Study Resource: Common Brazilian Portuguese prepositions
The following reference tables summarize the most important uses and translations for the most common Brazilian Portuguese prepositions.
Uses of the most common simple prepositions
The following reference tables summarize the most important uses and translations for the most common Brazilian Portuguese prepositions.
Preposition | Use | English Equivalent | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
a | goal of movement | to + destination | Você foi ao supermercado. You went to the supermarket. |
location (temporary) | at / on / in + location | Eles estão sentados à mesa. They are sitting at the table. | |
time of day | at + time | Eu acordo às seis horas. I wake up at six o’clock. | |
to describe how something happened or how it was | (various) | Ele segue as regras à risca. He follows the rules to the letter. | |
to indicate the end of a spectrum, range, or process | (from + start)... to + end | Deram as instruções passo a passo. They gave the instructions step by step. | |
to introduce an indirect object | to + recipient | Ele deu um presente ao seu amigo He gave a present to his/your friend. | |
to introduce the tool or method used to accomplish an action | with + tool | Escreva o texto à caneta. Write the text with a pen. | |
em | location (general) | in + city / country / etc. | Ele mora em Barcelona. He lives in Barcelona. |
location (inside) | in / inside + location | O frango está no forno. The chicken is in the oven. | |
location (on top of) | on + location | O vaso está na mesa. The vase is on the table. | |
days, months, years, centuries, etc. | in / on + date | O meu aniversário é em 25 de janeiro. My birthday is on the 25th of January. | |
to indicate means of payment | by + method of payment | Pago em dinheiro. I pay by cash. | |
to indicate value and rates | for + price | O quadro está estimado em dois mil dólares. The painting is estimated at two thousand dollars. | |
to indicate emotional state | in + emotion | A criança estava em prantos. The child was in tears. | |
to introduce a division of something | in / into + section | A série se divide em duas temporadas. The series is divided into two seasons. | |
to indicate a goal | in + situation | Ele me pediu em noivado. He asked me to be engaged. | |
de | to indicate origin of something or someone | from + origin | Eles são da Alemanha. They are from Germany. |
to indicate a body movement/position | (various) | Ele se virou de costas. He turned around. | |
to introduce a topic | about / on + topic | Estamos falando de economia. We are talking about economics. | |
to indicate authorship | by + author | Li um livro da Clarice Lispector. I read a book by Clarice Lispector. | |
to indicate a possession and relationship | of + possessor | Esta bolsa é da Priscila. Ela é filha do Renato. This is Priscila’s bag. She is Renato’s daughter. | |
to indicate reason | with + cause | Ele chorou de tristeza. He cried with sadness. | |
to indicate the function or use of something | of / for + function | Os clientes estão na sala de espera. The clients are in the waiting room. | |
to indicate price or measure | of + measurement (sometimes) | Comprei uma camisa de 5 dólares. I bought a five dollar shirt. | |
to indicate material | of + material | Tenho uma camiseta de algodão. I have a cotton t-shirt. | |
to introduce a description | with / of + description (sometimes) | Comprei um carro de quatro portas. I bought a four-door car. | |
após | to introduce a time that came before the main action | after + moment | Eles dormem após o almoço. They sleep after lunch. |
com | to indicate companionship / accompanying noun | with + companion / noun | Beth mora com o seu irmão. Beth lives with her brother. |
to refer to a tool | with + tool | Seque as mãos com a toalha. Dry the hands with the towel. | |
to indicate a manner of doing something | with + manner noun | Ela cozinha com amor. She cooks with love. | |
to indicate a state or condition | with + emotion | O menino está com sono. The boy is sleepy. | |
an intersection of two roads | road + and + road | A padaria fica na Rua 2 com a Rua Ambrosina. The bakery is on Rua 2 at the junction of Rua Ambrosina. | |
to indicate a mix or addition of something | with + addition | Você toma café com leite? Do you drink coffee with milk? | |
contra | to indicate opposition or a fight against something or someone else | against + opponent | Os funcionários protestaram contra as medidas da empresa. The employees protested against the measures of the company. |
to indicate opposite direction | against + moving thing | Ele surfou contra as ondas do mar. He surfed against the waves of the sea. | |
to indicate protection or prevention to something | against + thing to stop | O governo fez uma campanha contra o desemprego. The government had a campaign against unemployment. | |
segundo | to introduce a source of information | according to + origin | Segundo os cientistas, o medicamento é eficaz. According to scientists, the medicine is effective. |
sem | absence of something | without + missing thing | O estacionamento está sem carros. The parking lot is without cars. |
To indicate manner when it’s followed by an infinitive verb | without + non-existent action | Corremos sem parar. We ran without stopping. |
Compound prepositions in Brazilian Portuguese
Compound Preposition | Example |
|---|---|
a fim de in order to | Fui ao centro a fim de jantar em um bom restaurante. I went downtown to have dinner at a good restaurant. |
acerca de about | Eles conversaram acerca do assunto. They talked about the topic. |
apesar de in spite of | Apesar de ter carro, ele não quer dirigir. In spite of having a car, he doesn't want to drive. |
de acordo com according to | De acordo com os economistas, os juros vão aumentar. According to the economist, the interest rates will increase. |
devido a because, due to | Não podemos viajar devido ao tempo. We can't travel due to the weather. |
em nome de in the name of | As reservas foram feitas em nome de Paulo Oliveira. The reservations were made in the name of Paulo Oliveira. |
em vez de / ao invés de instead of | É melhor pedir ajuda em vez de fazer isso sozinho. It’s better to ask for help instead of doing it yourself. |
graças a thanks to | Eles chegaram ao aeroporto graças ao taxista. They arrived at the airport thanks to the taxi driver. |
junto a next to | A loja fica junto à padaria. The shop is next to the bakery. |
*para com for | Eles têm muito respeito para com as pessoas mais velhos. They have a lot of respect for older people. |
por causa de because of | Eles se molharam por causa da chuva. They got wet because of the rain. |
por meio de through | Eu leio as notícias por meio da internet. I read the news through the internet. |
*The compound preposition para com is used in contexts of extreme formality.
