Learning a new language can be both exciting and challenging. As you advance from the A1 to the A2 level in Portuguese, you’ll find yourself expanding your vocabulary and gaining a better grasp of the language’s structure. At the A2 level, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with a core set of essential words that will help you navigate everyday conversations and understand basic texts. In this article, we’ll cover 50 essential words that you need to know to succeed at the A2 level in Portuguese.
Common Nouns
1. **Casa** – House
– Usage: “Eu moro numa casa grande.” (I live in a big house.)
2. **Carro** – Car
– Usage: “O meu carro é vermelho.” (My car is red.)
3. **Trabalho** – Work/Job
– Usage: “Eu tenho muito trabalho hoje.” (I have a lot of work today.)
4. **Escola** – School
– Usage: “A escola fica perto da minha casa.” (The school is near my house.)
5. **Cidade** – City
– Usage: “Lisboa é uma cidade bonita.” (Lisbon is a beautiful city.)
6. **Amigo/Amiga** – Friend
– Usage: “Meu amigo vai visitar-me amanhã.” (My friend is going to visit me tomorrow.)
7. **Comida** – Food
– Usage: “A comida aqui é deliciosa.” (The food here is delicious.)
8. **Dinheiro** – Money
– Usage: “Eu preciso de mais dinheiro.” (I need more money.)
9. **Família** – Family
– Usage: “A minha família é muito unida.” (My family is very close.)
10. **Tempo** – Time/Weather
– Usage: “Não tenho tempo agora.” (I don’t have time right now.) / “O tempo está bom hoje.” (The weather is good today.)
Verbs
11. **Ser** – To be (permanent)
– Usage: “Eu sou estudante.” (I am a student.)
12. **Estar** – To be (temporary)
– Usage: “Estou cansado.” (I am tired.)
13. **Ter** – To have
– Usage: “Ela tem dois irmãos.” (She has two brothers.)
14. **Ir** – To go
– Usage: “Vou ao mercado.” (I am going to the market.)
15. **Fazer** – To do/make
– Usage: “O que estás a fazer?” (What are you doing?)
16. **Poder** – To be able/can
– Usage: “Posso ajudar-te?” (Can I help you?)
17. **Querer** – To want
– Usage: “Eu quero um café.” (I want a coffee.)
18. **Ver** – To see
– Usage: “Eu vejo um pássaro.” (I see a bird.)
19. **Dar** – To give
– Usage: “Vou dar um presente à minha mãe.” (I am going to give a gift to my mother.)
20. **Saber** – To know
– Usage: “Eu não sei a resposta.” (I don’t know the answer.)
Adjectives
21. **Bonito/Bonita** – Beautiful
– Usage: “Ela é muito bonita.” (She is very beautiful.)
22. **Grande** – Big
– Usage: “O meu carro é grande.” (My car is big.)
23. **Pequeno/Pequena** – Small
– Usage: “O meu apartamento é pequeno.” (My apartment is small.)
24. **Bom/Boa** – Good
– Usage: “O filme foi bom.” (The movie was good.)
25. **Mau/Má** – Bad
– Usage: “O tempo está mau hoje.” (The weather is bad today.)
26. **Velho/Velha** – Old
– Usage: “Este livro é velho.” (This book is old.)
27. **Novo/Nova** – New
– Usage: “Eu comprei um carro novo.” (I bought a new car.)
28. **Alto/Alta** – Tall/High
– Usage: “Ele é muito alto.” (He is very tall.)
29. **Baixo/Baixa** – Short/Low
– Usage: “A mesa é baixa.” (The table is low.)
30. **Feliz** – Happy
– Usage: “Estou feliz hoje.” (I am happy today.)
Adverbs
31. **Sempre** – Always
– Usage: “Eu sempre tomo café de manhã.” (I always have coffee in the morning.)
32. **Nunca** – Never
– Usage: “Eu nunca fui ao Brasil.” (I have never been to Brazil.)
33. **Bem** – Well
– Usage: “Ele fala bem português.” (He speaks Portuguese well.)
34. **Mal** – Badly
– Usage: “Ela cantou mal na festa.” (She sang badly at the party.)
35. **Aqui** – Here
– Usage: “Eu estou aqui.” (I am here.)
36. **Lá** – There
– Usage: “O meu carro está lá.” (My car is there.)
37. **Agora** – Now
– Usage: “Eu preciso de ti agora.” (I need you now.)
38. **Depois** – Later/After
– Usage: “Vamos ao cinema depois.” (Let’s go to the cinema later.)
39. **Hoje** – Today
– Usage: “Hoje é um bom dia.” (Today is a good day.)
40. **Amanhã** – Tomorrow
– Usage: “Vou viajar amanhã.” (I am going to travel tomorrow.)
Prepositions
41. **Em** – In/At
– Usage: “Estou em casa.” (I am at home.)
42. **Para** – For/To
– Usage: “Este presente é para ti.” (This gift is for you.)
43. **Com** – With
– Usage: “Eu vou com o meu amigo.” (I am going with my friend.)
44. **De** – Of/From
– Usage: “Eu sou de Portugal.” (I am from Portugal.)
45. **Sobre** – About/On
– Usage: “O livro é sobre história.” (The book is about history.)
Conjunctions
46. **E** – And
– Usage: “Eu gosto de café e chá.” (I like coffee and tea.)
47. **Mas** – But
– Usage: “Eu queria ir, mas estou cansado.” (I wanted to go, but I am tired.)
48. **Ou** – Or
– Usage: “Queres chá ou café?” (Do you want tea or coffee?)
49. **Porque** – Because
– Usage: “Eu estou feliz porque é fim de semana.” (I am happy because it is the weekend.)
50. **Se** – If
– Usage: “Se chover, não vou sair.” (If it rains, I won’t go out.)
Practical Application
Understanding these 50 essential words will significantly improve your ability to communicate in Portuguese at the A2 level. These words are the building blocks for creating simple sentences and engaging in everyday conversations. Here are a few tips on how to effectively incorporate these words into your language practice:
1. **Flashcards**: Create flashcards with each word and its translation. Review them daily to help commit them to memory.
2. **Practice Sentences**: Use each word in a sentence. This helps you understand the context in which each word can be used.
3. **Language Exchange**: Find a language exchange partner who speaks Portuguese. Practice using these words in conversation.
4. **Labeling**: Label objects around your house with their Portuguese names to reinforce vocabulary.
5. **Listening and Reading**: Listen to Portuguese music, watch movies, or read books that are at your comprehension level. Pay attention to how these words are used in context.
By mastering these 50 essential words, you’ll be well on your way to becoming more fluent in Portuguese. Remember, the key to language learning is consistency and practice. Boa sorte! (Good luck!)
