Meaning
Considering; in light of a particular situation or fact.
Cultural Background
In Portugal, 'face a' is a staple of 'O Telejornal' (the main news). It reflects the Portuguese preference for formal, slightly melancholic justification of events. In Brazilian legal culture, 'em face de' is often used in lawsuits to indicate who the action is being brought against. In African Lusophone countries, formal Portuguese often retains a very classical structure, making 'face a' very common in official government speeches. In the Lusophone corporate world, using 'face a' in a PowerPoint presentation is a 'power move' that signals analytical thinking.
The Crase Rule
If you can replace the feminine word with a masculine one and it becomes 'ao', you need the 'à'. (Face à crise -> Face ao problema).
Don't overdo it
Using 'face a' more than twice in one email makes you sound like a 19th-century lawyer. Mix it up with 'visto que' or 'devido a'.
Meaning
Considering; in light of a particular situation or fact.
The Crase Rule
If you can replace the feminine word with a masculine one and it becomes 'ao', you need the 'à'. (Face à crise -> Face ao problema).
Don't overdo it
Using 'face a' more than twice in one email makes you sound like a 19th-century lawyer. Mix it up with 'visto que' or 'devido a'.
Brazilian usage
In Brazil, you'll hear 'diante de' much more often in speech. Save 'face a' for your written reports.
Test Yourself
Preencha com 'face ao', 'face à', 'face aos' ou 'face às'.
_______ novas regras, teremos de mudar o horário.
'Regras' is feminine plural, so 'face a' + 'as' = 'face às'.
Qual frase usa 'face a' corretamente?
This is the correct figurative use in a formal/neutral context. The others are either physical or grammatically wrong.
Complete o diálogo formal.
Diretor: O lucro baixou este mês. Gerente: Sim, _______ aumento do custo das matérias-primas.
'Face ao' fits the formal register of a director-manager conversation perfectly.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
3 exercises_______ novas regras, teremos de mudar o horário.
'Regras' is feminine plural, so 'face a' + 'as' = 'face às'.
This is the correct figurative use in a formal/neutral context. The others are either physical or grammatically wrong.
Diretor: O lucro baixou este mês. Gerente: Sim, _______ aumento do custo das matérias-primas.
'Face ao' fits the formal register of a director-manager conversation perfectly.
🎉 Score: /3
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, but much more formal. It's like the difference between 'because of the rain' and 'in view of the precipitation'.
No. 'Face a' is followed by nouns, not personal pronouns. Use 'diante de você' or 'perante você'.
Yes, it is standard in both, though slightly more common in European Portuguese formal speech.
It's a contraction of the preposition 'a' and the feminine article 'a'.
No, it is a prepositional phrase that must be followed by a noun or noun phrase.
Yes, especially in 20th-century existentialist literature and modern essays.
There isn't a direct opposite, but 'independentemente de' (regardless of) works as a logical contrast.
No, it must be followed by a noun. For verbs, use 'visto que' or 'já que'.
Not old-fashioned, just very professional and serious.
Constantly. It's one of the most common ways to link a cause to an effect in headlines.
Related Phrases
diante de
similarIn front of / Given
perante
similarBefore (authority/fact)
tendo em conta
synonymTaking into account
haja vista
specialized formGiven that / In view of
defronte de
contrastOpposite to
