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Portuguese Grammar

Verbs

Verbs are divided into three conjugations, which can be identified by looking at the infinitive ending, one of "-ar", "-er", "-ir" (and "-or", which is present in a single verb, "por" (to put). This verb pertains, however, to the "-er" conjugation, as in past it was spoken "poner", then "poer" then "por".). Most verbs end with "-ar", such as cantar (to sing). All verbs with the same ending follow the same pattern.

In Portuguese, verbs are divided into moods:

Imperative. Used to express a wish, command or advice

Indicative. Used to express a fact

Subjunctive. Used to express a wish or a possibility

Nouns

All Portuguese nouns have one of two genders: masculine or inclusive and feminine or exclusive. Most adjectives and pronouns, and all articles indicate the gender of the noun they reference. The feminine gender in adjectives is formed in a different way from that in nouns. Most adjectives ending in a consonant remain unchanged: homem superior (superior man), mulher superior (superior woman). This is also true for adjectives ending in "e": homem forte (strong man), mulher forte (strong woman). Except for this, the noun and the adjective must always be in agreement: homem alto (tall man), mulher alta (tall woman).

Pronouns

Personal pronouns

Subject pronouns: eu, você, ele-ela, nós, vocês, eles-elas

In European Portuguese você is formal "you", tu is used among relatives, friends and children. In Brazilian Portuguese tu is hardly ever used (only in regions in south and north-east parts of Brazil). In colloquial speech tu can be used with 3rd person singular verbs. vós (you plural) is not usually used either, it is replaced with vocês.

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Verbs with você must be in 3rd form singular, verbs with vocês must be in 3rd form plural. So usually no verbs in 2nd person singular or plural are used.

Possessive Pronouns

meu, minha, meus, minhas: mine

seu, sua, seus, suas: yours

seu, sua, seus, suas: his / hers

nosso, nossa, nossos, nossas: ours

seu, sua, seus, suas: yours

seu, sua, seus, suas: theirs

Demonstrative pronouns

Singular: este/esta (this), esse/essa (that), aquele/aquela (that)

Plural: estes/estas (these), esses/essas (those), aqueles/aquelas (those)

Comparison

The comparative

More: MAIS - Less: MENOS

do que or que = than

O tempo de hoje está mais frio (do) que o de ontem: Weather today is colder than weather yesterday.

The superlative

Use definite article in front of superlative:

Hoje é o dia mais frio do ano: Today is the coldest this year.

Some exceptions:

bom - melhor good - better

mau - pior bad - worse

grande - maior big - bigger

pequeno - menor small - smaller

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