A1 · Débutant Chapitre 5

Essential Prepositions

4 Règles totales
43 exemples
6 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the essential connectors that glue your Portuguese sentences together for natural, native-like flow.

  • Use 'DE' to express origin and possession.
  • Navigate locations using 'EM' and its merged forms.
  • Describe movement towards destinations using 'A' and its variants.
Connect your world with confidence.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Ready to unlock a new level of Portuguese fluency? This chapter is your secret weapon for connecting words and making your sentences flow like a native speaker! We’re diving into the Essential Prepositions, those tiny but mighty words that glue your thoughts together. First, you'll master 'DE,' the magic connector that links words like a magnet, creating natural phrases like 'do Brasil' (from Brazil) or 'da casa' (of the house). Then, we'll tackle 'EM,' your go-to preposition for talking about locations and time – but here's the trick: it loves to merge with articles, turning into 'no' (in the) or 'na' (on the). Imagine confidently saying

Eu moro no Rio
(I live in Rio)! Finally, you’ll conquer 'A,' perfect for expressing movement towards a place, like Eu vou à praia (I go to the beach), or even for setting specific times. By the end of this chapter, you won't just understand individual words; you'll be able to confidently build more complex, natural-sounding sentences. You’ll know exactly how to say where you're from, where you're going, and where things are, making conversations much smoother. Ordering a coffee com leite (with milk) or asking
onde está o banheiro?
(where is the bathroom?) will feel effortless. Don't worry, it's easier than it sounds – we'll guide you step-by-step through these exciting word mergers that are essential for truly sounding Portuguese. Get ready to connect and communicate!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Describe where you are from and who owns an object.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: State your location and destination in a city.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

Ready to unlock a new level of Portuguese fluency? This chapter is your secret weapon for connecting words and making your sentences flow like a native speaker! We’re diving into the Essential Prepositions, those tiny but mighty words that glue your thoughts together.
For A1 Portuguese learners, mastering prepositions is a game-changer. They might seem small, but they are fundamental to building coherent sentences and expressing yourself clearly. Think of them as the linguistic mortar that holds the bricks of your vocabulary together.
Understanding these prepositions is crucial for everyday communication in Portuguese. Whether you're trying to say where you're from, where you're going, or simply describing the location of an object, these words are indispensable. This guide focuses on the most common and vital prepositions for beginners: DE, EM, and A.
You’ll learn not just what they mean, but how they interact with articles to form common word mergers like do, na, and ao, which are incredibly frequent in spoken and written Portuguese.
By the end of this chapter, you won't just understand individual words; you'll be able to confidently build more complex, natural-sounding sentences. You’ll know exactly how to say where you're from, where you're going, and where things are, making conversations much smoother. This is a vital step in your journey to learn Portuguese, laying a solid foundation for more advanced grammar.

How This Grammar Works

In Portuguese, prepositions are small words that link other words, phrases, or clauses, showing relationships like location, time, possession, or direction. For A1 Portuguese grammar, we focus on three essential prepositions, along with their common word mergers when combined with definite articles (o, a, os, as).
First up is The Magic Connector DE. This versatile preposition is often translated as of or from. It indicates origin, possession, material, or part of a whole. For example,
Eu sou de Portugal
(I am from Portugal) or
O livro da Maria
(Maria's book).
When DE meets a definite article, it merges:
* de + o = do (e.g.,
A casa do João
- John's house)
* de + a = da (e.g.,
O carro da minha mãe
- My mother's car)
* de + os = dos (e.g.,
Os amigos dos meus pais
- My parents' friends)
* de + as = das (e.g.,
As chaves das portas
- The keys of the doors)
Next, we have The Swiss Army Knife Preposition: EM. This preposition primarily indicates location (in, on, at) and can also refer to a general time period. For instance,
Eu moro em Lisboa
(I live in Lisbon) or
Ela está na cozinha
(She is in the kitchen).
Like DE, EM loves to merge with articles:
* em + o = no (e.g.,
Ele está no carro
- He is in the car)
* em + a = na (e.g.,
Nós estamos na praia
- We are on the beach)
* em + os = nos (e.g.,
Os livros estão nos armários
- The books are in the cupboards)
* em + as = nas (e.g.,
As flores estão nas mesas
- The flowers are on the tables)
Finally, for Going Places, we use Preposition A. This preposition signifies movement towards a place, an indirect object, or specific time. For example,
Eu vou a Portugal
(I go to Portugal) or
Eu dou um presente à minha irmã
(I give a present to my sister).
When A combines with articles, it also forms mergers:
* a + o = ao (e.g.,
Ele vai ao mercado
- He goes to the market)
* a + a = à (e.g.,
Ela vai à escola
- She goes to school). Note the grave accent, indicating the merger of two 'a's.
* a + os = aos (e.g.,
Nós vamos aos jogos
- We go to the games)
* a + as = às (e.g.,
A aula começa às nove
- The class starts at nine)
These Portuguese word mergers are essential for sounding natural and are a cornerstone of Portuguese grammar A1.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Eu moro em o Rio.
✓ Correct:
Eu moro no Rio.
(I live in Rio.)
*Explanation:* The preposition em (in/on/at) always contracts with the definite article o (the) to form no. Forgetting this contraction is a very common A1 Portuguese error.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    O livro é de a Maria.
✓ Correct:
O livro é da Maria.
(The book is Maria's.)
*Explanation:* The preposition de (of/from) always contracts with the definite article a (the) to form da. Always remember these essential Portuguese word mergers.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Eu vou em a praia.
✓ Correct:
Eu vou à praia.
(I go to the beach.)
*Explanation:* For movement *to* a place, Portuguese typically uses the preposition a. When a meets the feminine article a, they merge to form à. Using em implies being *in* or *on* the beach, not going *to* it.

