No que concerne à teoria

You place this at the start of a sentence. It acts like a spotlight. For example: No que concerne à teoria, o plano é perfeito. This means 'In theory, the plan is perfect.' The secret is the word à. It is a contraction of the preposition a and the article a. If the word following it is masculine, it becomes ao. For example: No que concerne ao design. Using it makes you sound like a consultant or a philosopher. Just do not use it to ask for a beer. That would be like wearing a tuxedo to the beach.

This phrase lives in the 'Very Formal' neighborhood. You will see it on LinkedIn articles or in scientific journals. It is the language of the 'Big Brains.' Do not use it with your grandmother unless she is a physics professor. In a casual WhatsApp group, it might sound sarcastic. If you use it in a job interview on Zoom, you will impress the recruiter. It shows you can handle complex Portuguese. It is the opposite of slang. It is structured, rigid, and polite. It is the 'Netflix Documentary' of phrases.

You are watching a tech review on YouTube. The creator says: No que concerne à teoria da bateria, este celular deveria durar dias. They mean the math says it should last, even if it does not. Or you are reading a Medium post about productivity. The author writes: No que concerne à teoria do foco, precisamos de silêncio. It sets a serious tone. Even on TikTok, a lawyer might use it to explain a new law. It provides a frame for the information. It tells the viewer to pay attention to the logic.

Use it when you are writing an essay for a Portuguese university. Use it when you are presenting a slide deck at work. It is great for emails to clients you do not know well. If you are debating someone on Twitter (brave soul!), use it to sound more logical. It helps you pivot from a messy reality to a clean concept. It is perfect for the 'Discussion' section of a report. Use it when you want to sound objective and detached. It creates a professional distance between you and the topic.

Never use this in a text to your crush. No que concerne à teoria do amor... is a great way to stay single. Avoid it during a heated argument with a sibling. It will make you sound condescending. Do not use it at a bakery while ordering bread. The baker will just look at you strangely. It is too heavy for small talk. If the situation involves sweat, shorts, or flip-flops, leave this phrase at home. It is a 'City Office' phrase, not a 'Barbecue' phrase.

Learners often forget the à. Without it, the sentence breaks. Another mistake is using it for simple things. Do not say no que concerne à teoria do café. Just say sobre o café. Keep it for the big ideas. It is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Quanto à teoria is a slightly lighter version. It means the same but feels less like a legal document. Relativamente à teoria is common in Portugal. It sounds very European and elegant. No que toca à teoria is a bit more modern. It translates to 'In what touches the theory.' If you want to be super simple, just use Sobre a teoria. Think of these as different outfits. No que concerne is the three-piece suit. Quanto a is a nice blazer. Sobre is a comfortable T-shirt.

Is this used in Brazil? Yes, but mostly in formal writing or news. Is it 'a' or 'à'? It is always à before feminine words like teoria. Is it old-fashioned? A little, but in professional worlds, it is still the gold standard. Can I use it for 'the weather'? Technically yes, but people will think you are a weather robot. Does it mean 'regarding'? Exactly, but a very fancy version of 'regarding'. Why so many words? Portuguese loves a long, rhythmic transition to sound authoritative.