ensinar en 30 segundos
- Ensinar is a regular -ar verb meaning to teach or show.
- It is the opposite of 'aprender' (to learn).
- It often uses the preposition 'a' before an infinitive verb.
- It can be used for formal schooling or informal life lessons.
The verb ensinar is one of the most fundamental pillars of human interaction and development in the Portuguese language. At its core, it represents the act of transmitting knowledge, skills, or values from one person to another. Whether you are a professional teacher in a classroom or a parent showing a child how to tie their shoes, you are practicing the act of ensinar.
- The Core Concept
- To transfer information or a specific technique so that another person can learn and apply it.
- The Direction of Action
- It is an outward action: you give the knowledge (ensinar), while the other person receives it (aprender).
- Scope of Use
- Used for academic subjects, physical skills, moral lessons, and even showing directions.
"Minha avó vai me ensinar a fazer um bolo de cenoura delicioso este fim de semana."
In a broader philosophical sense, ensinar is about empowerment. When you teach someone, you are providing them with tools for their future. In Portuguese culture, the role of the 'mestre' (master) or 'professor' is highly respected, and the verb carries a weight of responsibility and social contribution.
"O professor ensina matemática para os alunos do ensino médio."
- Prepositional Usage
- Commonly used with 'a' (ensinar a fazer algo) or 'para' (ensinar algo para alguém).
"A vida nos ensina lições valiosas através das dificuldades."
"Ele quer ensinar o cão a sentar e dar a pata."
Using ensinar correctly involves understanding its transitive nature. It usually requires an object (what is being taught) and often an indirect object (who is being taught). It is a regular -ar verb, making its conjugation predictable and a great starting point for learners.
1. Direct and Indirect Objects
You can teach something (direct) to someone (indirect). In Portuguese: Ensinar algo a alguém or Ensinar algo para alguém.
- Ensinar português: Teaching the language (Direct).
- Ensinar aos alunos: Teaching to the students (Indirect).
- Ensinar português aos alunos: The full structure.
2. Teaching an Action
When the 'thing' you are teaching is a verb/action, you must use the preposition a.
Estrutura: [Sujeito] + ensinar + [alguém] + a + [infinitivo]
Exemplo: "Eu ensino meu filho a andar de bicicleta."
3. Common Tenses
Since it's a regular verb, it follows the standard pattern:
| Pessoa | Presente | Pretérito Perfeito |
|---|---|---|
| Eu | ensino | ensinei |
| Você/Ele/Ela | ensina | ensinou |
| Nós | ensinamos | ensinamos |
| Vocês/Eles/Elas | ensinam | ensinaram |
In Brazilian Portuguese, the use of 'para' is extremely common in spoken language: "Vou ensinar isso para você" instead of the more formal "Vou ensinar-lhe isto".
The verb ensinar resonates through various layers of Portuguese-speaking society. You will encounter it in formal settings, intimate family moments, and professional environments.
1. Academic and Educational Settings
This is the most obvious context. Schools (escolas), universities (universidades), and courses (cursos) revolve around the act of ensinar.
- 🏫 Na Escola: "O professor está ensinando a matéria nova no quadro."
- 🎓 Na Universidade: "O palestrante veio ensinar novas técnicas de pesquisa."
2. Family and Home Life
Parents are the first people to ensinar. It’s used for basic life skills and moral guidance.
- 🏠 Em Casa: "Meus pais me ensinaram a ser honesto."
- 🍳 Na Cozinha: "Vou te ensinar a receita secreta da família."
3. Digital and Modern Media
With the rise of YouTube and online tutorials, ensinar is everywhere in the digital space. Phrases like "Vou te ensinar o passo a passo" (I'll teach you step-by-step) are ubiquitous.
4. Metaphorical Usage
Life itself is often personified as a teacher. "A vida ensina" (Life teaches) is a common philosophical sentiment in Portuguese literature and fado music.
Even though ensinar is an A1 level word, several nuances can trip up learners. Avoiding these common pitfalls will make your Portuguese sound much more natural.
1. Confusion with 'Aprender'
In some languages, the words for 'teach' and 'learn' are similar or even the same. In Portuguese, they are strictly separate.
❌ Errado: "Eu quero aprender você a falar português." (I want to learn you to speak Portuguese.)
✅ Correto: "Eu quero ensinar você a falar português."
