pelas

The Portuguese word pelas is a fundamental contraction that every learner must master early in their journey. Grammatically, it is the result of merging the preposition por (which can mean by, through, for, or per) with the feminine plural definite article as (the). In English, we do not have a single word for this; we simply say 'by the', 'through the', or 'for the'. Understanding pelas requires a grasp of how Portuguese handles gender and number agreement. Since as is feminine and plural, pelas must always precede a feminine plural noun. For example, if you are walking through the streets, you would say pelas ruas because ruas is feminine and plural. If you were walking through a single street, you would use pela. This contraction is not optional in standard Portuguese; using por as is considered grammatically incorrect and sounds highly unnatural to native speakers.

Spatial Movement

When describing movement through a space or along a path. Example: Caminhamos pelas trilhas da montanha (We walked through the mountain trails).

Beyond physical movement, pelas is frequently used to express time approximations. In English, we might say 'around' or 'about' when referring to a specific hour. In Portuguese, specifically in European Portuguese and formal Brazilian Portuguese, one might say pelas cinco horas to mean 'around five o'clock'. It creates a sense of temporal vagueness that is very common in daily conversation. Furthermore, pelas plays a crucial role in the passive voice. When an action is performed by multiple feminine entities, pelas introduces the agent of the action. For instance, 'The decisions were made by the commissions' translates to 'As decisões foram tomadas pelas comissões'. This versatility makes it one of the most hardworking contractions in the language.

Causality and Reason

Used to indicate the reason or motivation behind an action. Example: Lutamos pelas nossas liberdades (We fight for our freedoms).

In literature and formal speeches, pelas often introduces abstract concepts. You might hear a politician talking about acting pelas gerações futuras (for future generations) or a poet writing about looking pelas janelas da alma (through the windows of the soul). The word bridge the physical and the metaphorical seamlessly. It is also used in mathematical or distributive contexts, though less frequently than por alone. For example, when talking about percentages or distributions across groups, pelas might appear if the groups are feminine plural nouns like categorias or unidades. Understanding these nuances helps a learner transition from basic A1 sentences to the more complex structures found in A2 and B1 levels, where descriptions become more detailed and reasons more articulated.

Distribution

Dividing something among feminine plural entities. Example: Dividimos os lucros pelas empresas parceiras (We divided the profits among the partner companies).

Using pelas correctly is a matter of matching it with the right noun. In Portuguese, nouns have gender, and articles must agree. Since pelas contains the article as, it is strictly reserved for feminine plural nouns. Let's look at various contexts. In a physical sense, it denotes passage. If you are describing a journey, you might say, 'Viajamos pelas estradas de Portugal' (We traveled through the roads of Portugal). Here, estradas is feminine plural, necessitating pelas. If you used pelo, it would be wrong because estradas is not masculine singular.

Passive Voice Agency

In passive constructions, the person or thing doing the action is introduced by 'por' (and its contractions). Example: As flores foram regadas pelas vizinhas (The flowers were watered by the [female] neighbors).

Another common usage is for duration or 'for the sake of'. When you do something on behalf of others, you use this contraction. 'Eu faço tudo pelas minhas filhas' (I do everything for my daughters). Here, the motivation is the daughters. Note that in English, we use 'for', but in Portuguese, the preposition por (contracted to pelas) carries this 'on behalf of' or 'because of' meaning. This is a common point of confusion for English speakers who want to use para. While para indicates a destination or a recipient of a gift, por/pelas indicates the motive or exchange.

Approximate Time

Used to indicate 'around' a certain time. Example: Chegaremos pelas duas horas da tarde (We will arrive around two o'clock in the afternoon).

In more abstract or metaphorical contexts, pelas can describe the manner or means by which something happens. 'Conseguimos o contrato pelas vias legais' (We got the contract through legal means/ways). Here, vias (ways/paths) is feminine plural. This usage is common in professional and legal Portuguese. Similarly, in daily life, you might hear someone say they are 'pelas tabelas', an idiom meaning they are exhausted or at their limit, literally 'by the tables/charts'. Mastering pelas allows you to describe how you move, why you act, and who is responsible for actions in a way that sounds sophisticated and natural.

Idiomatic Expressions

Many fixed expressions use 'pelas'. Example: Andar pelas paredes (To be extremely annoyed or climbing the walls with frustration).

You will encounter pelas in almost every facet of Portuguese life, from the mundane to the highly formal. If you are using a GPS in Lisbon or São Paulo, the voice will frequently tell you to 'siga pelas próximas ruas' (follow through the next streets). In this context, it provides critical navigational information. Similarly, if you are reading a news report, the passive voice is extremely common. Journalists often write, 'As medidas foram aprovadas pelas câmaras municipais' (The measures were approved by the city councils). Here, pelas identifies the governing bodies responsible for the action. It is a staple of journalistic and administrative language because it clearly attributes responsibility.

Public Announcements

Used in stations or airports. Example: Não caminhe pelas linhas ferroviárias (Do not walk through/on the railway lines).

