When you want to say that something is happening in substitution of something else, use the expression em vez de.
For example, you might say, Eu quero café em vez de chá (I want coffee instead of tea).
Another common usage is when you want to express doing one thing rather than another, such as, Vou ler um livro em vez de ver televisão (I'm going to read a book instead of watching television).
When you want to say that something is happening as a substitute for something else, you use the expression em vez de.
For example, if you say Eu vou comer salada em vez de batata frita, it means "I'm going to eat salad instead of french fries."
You can also use it to express a preference, like Prefiro ler um livro em vez de assistir TV, meaning "I prefer to read a book instead of watching TV."
It's a very common and practical phrase to know!
§ Don't confuse it with "ao invés de"
Many learners, and even some native speakers, get these two phrases mixed up. While they can often be used interchangeably, there's a subtle difference. "Em vez de" simply means "instead of" or "in place of." It's neutral. "Ao invés de" implies opposition or the opposite. Think of it as "on the contrary to" or "as opposed to."
Ela foi para o cinema em vez de estudar. (She went to the movies instead of studying.)
Here, there's no inherent opposition, just a choice. "Ao invés de" could work, but "em vez de" is perfectly natural.
Ao invés de melhorar, a situação piorou. (Instead of improving, the situation got worse.)
In this example, there's a clear opposition: improving vs. worsening. So "ao invés de" fits perfectly.
§ Forgetting the "de"
This is a common error for English speakers. In English, you might just say "instead he went home." In Portuguese, the "de" is crucial when followed by a verb in the infinitive or a noun/pronoun.
- Incorrect
- Ele decidiu ir em vez ficar. (He decided to go instead stay.)
- Correct
- Ele decidiu ir em vez de ficar. (He decided to go instead of staying.)
§ Using it incorrectly with phrases of preference
Sometimes, learners try to force "em vez de" into sentences where a more natural way to express preference exists. For example, if you want to say "I prefer coffee over tea," you wouldn't typically use "em vez de" directly.
- Less natural
- Prefiro café em vez de chá. (I prefer coffee instead of tea.)
- More natural
- Prefiro café a chá. (I prefer coffee to tea.)
§ Overusing it
Like any phrase, overusing "em vez de" can make your Portuguese sound repetitive or clunky. Sometimes, a simple conjunction or a different sentence structure can convey the same meaning more elegantly.
- Instead of saying: "Eu comi pizza em vez de massa, em vez de salada." (I ate pizza instead of pasta, instead of salad.)
- Consider: "Eu comi pizza, não massa nem salada." (I ate pizza, not pasta or salad.)
The goal is clear communication. While "em vez de" is a fundamental phrase, learning to vary your sentence structures will make your Portuguese sound much more fluent.
Difficulty Rating
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short
short
short
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
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Examples by Level
Eu vou comer fruta em vez de bolo.
I'm going to eat fruit instead of cake.
Podemos ir de autocarro em vez de carro.
We can go by bus instead of by car.
Ela escolheu chá em vez de café.
She chose tea instead of coffee.
Em vez de estudar, ele foi jogar futebol.
Instead of studying, he went to play soccer.
Vamos ao parque em vez de ao cinema.
Let's go to the park instead of the cinema.
Ele prefere trabalhar em casa em vez de no escritório.
He prefers to work at home instead of in the office.
Eu vou ler um livro em vez de ver televisão.
I'm going to read a book instead of watching television.
Em vez de reclamar, tenta encontrar uma solução.
Instead of complaining, try to find a solution.
Eu vou de ônibus em vez de carro.
I'm going by bus instead of car.
Podemos comer em casa em vez de ir a um restaurante.
We can eat at home instead of going to a restaurant.
Ela preferiu ler um livro em vez de assistir televisão.
She preferred to read a book instead of watching television.
Ele escolheu estudar em vez de sair com os amigos.
He chose to study instead of going out with friends.
Vamos tomar café em vez de chá.
Let's have coffee instead of tea.
Devíamos ir à praia em vez de ficar em casa.
We should go to the beach instead of staying at home.
Comprei maçãs em vez de bananas.
I bought apples instead of bananas.
Ele decidiu correr em vez de caminhar.
He decided to run instead of walk.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Tips
Basic Usage: 'em vez de'
The most common way to use 'em vez de' is simply to say instead of something. For example, 'Eu quero café em vez de chá' (I want coffee instead of tea).
Followed by a Noun or Pronoun
After 'em vez de', you'll usually find a noun or a pronoun. Think of it like 'instead of the book' or 'instead of him'. 'Ele escolheu o ônibus em vez do carro' (He chose the bus instead of the car).
