Mastering Prepositions in European Portuguese: A Complete Guide

Understanding Prepositions in European Portuguese

Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence, indicating relationships such as direction, place, time, cause, manner, and possession. In European Portuguese, prepositions are particularly important because they often influence verb conjugations and require attention to gender and number agreement with the objects they relate to.

What Are Prepositions?

Prepositions serve as connectors that specify how different parts of a sentence relate to each other. For example, in the sentence “Ela está na escola” (She is at the school), the preposition “na” (a contraction of “em” + “a”) indicates location. Without the correct preposition, the meaning of a sentence can be unclear or incorrect.

Key functions of prepositions include:

• Expressing location: em (in/on), a (to/at), para (to/for)
• Indicating time: durante (during), até (until), desde (since)
• Showing direction or movement: para (to), até (until)
• Denoting cause or reason: por (because of), devido a (due to)
• Expressing possession or association: de (of/from)

Common Prepositions in European Portuguese

Learning the most frequently used prepositions is the first step toward mastering prepositions in European Portuguese. Below is a list of essential prepositions with explanations and examples:

1. Em

Meaning: in, on, at
Example: “Eu estou em casa.” (I am at home.)
Usage: Used to indicate location or time.

2. De

Meaning: of, from
Example: “Ele é de Portugal.” (He is from Portugal.)
Usage: Shows origin, possession, and material.

3. A

Meaning: to, at
Example: “Vou à escola.” (I am going to the school.)
Usage: Used with verbs of movement or indicating specific times.

4. Para

Meaning: for, to
Example: “Este presente é para ti.” (This gift is for you.)
Usage: Indicates destination or purpose.

5. Por

Meaning: by, for, through
Example: “Ele fez isso por mim.” (He did that for me.)
Usage: Often used to express cause, means, or exchange.

Contractions Involving Prepositions

One distinctive feature of European Portuguese is the frequent use of contractions between prepositions and definite articles. This is important to learn because it affects both spoken and written Portuguese.

• em + o = no (in the)
  Example: “Estou no restaurante.” (I am in the restaurant.)
• em + a = na (in the)
  Example: “Ela está na praia.” (She is on the beach.)
• de + o = do (of the/from the)
  Example: “O livro do professor.” (The teacher’s book.)
• de + a = da (of the/from the)
  Example: “A casa da Maria.” (Maria’s house.)
• a + o = ao (to the/at the)
  Example: “Vou ao mercado.” (I am going to the market.)
• a + a = à (to the/at the)
  Example: “Vou à escola.” (I am going to the school.)

Understanding these contractions is key to using prepositions accurately and naturally in conversation.

Prepositions and Verb Usage in European Portuguese

Many European Portuguese verbs require specific prepositions to convey their full meaning. This can be challenging for learners since the choice of preposition can alter the meaning of a verb or phrase.

Examples of Verb + Preposition Combinations

• Gostar de</ – to like
  Ex: “Eu gosto de música.” (I like music.)
• Depender de</ – to depend on
  Ex: “Dependo do meu trabalho.” (I depend on my job.)
• Pensar em</ – to think about
  Ex: “Estou a pensar em ti.” (I am thinking about you.)
• Sonhar com</ – to dream about
  Ex: “Ela sonha com férias.” (She dreams about holidays.)
• Participar em</ – to participate in
  Ex: “Ele participa em competições.” (He participates in competitions.)