In social settings, pelas is used to talk about people and relationships. You might hear a grandmother saying she prays pelas netas (for her granddaughters). It conveys a sense of care and intercession. In a more casual, perhaps slightly gossipy context, someone might say 'Andam aí uns boatos pelas redes sociais' (There are some rumors going around through social networks). The word acts as a conduit for the movement of information. Whether the 'path' is a physical road or a digital network, pelas is the word that facilitates that description. It is also very common in sports commentary, where players move pelas laterais do campo (through the sides of the field).

Social Media & Tech

Describing how content spreads. Example: O vídeo espalhou-se pelas redes (The video spread through the networks).

In academic and scientific literature, pelas is used to describe methods and observations. A researcher might state that 'As amostras foram analisadas pelas equipes de laboratório' (The samples were analyzed by the laboratory teams). Or they might describe how a virus spreads pelas células (through the cells). Its precision in indicating the medium or the agent makes it indispensable for technical writing. Even in religious contexts, you will hear it in prayers like 'Rogai pelas almas' (Pray for the souls). From the highest levels of intellectual discourse to the simplest street directions, pelas is a linguistic bridge connecting subjects to their paths, agents, and motivations.

Sports Commentary

Describing player movement. Example: O atacante avançou pelas pontas (The attacker advanced through the wings/sides).

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with pelas is failing to match the gender and number of the following noun. Because English uses 'by the' or 'through the' for everything, learners often default to one form of the contraction (usually pelo) and use it universally. For example, saying pelo ruas instead of pelas ruas. This is a glaring error because ruas is feminine plural, and pelo is masculine singular. Another common error is using the uncontracted form por as. While understandable, it sounds disjointed and is grammatically incorrect in modern Portuguese. You must always contract por with the definite article when it precedes it.

Gender Mismatch

Using 'pelas' with masculine nouns. Wrong: pelas caminhos. Right: pelos caminhos.

Another significant hurdle is the confusion between por/pelas and para/para as. English speakers often want to use para whenever they would use 'for' in English. However, if you are doing something 'on behalf of' or 'because of' someone, you should use por. If you say 'Comprei este presente pelas minhas amigas', it sounds like you bought it 'by way of' or 'because of' them, or perhaps through their help. If you meant it was a gift 'to' them, you should use 'para as minhas amigas'. This distinction between motive (por) and destination/recipient (para) is a classic challenge for learners at the A2 and B1 levels.

Number Mismatch

Using 'pelas' with singular nouns. Wrong: pelas rua. Right: pela rua.

Learners also struggle with the pronunciation of pelas versus pêlas (an archaic or very specific term for skins/furs, or a regional variation). In standard Portuguese, the 'e' in pelas is open (/ɛ/), sounding like the 'e' in 'set'. If you pronounce it with a closed 'e', it might be confused with other words or just sound 'off' to a native ear. Additionally, some learners forget to use the contraction when an adjective comes between the preposition and the noun. Even if you say 'through the beautiful streets', you still use the contraction: pelas lindas ruas. The contraction is triggered by the definite article as, regardless of what follows it immediately, as long as that article belongs to the noun phrase.

Contraction Omission

Forgetting to contract when an adjective is present. Wrong: por as belas praias. Right: pelas belas praias.

While pelas is very common, there are several alternatives depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. If you want to emphasize the idea of 'going through' or 'across' something in a more literal or physical sense, you might use através de. While pelas ruas means 'through the streets', através das janelas often implies looking through a barrier. Another alternative is por intermédio de, which is much more formal and usually refers to people or agencies. For example, 'The news came through the official channels' could be 'A notícia veio pelas vias oficiais' or 'A notícia veio por intermédio das vias oficiais'.

Pelas vs. Através de

'Pelas' is more general for paths and agents. 'Através de' emphasizes the medium or the act of crossing through something.

In terms of 'because of', you can use por causa de. If you say 'Lutamos pelas causas sociais', you are saying you fight 'for' them. If you say 'Lutamos por causa das causas sociais', it sounds slightly more like they are the reason you are fighting, though in many contexts these are interchangeable. For time approximations, instead of pelas duas horas, you could say por volta das duas horas. This latter version is slightly more precise about the fact that it is an approximation. In Brazil, lá pelas is a very common colloquialism to emphasize an approximate time: 'Chego lá pelas nove' (I'll get there around nine).

Pelas vs. Por entre

'Por entre' suggests moving 'among' or 'between' several things. Example: Caminhamos por entre as árvores (We walked among/between the trees).

Finally, consider the word perante. It means 'in front of' or 'before' (in a legal or moral sense). While pelas describes agency or path, perante describes a position relative to an authority or a situation. 'Somos iguais perante as leis' (We are equal before the laws). This is different from 'pelas leis', which would imply being governed or moved 'by the laws'. Choosing between these depends entirely on the logical relationship you want to establish between the subject and the noun. Learning these subtle differences is what separates an intermediate learner from an advanced speaker who can express exact shades of meaning.

Formal Alternatives

'Por intermédio de' or 'através de' can replace 'pelas' in formal writing to avoid repetition or add precision.