2. Missing the Preposition 'A'
When teaching a verb, many students forget the 'a'.
❌ Errado: "Ele ensina dirigir."
✅ Correto: "Ele ensina a dirigir."
3. Pronunciation of 'En-'
The initial 'e' in ensinar is a nasal vowel. Don't pronounce it like the 'e' in 'egg'. It's closer to the sound in 'in' but with the mouth slightly more open, followed by a nasal resonance. Avoid saying 'en-si-nar' with a hard 'n' sound like in English 'enter'.
4. Overusing 'Lecionar'
While 'lecionar' means to teach, it is very formal and specific to a classroom. Using it to talk about teaching a friend how to play a game sounds unnatural. Stick to ensinar for 95% of situations.
While ensinar is the go-to verb, Portuguese offers several synonyms that carry slightly different shades of meaning depending on the context.
- Instruir
- More formal. Implies giving specific instructions or technical training. Often used in military or legal contexts.
- Lecionar
- Strictly academic. It means 'to give lessons' in a formal school or university setting.
- Educar
- Broader than teaching. It refers to the whole upbringing of a person, including manners, morals, and character building.
- Formar
- Often used for professional qualification. "Ele se formou em medicina" (He trained/graduated in medicine).
- Explicar
- To explain. Sometimes used interchangeably with 'ensinar' when the teaching is just clarifying a concept.
Choosing the right word depends on the level of formality and the specific goal of the transmission of knowledge. For a beginner, ensinar is always a safe and correct choice.
How Formal Is It?
Nivel de dificultad
Gramática que debes saber
Regular -ar verb conjugation
Indirect object pronouns
Preposition 'a' with infinitives
Direct and Indirect object placement
Nasal vowels (en-)
Ejemplos por nivel
Eu ensino português para meu amigo.
I teach Portuguese to my friend.
Present tense, first person singular.
Você ensina bem!
You teach well!
Adverb 'bem' modifying the verb.
O professor ensina matemática.
The teacher teaches math.
Third person singular.
Minha mãe me ensina a cozinhar.
My mother teaches me to cook.
Use of preposition 'a' before the infinitive.
Eles ensinam música na escola.
They teach music at school.
Third person plural.
Quem ensina esta classe?
Who teaches this class?
Interrogative pronoun 'Quem'.
Nós ensinamos inglês.
We teach English.
First person plural.
Ela ensina o alfabeto para as crianças.
She teaches the alphabet to the children.
Direct and indirect object structure.
Ontem, ele me ensinou a trocar o pneu.
Yesterday, he taught me how to change the tire.
Pretérito Perfeito (Past tense).
Vou te ensinar a jogar xadrez.
I'm going to teach you to play chess.
Future with 'ir' + infinitive.
Eles nos ensinaram muitas coisas úteis.
They taught us many useful things.
Use of indirect object pronoun 'nos'.
Você pode me ensinar este caminho?
Can you show/teach me this way?
Modal verb 'pode' + infinitive.
Minha avó ensinava receitas antigas.
My grandmother used to teach old recipes.
Pretérito Imperfeito (Past habit).
O aplicativo ensina novas palavras todos os dias.
The app teaches new words every day.
Non-human subject.
Quero ensinar meu cachorro a sentar.
I want to teach my dog to sit.
Verb 'querer' + infinitive.
Ela ensinou a lição com paciência.
She taught the lesson with patience.
Adverbial phrase 'com paciência'.
Se eu tivesse tempo, ensinaria piano.
If I had time, I would teach piano.
Conditional tense.
É importante que os pais ensinem respeito.
It's important that parents teach respect.
Present Subjunctive.
Ela sempre ensina de uma forma divertida.
She always teaches in a fun way.
Manner expression 'de uma forma...'.
Aprendi mais do que ele me ensinou.
I learned more than he taught me.
Comparative structure.
O curso ensina como gerenciar o tempo.
The course teaches how to manage time.
Abstract object of teaching.
Eles estão ensinando novas técnicas de pintura.
They are teaching new painting techniques.
Present continuous.
Quem te ensinou a falar tão bem?
Who taught you to speak so well?
Direct question in the past.
Espero que você me ensine a usar este programa.
I hope you teach me how to use this program.
Subjunctive after 'espero que'.
O mestre ensinou-lhe os segredos da profissão.
The master taught him the secrets of the profession.
Pronominal placement (enclisis).
