A1 Expression محايد

Ontem.

Yesterday.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Ontem is the essential Portuguese word for 'yesterday,' used to anchor any past event to the previous day.

  • Means: The day immediately preceding today.
  • Used in: Casual stories, scheduling, and reporting past actions.
  • Don't confuse: With 'amanhã' (tomorrow) or 'hoje' (today).
📅 + ⬅️ = Ontem

Explanation at your level:

Ontem means 'yesterday'. Use it with simple past verbs like 'comi' (ate) or 'fui' (went).
Ontem is an adverb of time. It helps you tell simple stories about what you did on the previous day.
Ontem anchors the Pretérito Perfeito. It can be combined with periods of the day like 'ontem à tarde'.
Ontem functions as a deictic temporal marker. It is often used in contrast with 'hoje' to show change or progression.
Linguistically, 'ontem' establishes a past temporal frame that restricts the aspectual choice of the verb to the perfective.
Ontem serves as a cognitive reference point in narrative discourse, often used to establish 'saudade' or retrospective analysis.

المعنى

Refers to the day before the current day.

🌍

خلفية ثقافية

Brazilians often use 'ontem' to emphasize how fast time flies, especially in the phrase 'Parece que foi ontem'. In Portugal, 'ontem' is a staple in fado lyrics, representing the 'saudade' of a time that has passed. The distinction between 'ontem' and 'anteontem' is very sharp; speakers rarely say 'two days ago' when 'anteontem' exists.

💡

Pair with Past Tense

Always check your verb! If you say 'ontem', your verb must be in a past form.

⚠️

No 'The'

Don't say 'O ontem' unless you are being poetic. Just say 'Ontem'.

المعنى

Refers to the day before the current day.

💡

Pair with Past Tense

Always check your verb! If you say 'ontem', your verb must be in a past form.

⚠️

No 'The'

Don't say 'O ontem' unless you are being poetic. Just say 'Ontem'.

اختبر نفسك

Complete the sentence with the correct word for 'yesterday'.

Eu fui ao cinema ______.

✓ صحيح! ✗ ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: ontem

Since 'fui' is past tense, 'ontem' is the only logical choice.

Which phrase means 'Yesterday morning'?

Como se diz 'Yesterday morning'?

✓ صحيح! ✗ ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: Ontem de manhã

'De manhã' means morning, and 'ontem' means yesterday.

Fill in the response.

A: Você estudou para a prova? B: Sim, eu estudei ______.

✓ صحيح! ✗ ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: ontem

The speaker is confirming they already studied.

Match the time to the word.

O dia antes de hoje é...

✓ صحيح! ✗ ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: Ontem

Ontem is the day before today.

🎉 النتيجة: /4

وسائل تعلم بصرية

الأسئلة الشائعة

3 أسئلة

It is understood, but 'ontem à noite' is much more natural and grammatically correct.

Yes, it is identical in both countries.

Use the word 'anteontem'.

عبارات ذات صلة

🔗

Anteontem

builds on

The day before yesterday.

🔗

Ontem à noite

specialized form

Last night.

🔗

Hoje

contrast

Today.

أين تستخدمها

💼

Reporting a task

Boss: Você terminou o relatório?

Employee: Sim, eu terminei ontem à tarde.

neutral
🍻

Socializing

Amigo 1: A festa foi boa?

Amigo 2: Foi ótima! Ontem eu dancei muito.

informal
🏥

At the Doctor

Médico: Quando a dor começou?

Paciente: Começou ontem de manhã.

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'On-Time'. If you weren't 'On-Time' today, you have to explain what happened 'Ontem'.

Visual Association

Imagine a calendar page being ripped off and flying behind you into a dark night (ad noctem).

Rhyme

Ontem eu vi o homem.

Story

I woke up today and realized I forgot my keys. I remembered I had them 'ontem' when I was at the cafe. I went back to 'ontem' in my mind to find them.

Word Web

hojeamanhãanteontempassadodianoitetardemanhã

تحدٍّ

Write three things you did yesterday using 'Ontem eu...' and post them in a language forum.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Ayer

The phonetic root is different (Night vs. Yesterday).

French high

Hier

French requires 'hier soir' for last night, similar to 'ontem à noite'.

German high

Gestern

German often places 'gestern' in the third position of the sentence due to V2 word order.

Japanese moderate

昨日 (Kinou)

Japanese doesn't use prepositions like 'à' for 'yesterday morning'.

Arabic high

أمس (Ams)

In formal Arabic, it is 'al-ams', using the definite article.

Easily Confused

Ontem. مقابل Amanhã

Learners often swap 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow'.

Remember 'A' for 'Amanhã' is 'Ahead'.

Ontem. مقابل Antigamente

Both refer to the past.

Ontem is exactly 24 hours ago; Antigamente is 'in the old days'.

الأسئلة الشائعة (3)

It is understood, but 'ontem à noite' is much more natural and grammatically correct.

Yes, it is identical in both countries.

Use the word 'anteontem'.

هل كان هذا مفيداً؟

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