Real Conversations

A

A

Olá! De onde você é? (Hello! Where are you from?)
B

B

Eu sou do Brasil. E você, é da Europa? (I am from Brazil. And you, are you from Europe?)
A

A

Onde está o seu carro? (Where is your car?)
B

B

Meu carro está no estacionamento, perto da padaria. (My car is in the parking lot, near the bakery.)
A

A

Você vai à festa da Ana hoje? (Are you going to Ana's party today?)
B

B

Sim! Eu vou ao centro da cidade primeiro e depois à casa dela. (Yes! I'm going to the city center first and then to her house.)

Quick FAQ

Q

Why do prepositions like de and em combine with articles in Portuguese?

This is a natural feature of Portuguese grammar, known as contraction or word merger. It makes the language flow more smoothly and is a fundamental part of sounding like a native speaker.

Q

Is there a rule to know when to use de versus a for from or to?

Yes! De indicates origin (from) or possession (of), while a indicates movement *towards* a destination (to). Think of de as starting point and a as ending point for movement.

Q

Do all prepositions merge with articles in Portuguese?

Not all, but many of the most common ones do, especially de, em, and a. Mastering these three for A1 Portuguese is a great starting point for more complex Portuguese grammar.

Cultural Context

In daily Portuguese conversation, these contracted prepositions like do, na, and à are incredibly common and used instinctively. Omitting them or using the separate preposition and article (e.g., de a) sounds unnatural and sometimes even incorrect. Brazilians and Continental Portuguese speakers both use these contractions universally.
They are not just grammatical rules; they are integral to the rhythm and flow of the language, making communication efficient and fluid in all social contexts, from ordering food to discussing plans.

Exemples clés (8)

1

Eu gosto de café de manhã.

J'aime le café le matin.

Le connecteur magique DE (do/da)
2

O nome da minha amiga é Bia.

Le nom de mon amie est Bia.

Le connecteur magique DE (do/da)
3

Estou **no** trânsito, chego **em** 10 minutos.

Je suis dans les embouteillages, j'arrive dans 10 minutes.

Le couteau suisse des prépositions : EM (no/na)
4

As chaves estão **na** mesa.

Les clés sont sur la table.

Le couteau suisse des prépositions : EM (no/na)
5

Eu vou ao cinema hoje à noite.

Je vais au cinéma ce soir.

Se Déplacer : Préposition A (ao, à)
6

A reunião começa às 9h.

La réunion commence à 9h.

Se Déplacer : Préposition A (ao, à)
7

Eu gosto do café daqui.

J'aime le café d'ici.

Contractions en portugais : Prépositions + Articles (do, na, ao)
8

Ela está na praia hoje.

Elle est à la plage aujourd'hui.

Contractions en portugais : Prépositions + Articles (do, na, ao)

Conseils et astuces (4)

💡

Les noms ont leurs articles !

En portugais, on dit souvent « Le Paul » ou « La Maria ». C'est pourquoi on utilise do Paulo et da Maria au lieu de juste de.
A Maria é da França.
(Maria est de France.)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le connecteur magique DE (do/da)
⚠️

Ne sois pas un robot

Ne dis jamais em o ou em a. C'est super bizarre. Contrats toujours en no ou na!
O livro está no armário.
(Le livre est dans l'armoire.)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le couteau suisse des prépositions : EM (no/na)
💡

L'astuce du 'Retour'

Tu n'es pas sûr(e) d'utiliser 'a' ou 'para'? Pense à ceci : si tu vas et reviens vite, utilise 'a'. Si tu vas pour y rester, utilise 'para'. Vou a Roma (pour une visite rapide). Vou para Roma (pour y déménager).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se Déplacer : Préposition A (ao, à)
⚠️

Attention à la fusion !