A experiência ensina-nos a ser mais prudentes.
Experience teaches us to be more prudent.
Abstract subject with reflexive/indirect pronoun.
Não se ensina a velha guarda novos truques.
You don't teach the old guard new tricks.
Idiomatic usage with 'se' impersonal.
Ele dedicou a vida a ensinar os desfavorecidos.
He dedicated his life to teaching the underprivileged.
Verb 'dedicar' + preposition 'a'.
A escola deve ensinar a pensar criticamente.
School should teach how to think critically.
Modal 'deve' + infinitive.
O treinador ensinou a equipe a manter a calma.
The coach taught the team to stay calm.
Teaching emotional states.
Embora ensine pouco, ele é muito respeitado.
Although he teaches little, he is very respected.
Concessive clause with 'Embora'.
Ensinar exige vocação e muita dedicação.
Teaching requires vocation and much dedication.
Infinitive as a noun/subject.
A história ensina que os erros tendem a se repetir.
History teaches that errors tend to repeat themselves.
Complex clausal object.
Sua postura ensina mais do que suas palavras.
Your posture teaches more than your words.
Metaphorical teaching through action.
O filósofo propõe-se a ensinar a arte da retórica.
The philosopher proposes to teach the art of rhetoric.
Pronominal verb 'propor-se'.
É imperativo que ensinemos a sustentabilidade às gerações futuras.
It is imperative that we teach sustainability to future generations.
Formal 'É imperativo que' + subjunctive.
A obra ensina-nos a apreciar a beleza do efêmero.
The work teaches us to appreciate the beauty of the ephemeral.
Literary tone.
Ele foi incumbido de ensinar as novas diretrizes.
He was tasked with teaching the new guidelines.
Passive construction 'foi incumbido de'.
Ensinar a outrem é a melhor forma de aprender.
Teaching another is the best way to learn.
Use of 'outrem' (formal 'another').
O mestre não ensina, ele apenas aponta o caminho.
The master does not teach; he merely points the way.
Philosophical contrast.
A pedagogia moderna ensina a subverter paradigmas obsoletos.
Modern pedagogy teaches how to subvert obsolete paradigms.
Academic vocabulary.
Ensinar-lhe-ei as minúcias da dialética platônica.
I shall teach you the minutiae of Platonic dialectics.
Mesoclisis (very formal future).
O sofrimento, por vezes, ensina o que a alegria oculta.
Suffering, at times, teaches what joy hides.
Poetic inversion.
A tradição oral ensina a cosmogonia de seu povo.
Oral tradition teaches the cosmogony of its people.
Anthropological context.
Não se pode ensinar a quem se recusa a duvidar.
One cannot teach those who refuse to doubt.
Complex relative clause.
O ensaio ensina a complexidade das relações de poder.
The essay teaches the complexity of power relations.
Abstract academic subject.
A natureza ensina a homeostase através do caos.
Nature teaches homeostasis through chaos.
Scientific/Philosophical register.
Ensinar é um ato de resistência política e social.
Teaching is an act of political and social resistance.
Sociological statement.
Colocaciones comunes
Frases Comunes
Se confunde a menudo con
Modismos y expresiones
Fácil de confundir
Patrones de oraciones
Cómo usarlo
Very versatile, used for both intellectual and physical teaching.
In Portugal, 'ensinar' is almost always followed by 'a'. In Brazil, 'para' is very common for the person receiving the knowledge.
- Using 'aprender' when you mean 'teach'.
- Forgetting the preposition 'a' before an infinitive.
- Pronouncing the 'en' like 'en' in 'end' instead of a nasal vowel.
- Using 'lecionar' for informal situations like teaching a game.
- Confusing 'ensino' (noun) with 'ensino' (verb first person).
Consejos
Regular Verb Pattern
Master 'ensinar' and you've mastered thousands of other -ar verbs in Portuguese.
Respect the Teacher
In many Lusophone cultures, calling someone 'Professor' is a high sign of respect for their knowledge.
Nasalization
Don't let the 'n' be too hard. The 'e' should sound like it's coming through your nose.
Ensinar a vs Ensinar
Remember: Ensinar [noun] vs Ensinar a [verb]. 'Ensino música' vs 'Ensino a tocar'.
Word Family
Learn 'ensino' (education) alongside 'ensinar' to expand your vocabulary quickly.