Followed by an Infinitive Verb
You can also use 'em vez de' before an infinitive verb (the 'to do' form). For example, 'Ele decidiu sair em vez de ficar' (He decided to leave instead of staying/to stay).
Contraction with 'de'
Remember that 'de' (of/from) contracts with articles. So, 'em vez de o' becomes 'em vez do', and 'em vez de a' becomes 'em vez da'. This is important! 'Vou ler um livro em vez da revista' (I'm going to read a book instead of the magazine).
Similar to 'ao invés de'
'Em vez de' is very similar to 'ao invés de'. While 'ao invés de' sometimes implies opposition, for A2 learners, you can generally use them interchangeably. 'Ela comprou maçãs ao invés de peras' (She bought apples instead of pears).
Don't confuse with 'mas'
Don't confuse 'em vez de' (instead of) with 'mas' (but). They have different meanings. 'Eu queria ir, mas não pude' (I wanted to go, but I couldn't) vs. 'Eu comi peixe em vez de carne' (I ate fish instead of meat).
Practice with Choices
Practice 'em vez de' by talking about choices you make. 'Eu vou estudar em vez de assistir TV' (I'm going to study instead of watching TV). This makes it very practical.
Formulating Alternatives
Use this phrase when you want to propose an alternative. 'Podemos ir ao parque em vez de ao cinema' (We can go to the park instead of to the cinema).
Use in Commands/Suggestions
You can use it in suggestions or commands. 'Lê o livro em vez de jogar' (Read the book instead of playing).
Listen for it in Conversations
Pay attention to how native speakers use 'em vez de' in everyday conversations. You'll hear it frequently when people are discussing preferences or alternative actions.
Test Yourself 54 questions
Eu prefiro café ___ chá. (I prefer coffee instead of tea.)
To express 'instead of' or 'in place of', use 'em vez de'.
Nós vamos ao cinema ___ ficar em casa. (We are going to the cinema instead of staying home.)
To express 'instead of' or 'in place of', use 'em vez de'.
Ele comprou maçãs ___ laranjas. (He bought apples instead of oranges.)
To express 'instead of' or 'in place of', use 'em vez de'.
Eu vou ler um livro ___ assistir TV. (I will read a book instead of watching TV.)
To express 'instead of' or 'in place of', use 'em vez de'.
Ela vai de ônibus ___ carro. (She goes by bus instead of by car.)
To express 'instead of' or 'in place of', use 'em vez de'.
Nós comemos pizza ___ arroz. (We ate pizza instead of rice.)
To express 'instead of' or 'in place of', use 'em vez de'.
Choose the best translation: 'I'll have water instead of soda.'
'Em vez de' means 'instead of' or 'in place of', which perfectly fits the context of choosing one drink over another.
Which sentence correctly uses 'em vez de'?
'Em vez de' is used here to indicate a preference or substitution, meaning she chose the bus rather than the car.
Fill in the blank: 'Vamos estudar agora ___ assistir TV.'
The sentence suggests a choice between two activities, and 'em vez de' (instead of) is the correct connector.
The phrase 'em vez de' can be translated as 'besides'.
'Em vez de' means 'instead of' or 'in place of', not 'besides'. 'Besides' would be 'além de' in Portuguese.
You can use 'em vez de' when you are substituting one thing for another.
This is the primary use of 'em vez de', to indicate a substitution or an alternative choice.
In the sentence 'Ele foi trabalhar em vez de ficar em casa', the speaker went to work.
The sentence means 'He went to work instead of staying home', so he did go to work.
I'm going to read a book instead of watching television.
He asked for coffee instead of tea.
Let's go to the park instead of staying home.
Read this aloud:
Você quer água em vez de suco?
Focus: em vez de
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Eu prefiro ir à praia em vez de à montanha.
Focus: em vez de
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Por que não comemos fruta em vez de bolo?
Focus: em vez de
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'I want coffee instead of tea.' It's a common way to express a preference.
This means 'I'm going to the cinema instead of staying at home.' 'Em vez de' is used to indicate an alternative action.
The sentence translates to 'He ate fruit instead of candy.' This shows choosing one option over another.
Eu prefiro café ___ chá.
The phrase 'em vez de' means 'instead of' and is used to express a preference for one thing over another. In this sentence, it indicates a preference for coffee instead of tea.
Vamos ao parque ___ shopping.
'Em vez de' is used here to say 'instead of the shopping mall', indicating an alternative destination.
Ele decidiu estudar ___ trabalhar.
Here, 'em vez de' shows that studying was chosen as an alternative to working.
