal language, but they are common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
For a full list of contractions of indefinite articles and prepositions, we created this handy chart for you.
When are indefinite articles used in Brazilian Portuguese?
In general, indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese are used much like “a(n)” in English: to indicate that a noun is not specific or not familiar. Unlike definite articles, indefinite articles are vague in meaning — they do not particularize or individualize the nouns they precede.
Comprei umas camisas para seu aniversário.
I bought some shirts for your birthday.
→ The specifics of the shirts are unimportant / vague.
The plural indefinite articles umas, uns can often be replaced by the indefinite pronoun algumas(some), in sentences like the one above.
Indefinite articles are also used before specific nouns that are unfamiliar to the audience. Thus, they can also be used to introduce a noun to a conversation for the first time. For example:
Falamos com um turista espanhol. Ele queria informações sobre a cidade.
We talked to a Spanish tourist. He wanted information about the city.
→ We talked to a specific tourist, but since you were not there, he was unfamiliar to you and new to the conversation.
The two uses above will be familiar, if you speak English, but there are a few cases where the use of indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese is a little different from in English. Let’s check each of these out now:
Using indefinite articles in descriptions is emphatic:
In Brazilian Portuguese, indefinite articles are sometimes optional in descriptions, and including the indefinite article sounds a bit emphatic. Let’s look at some examples:
Meu pai foi herói.
My father was a hero.
→ generalMeu pai foi um herói.
My father was a hero.
→ emphatic
Or another example…
Aquele rapaz falou de forma tão clara.
That guy spoke in a very clear way.
→ generalAquele rapaz falou de uma forma tão clara.
That guy spoke in a very clear way.
→ emphatic
Using indefinite articles to indicate approximation:
In Brazilian Portuguese, the indefinite article in the plural form (umas/uns) is used before numbers to indicate approximation and estimation.
O filme durou umas duas horas.
The movie lasted about two hours.
O menino tem uns 12 anos.
The boy is about 12 years old.
In this case, the indefinite article can also be replaced by the adverb of manner aproximadamente(approximately) without affecting its meaning:
O menino tem aproximadamente 12 anos.
The boy is approximately 12 years old.
In phrases that expand on a previously-mentioned noun:
Even though indefinite articles are usually used to introduce a noun to the conversation for the first time, it is sometimes used in phrases that expand upon a noun that was previously mentioned. For example:
A chuva havia começado, uma chuva leve e deliciosa.
The rain had started, a light and delicious/pleasant rain.
In the example above, the use of the indefinite article with chuva(rain) adds more information about the noun.
To talk about one member of a larger group:
Because the indefinite article means “one,” you can use it to imply that you are drawing one noun from a larger group. Here are some examples of where this might help you:
Aquele homem é um Alcântara.
That man is an Alcântara.
→ He is not the only Alcântara, he is just one member of the family.Esse menino é um verdadeiro Sherlock Holmes.
This boy is a true Sherlock Holmes.
→ The boy is not actually Sherlock Holmes, so you use um to imply that there is a group of people who are like Sherlock Holmes, and this boy is one of them.Esse quadro só pode ser um Monet.
This painting can only be a Monet.
→ The painting is not Monet, but you are talking about a group of things that are by Monet and this painting is one of them.
These examples are formed with the verb ser(to be) + indefinite article, and the words that follow the article are either adjectives or function as adjectives.
When are indefinite articles omitted?
Indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese can also be omitted before uncountable nounsNo definition set for uncountable nounsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum., before words that already have an indefinite sense, after the verbs ser and ter, and before the numbers 100 and 1000. Below, I will expand on the different situations where this occurs.
Before uncountable nouns:
Like in English, we do not use indefinite articles before non-count nounsNo definition set for non-count nounsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.:
Dinheiro não traz felicidade.
Money doesn't bring happiness.
Você quer água?
Do you want water?
Exception!
Like in English, you can use the indefinite article to say, “Eu quero uma água”(I want a water / I want a cup of water) when a countable noun, like copo(cup) is implicit from the context.
Tip
Most uncountable nouns in Brazilian Portuguese are also uncountable in English, but there are some exceptions. For example, the word “information” in English is uncountable, whereas in Brazilian Portuguese it can be pluralized:
Tenho umas informações para você.
I have some information for you.
Here is a list of nouns that are uncountable in English, but countable in Brazilian Portuguese.
Before words that already have an indefinite sense:
Indefinite articles are not used before words that already have an indefinite meaning, such as certo(certain) and outro(another).
Certo dia, sonhei que tinha ganhado na loteria.
A certain day, I dreamed that I had won the lottery.
Verônica encontrou outro amigo ontem.
Verônica met another friend yesterday.
After the verbs ser and ter:
No indefinite article should be used after the verb ser(to be) in Brazilian Portuguese when describing a person’s profession or nationality.
Márcia é astronauta.
Márcia is an astronaut.
Meu amigo é brasileiro.
My friend is Brazilian.
In addition, you can also omit the indefinite article in situations where the verb ter(to have) refers to belongings without specifying the quantity.
Você tem bicicleta?
Do you have a bicycle?
Important
When an adjectiveNo definition set for adjectiveLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. is connected to a noun, the indefinite article must be used. In the examples above, if you want to specify what kind of astronaut Márcia is or what kind of bicycle you have, then you do have to use the indefinite article:
indefinite articleadjectiveMárcia é uma excelente astronauta.
Márcia is an excellent astronaut.
Você tem uma bicicleta amarela?
Do you have a yellow bicycle?
Remember also that the indefinite article can sometimes be added in for emphasis, as we saw above!
Before the numbers 100 and 1000:
In English, you would use the indefinite article “a” before referring to the numbers 100 and 1000. In Brazilian Portuguese, however, the indefinite article must be omitted.
Achei cem reais ontem a caminho de casa.
I found a hundred reais yesterday on the way home.
Há mil anos, eles chegaram a essa terra.
A thousand years ago, they came to this land.
In summary
In this post, I talked about general rules related to the indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese and how they are used. We saw that…
The indefinite articles in Brazilian Portuguese agree in gender and number with the noun they precede.
um → masculine singular
uma → feminine singular
uns → masculine plural
umas → feminine plural
Indefinite articles are often used to give an imprecise or vague meaning to a noun, but they can also be used to introduce nouns for the first time. Indeed, there are a few other unique uses of indefinite articles, such as for…
Providing an emphatic meaning for the noun
Approximating the noun’s quantity
Expanding on a noun that has been previously mentioned
Talking about one member of a group
There are also instances in which the indefinite article must be omitted, such as…
Before uncountable nouns
Before words that already carry an indefinite meaning
After the verbs ser and ter
Before the numbers 100 and 1000