Don't swap with Learn
If you are the one giving the info, you are 'ensinando'. If you are getting it, you are 'aprendendo'.
Formal Writing
In formal essays, prefer 'lecionar' or 'instruir' if referring to academic contexts.
Preposition 'a'
Listen for the small 'a' sound after 'ensinar'; it's the key to knowing an action follows.
Asking for help
Use 'Você pode me ensinar?' as a great icebreaker when you want to learn something new.
Visualizing
Visualize a 'Sign' (In-sign-ar) to remember the word.
Memorízalo
Origen de la palabra
Latin
Contexto cultural
Often used informally for showing someone how to do anything, like 'me ensina a chegar lá' (show me how to get there).
Can sound slightly more formal in certain contexts compared to Brazil, where 'explicar' is sometimes preferred for small things.
Practica en la vida real
Contextos reales
Inicios de conversación
"Você pode me ensinar a cozinhar?"
"O que você mais gosta de ensinar?"
"Quem te ensinou a falar português?"
"Você prefere ensinar ou aprender?"
"Qual é a coisa mais difícil de ensinar?"
Temas para diario
Escreva sobre uma pessoa que te ensinou algo importante.
O que você gostaria de ensinar para o mundo?
Descreva sua primeira experiência ensinando alguém.
Por que ensinar é uma profissão importante?
O que a vida te ensinou este ano?
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasEnsinar é dar o conhecimento. Aprender é receber o conhecimento. O professor ensina e o aluno aprende.
Sim, especialmente no Brasil. 'Vou ensinar para você' é muito comum e natural na fala informal.
É regular: eu ensinei, você ensinou, nós ensinamos, eles ensinaram. Segue o padrão dos verbos em -ar.
Sim. Se você ensina uma ação, use 'a'. Exemplo: 'Ensino a nadar', não 'Ensino nadar'.
Muitas vezes sim. 'Me ensina o caminho' e 'Me mostra o caminho' podem ser usados no mesmo contexto.
Dizemos 'aprender sozinho' ou 'ser autodidata'. Raramente usamos 'ensinar-se'.
Os principais são 'ensino' (o sistema ou ato) e 'ensinamento' (a lição ou moral aprendida).
Não, é uma palavra neutra. Pode ser usada em qualquer situação, da sala de aula à conversa de bar.
Dizemos 'professor' (masculino) ou 'professora' (feminino). 'Ensinador' existe mas é pouco usado.
Sim, é muito comum. 'Vou ensinar meu cão a sentar' é a forma correta.
Ponte a prueba 180 preguntas
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
The verb 'ensinar' is the essential word for any form of instruction or guidance, ranging from teaching a language to showing a friend a simple trick, always following a regular conjugation pattern.
- Ensinar is a regular -ar verb meaning to teach or show.
- It is the opposite of 'aprender' (to learn).
- It often uses the preposition 'a' before an infinitive verb.
- It can be used for formal schooling or informal life lessons.
Regular Verb Pattern
Master 'ensinar' and you've mastered thousands of other -ar verbs in Portuguese.
Respect the Teacher
In many Lusophone cultures, calling someone 'Professor' is a high sign of respect for their knowledge.
Nasalization
Don't let the 'n' be too hard. The 'e' should sound like it's coming through your nose.
Ensinar a vs Ensinar
Remember: Ensinar [noun] vs Ensinar a [verb]. 'Ensino música' vs 'Ensino a tocar'.
Contenido relacionado
Frases relacionadas
Más palabras de education
Aluna
A1Student (female)
Aluno
A1Student (male)
aluno/a
A2Un alumno o estudiante que recibe enseñanza.
aluno(a)
A2El alumno prestó mucha atención durante la clase de historia.
Alunos
A2Los alumnos estudian para sus exámenes finales. El profesor felicitó a los alumnos por su buen trabajo.
analisar
B1Examinar algo metódicamente y en detalle. Descomponer un todo en sus partes para comprenderlo.
ano letivo
A2El año lectivo es el periodo de tiempo dedicado a las clases.
aprender
A1Aprender. Quiero aprender a bailar. Ellos aprenden rápido.
aula
A1A class or lesson in an educational setting.
axioma
B1Un axioma es una proposición o enunciado que se considera establecido, aceptado o evidente por sí mismo, sirviendo como premisa fundamental o punto de partida para el razonamiento lógico o la construcción de una teoría.