Ela pediu água ___ refrigerante.
The phrase 'em vez de' means 'instead of', so she asked for water instead of soda.
Podemos ir de carro ___ a pé.
Using 'em vez de' indicates a choice of going by car as an alternative to walking.
Ele preferiu ler um livro ___ assistir TV.
'Em vez de' is used to show his preference for reading a book rather than watching TV.
Eu prefiro ir de carro ___ ir de ônibus.
The phrase 'em vez de' is used to express 'instead of' when making a choice between two options.
Vamos comer em casa ___ sair para um restaurante.
'Em vez de' is the correct choice here to indicate opting for one action over another.
Ele decidiu estudar matemática ___ biologia.
When presenting an alternative or a preference, 'em vez de' is the appropriate phrase.
Você deveria ter falado a verdade ___ mentir.
'Em vez de' fits perfectly when contrasting two actions, one preferred over the other.
Vamos ver um filme ___ jogar videogame.
To express choosing one activity over another, 'em vez de' is the natural phrase to use.
Ela preferiu um chá ___ um café.
When indicating a preference for one item over another, 'em vez de' is the correct option.
Ele decidiu ir de bicicleta para o trabalho ___ pegar o ônibus.
The phrase 'em vez de' perfectly fits here to express that he chose the bicycle as an alternative to the bus.
Muitas empresas estão optando por energias renováveis ___ combustíveis fósseis.
'Em vez de' indicates a substitution or preference for renewable energy over fossil fuels.
Sugiro que você leia o relatório completo ___ apenas o resumo.
Here, 'em vez de' is used to suggest reading the full report as an alternative to just the summary.
Ela preferiu cozinhar em casa ___ sair para comer em um restaurante caro.
'Em vez de' correctly conveys that she chose to cook at home as an alternative to eating out.
Seria mais prudente investir em ações estáveis ___ especular em mercados voláteis.
The sentence recommends investing in stable stocks as an alternative to speculating in volatile markets, making 'em vez de' the correct choice.
A reunião foi remarcada para a próxima semana ___ hoje à tarde, devido a imprevistos.
'Em vez de' indicates that the meeting will take place next week as a replacement for today afternoon.
The speaker is suggesting a different approach to a problem.
The speaker made a choice between two activities.
The speaker deviated from a plan to customize something.
Read this aloud:
Em vez de adiar a tarefa, comecei a trabalhar nela imediatamente para terminá-la logo.
Focus: adiar, imediatamente, terminá-la
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Sugeriu que, em vez de comprar um carro novo, reformássemos o que já tínhamos para economizar.
Focus: sugeriu, reformássemos, economizar
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Em vez de focar nos pequenos detalhes, devemos ter uma visão mais ampla do projeto.
Focus: focar, detalhes, ampla
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'He preferred to stay home instead of going out.' The phrase 'em vez de' introduces the alternative action.
This means 'Instead of complaining, try to find a solution.' 'Em vez de' is used to present an alternative action to complaining.
This translates to 'He chose the longer path instead of the shorter one.' 'Em vez de' is followed by 'o', which agrees with 'caminho' (path).
/ 54 correct
Perfect score!
Basic Usage: 'em vez de'
The most common way to use 'em vez de' is simply to say instead of something. For example, 'Eu quero café em vez de chá' (I want coffee instead of tea).
Followed by a Noun or Pronoun
After 'em vez de', you'll usually find a noun or a pronoun. Think of it like 'instead of the book' or 'instead of him'. 'Ele escolheu o ônibus em vez do carro' (He chose the bus instead of the car).
Followed by an Infinitive Verb
You can also use 'em vez de' before an infinitive verb (the 'to do' form). For example, 'Ele decidiu sair em vez de ficar' (He decided to leave instead of staying/to stay).
Contraction with 'de'
Remember that 'de' (of/from) contracts with articles. So, 'em vez de o' becomes 'em vez do', and 'em vez de a' becomes 'em vez da'. This is important! 'Vou ler um livro em vez da revista' (I'm going to read a book instead of the magazine).
Related Content
Related Phrases
More academic words
a despeito de
A2Despite; in spite of.
a fim
A2In order to; for the purpose of. (Followed by 'de')
a saber
A2Namely; that is to say.
a título de exemplo
A2By way of example; for example.
abordagem
A2A way of dealing with something; an approach.
abordar
B1To deal with (a matter or problem); to approach a topic.
abreviar
B1To shorten (a word, phrase, or text).
abreviatura
B1A shortened form of a word or phrase.
abstração
B1The quality of dealing with ideas rather than events.
abstracto
B1Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.