Imagine, tu dis em o au lieu de no. Pour un natif, c'est un peu bizarre, comme un bug dans la conversation.
O livro está no carro.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Contractions en portugais : Prépositions + Articles (do, na, ao)

Vocabulaire clé (6)

de of/from em in/on/at a to praia beach casa house Brasil Brazil

Real-World Preview

map

Asking for Directions

Review Summary

  • de + o = do | de + a = da
  • em + o = no | em + a = na
  • a + o = ao | a + a = à

Erreurs courantes

In Portuguese, 'em' and 'o' must merge into 'no'. Leaving them separate sounds unnatural.

Wrong: Eu moro em o Brasil.
Correct: Eu moro no Brasil.

Because 'praia' is feminine, 'a' + 'a' merges into 'à' with a grave accent.

Wrong: Eu vou a praia.
Correct: Eu vou à praia.

Always merge 'de' + 'o' into 'do' for masculine nouns.

Wrong: O carro de o João.
Correct: O carro do João.

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job mastering these essential building blocks! Keep practicing, and you will be speaking naturally in no time.

Label items in your room using sticky notes with 'do/da'.

Continue to: Daily Life: Family, Food, and Body

Pratique rapide (10)

Trouve l'erreur dans cette phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Eu sou de o Brasil.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu sou do Brasil.
Le Brésil est masculin ('O Brasil'). Tu dois contracter 'de' + 'o' pour faire 'do'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le connecteur magique DE (do/da)

Choisis la bonne traduction pour 'J'aime la pizza'.

Choose the correct translation for 'I like the pizza'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu gosto da pizza.
Tu dois contracter 'de' + 'a' en 'da'. Tu ne peux pas dire 'de a'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le connecteur magique DE (do/da)

Quelle phrase est grammaticalement correcte pour 'Je vais à la banque'?

Choisis l'option correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vou ao banco.
Banco est un mot masculin (o banco). 'a' + 'o' = 'ao'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se Déplacer : Préposition A (ao, à)

Complète avec la bonne forme (a, ao, à, aos, às).

Eu vou ___ praia todo fim de semana.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: à
Praia est un mot féminin (a praia). Donc, il nous faut 'a' (préposition) + 'a' (article) = 'à'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se Déplacer : Préposition A (ao, à)

Quelle phrase est grammaticalement correcte?

Choisis la bonne façon de dire 'Dans la voiture':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Estou no carro.
Tu dois contracter 'em + o' en 'no'. 'Carro' est masculin.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le couteau suisse des prépositions : EM (no/na)

Complète avec la bonne contraction (no, na, em).

O gato está ___ (em + a) cama.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: na
Cama (lit) est féminin, donc 'em' + 'a' devient 'na'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le couteau suisse des prépositions : EM (no/na)

Trouve l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Moro no Lisboa.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Moro em Lisboa.
Les villes (comme Lisboa) ne prennent généralement pas d'article, donc tu utilises juste 'em' sans contraction.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le couteau suisse des prépositions : EM (no/na)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase de mouvement.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós vamos a o cinema amanhã.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós vamos ao cinema amanhã.
a + o doit toujours devenir ao quand on va à un endroit.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Contractions en portugais : Prépositions + Articles (do, na, ao)

Complète la phrase avec la bonne contraction.

O carro ___ (of the) Paulo é azul.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: do
Paulo est un nom masculin ('o Paulo'), donc 'de' + 'o' devient 'do'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le connecteur magique DE (do/da)

Complète le vide avec la bonne fusion de "de" + "o/a".

A chave é ___ (de + o) carro.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: do
Carro est masculin, donc de + o devient do.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Contractions en portugais : Prépositions + Articles (do, na, ao)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

'De' est le mot de base qui veut dire 'de'. 'Do' est la contraction de 'de' + 'o' (du/de l'article masculin). Tu utilises 'do' quand le mot suivant est masculin et spécifique, comme dans :
O carro do meu pai.
(La voiture de mon père.)
Non, jamais ! Contrairement au français où tu dis 'de le', le portugais exige absolument la contraction. Dire 'de o', c'est comme parler robot :
O carro do Paul.
(La voiture de Paul.)
'Em' est la préposition de base. 'No' est la combinaison de 'em' + l'article masculin 'o'. Tu utilises 'em' pour les choses générales ou les villes (Em Londres), et 'no' pour les noms masculins spécifiques (No carro).
C'est une bizarrerie historique. La plupart des pays ont besoin de l'article (No Brasil, No Canadá, Na França), mais certains vieux pays européens ou colonies souvent non (Em Portugal, Em Angola, Em Moçambique).
Les deux signifient 'à' ou 'vers', mais 'a' suggère une visite temporaire ou une courte durée, tandis que 'para' implique un déplacement définitif ou un long séjour. Par exemple : Vou a Roma (visiter), Vou para Roma (y déménager).
Le à (a avec accent grave) indique une contraction de deux 'a' : la préposition a + l'article féminin a. C'est obligatoire quand le mot suivant est féminin et spécifique. Par exemple : Vou à praia (Je vais à la plage).
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