Signification
To visit the seaside for leisure.
Contexte culturel
The beach is a social hub. People don't just swim; they play 'futevôlei', eat 'queijo coalho', and stay until sunset (pôr do sol), often clapping when the sun goes down in places like Arpoador. Beaches in the Algarve are famous, but in the North (like Porto), the water is very cold and windy. 'Ir à praia' there often involves 'barracas de lona' (canvas tents) for wind protection. In Luanda, 'ir à praia' often means heading to the Ilha do Cabo, where the beach experience is mixed with high-end restaurants and nightlife.
The Crase Rule
If you can change 'praia' to 'clube' and the phrase becomes 'ao clube', then you must use 'à' for 'praia'.
Don't forget sunscreen
If you tell someone 'Vou à praia', they might remind you: 'Não esqueça o protetor solar!'
Signification
To visit the seaside for leisure.
The Crase Rule
If you can change 'praia' to 'clube' and the phrase becomes 'ao clube', then you must use 'à' for 'praia'.
Don't forget sunscreen
If you tell someone 'Vou à praia', they might remind you: 'Não esqueça o protetor solar!'
Beach as a verb
In Rio, 'praiar' is sometimes used as a slang verb for the act of being at the beach.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form of the phrase.
Hoje o sol está forte. Eu ____.
The verb 'ir' requires 'a', and 'praia' is feminine, so 'a + a = à'.
Fill in the missing contraction.
Nós vamos ___ praia no sábado.
'Praia' is feminine, so we use 'à'. If it were 'clube' (masculine), it would be 'ao'.
Match the phrase to the context.
Which phrase is best for a quick trip to the beach in Brazil?
'Dar um pulo' means to go quickly/briefly.
Complete the dialogue.
A: O que você fez ontem? B: Eu ____ com meus amigos.
The question asks about 'yesterday' (ontem), so we need the past tense 'fui'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
À vs. Para a
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesHoje o sol está forte. Eu ____.
The verb 'ir' requires 'a', and 'praia' is feminine, so 'a + a = à'.
Nós vamos ___ praia no sábado.
'Praia' is feminine, so we use 'à'. If it were 'clube' (masculine), it would be 'ao'.
Which phrase is best for a quick trip to the beach in Brazil?
'Dar um pulo' means to go quickly/briefly.
A: O que você fez ontem? B: Eu ____ com meus amigos.
The question asks about 'yesterday' (ontem), so we need the past tense 'fui'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
6 questionsYes. 'Ir à praia' is about the location/sand. 'Ir ao mar' is specifically about entering the water or sailing.
It's a contraction of 'a' (to) + 'a' (the). It signals that the destination is feminine.
In casual Brazilian Portuguese, yes. In a test or in Portugal, use 'à'.
Toalha (towel), protetor solar (sunscreen), and chinelos (flip-flops).
Yes, the phrase is identical in all Portuguese-speaking countries.
Usually, but it can also mean the whole coastal town/area in a general sense.
Expressions liées
Pegar um sol
similarTo sunbathe
Banho de mar
specialized formSwimming in the ocean
Beira-mar
similarSeaside/Waterfront
Pé na areia
builds onFeet in the sand
