Terminar com Preposições: Com quem você está?
natural no inglês moderno!
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In modern English, it is perfectly natural and often preferred to place a preposition at the very end of a sentence or question.
- Use it in questions: 'Who are you talking to?' instead of 'To whom are you talking?'
- Use it in relative clauses: 'The person I work with' is more natural than 'The person with whom I work.'
- Keep it for phrasal verbs: 'What are you looking for?' cannot be changed to 'For what are you looking?'
Overview
To whom are you speaking?, você vai soar como um fantasma do século 19. Se você disser Who are you talking to?, você soa como um ser humano normal. Isso é chamado de preposition stranding.up with which I will not put.stranded (com a preposição no final). É muito mais fácil para o seu cérebro processar.How This Grammar Works
to, with, for e at geralmente ficam antes de um substantivo. Na escrita formal, elas ficam lá. No inglês informal, nós movemos o substantivo para a frente.Wh-.that ou who. Terceiro, em frases na voz passiva. Finalmente, em frases no infinitivo.What are you looking at?. A palavra at está ilhada no final.
Formation Pattern
wait for.
Who ou What.
Who are you waiting for?. Percebe como o for simplesmente fica lá no final? Ele está esperando pelo seu amigo, o substantivo, que se mudou para a frente. Em orações relativas, você pode até omitir o pronome relativo. The movie that I was talking about se torna The movie I was talking about. É eficiente e rápido. Assim como sua conexão 5G quando ela está realmente funcionando.
When To Use It
This is the view I’ve been dreaming of!.This is the view of which I have been dreaming. Um soa como um viajante; o outro soa como um livro didático. Não seja um livro didático.
Common Mistakes
To who are you talking to? é o erro clássico. Escolha um lugar e fique nele! Outro erro é escolher a preposição errada para o verbo. Lembre-se, a preposição ainda está ligada ao verbo. Se o verbo for depend on, a preposição no final deve ser on. Who does it depend of? está errado. Você também não deve usar uma preposição se o verbo não precisar de uma. Algumas pessoas adicionam at ao final de Where are you?. Where are you at? é comum em alguns dialetos, mas é frequentemente redundante. Mantenha a simplicidade. Também, cuidado com phrasal verbs. Palavras como give up ou break down não são realmente casos de stranding. Elas são apenas parte do verbo. Se você tirar o up de What did you give up?, o significado muda completamente. Não perca seu 'up'!Contrast With Similar Patterns
With whom did you go? é front-shifted (deslocado para a frente).Who did you go with? é stranded. Front-shifting sempre exige whom em vez de who.whom em uma cafeteria a menos que queira ser ignorado. Stranding funciona com who, what, which e where. Também funciona com o pronome relativo that.of that I was thinking. Você deve dizer that I was thinking of. Isso torna o stranding mais flexível que sua contraparte formal.whom.Quick FAQ
Is it really okay to do this in an interview?
Sim! Faz você soar natural e fácil de conversar.
Can I strand any preposition?
A maioria delas, sim. To, for, with, at, from e about são as mais comuns.
What about during or since?
Essas raramente ficam no final. Which hour was it during? soa muito estranho. Use-as normalmente.
Do I need to use whom when stranding?
Não! Use who. Who are you looking for? é o padrão.
Is this only for American English?
Não. Falantes britânicos, australianos e canadenses fazem isso também. É uma coisa do inglês global.
3. Question Structure with Stranded Prepositions
| Question Word | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Preposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Who
|
are
|
you
|
talking
|
to?
|
|
What
|
is
|
she
|
looking
|
at?
|
|
Where
|
did
|
they
|
come
|
from?
|
|
Which
|
do
|
you
|
agree
|
with?
|
|
Who
|
have
|
you
|
worked
|
for?
|
Common Conversational Short Forms
| Full Question | Short Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
|
Who are you with?
|
Who with?
|
Casual texting
|
|
What is it for?
|
What for?
|
Asking for a reason
|
|
Where are you from?
|
Where from?
|
Quick inquiry
|
Meanings
The practice of leaving a preposition at the end of a clause or sentence when its object (the noun it relates to) has moved to the beginning.
Interrogative Stranding
Placing the preposition at the end of a question starting with 'Who', 'What', 'Which', or 'Where'.
“Who are you going with?”
“What is this for?”
Relative Clause Stranding
Placing the preposition at the end of a relative clause, especially when using 'that' or omitting the relative pronoun entirely.
“This is the book I was talking about.”
“She is the friend that I traveled with.”
Passive Voice Stranding
When a verb + preposition combination is turned into the passive voice, the preposition remains attached to the verb at the end.
“He likes to be listened to.”
“The bed hasn't been slept in.”
Infinitive Stranding
Using a preposition at the end of an infinitive phrase (to + verb).
“I need a chair to sit on.”
“She has no one to talk to.”
Reference Table
| Contexto | Exemplo Informal/Natural | Alternativa Formal | Por que funciona |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Pergunta
|
Who are you talking to?
|
To whom are you talking?
|
O objeto da preposição ('who') foi movido para o início da frase.
|
|
Oração Relativa
|
That's the project I'm working on.
|
That's the project on which I'm working.
|
O objeto ('project') está implícito ou foi movido para o início.
|
|
Voz Passiva
|
The problem needs to be dealt with.
|
The problem requires dealing.
|
A preposição faz parte de um 'phrasal verb' na forma passiva.
|
|
Phrasal Verb
|
What did you come up with?
|
What did you devise?
|
A preposição é essencial para o significado do verbo.
|
|
Uso Cotidiano
|
This is the app I was looking for.
|
This is the app for which I was looking.
|
Soa mais natural e menos formal/engessado.
|
|
Bate-papo Informal
|
Which movie are you thinking about?
|
About which movie are you thinking?
|
Comum na fala e escrita casual.
|
Espectro de formalidade
To whom were you speaking? (Social interaction)
Who were you speaking to? (Social interaction)
Who were you talking to? (Social interaction)
Who you talkin' to? (Social interaction)
Quando as Preposições Terminam Frases
Cenários Comuns
- Perguntas Who are you waiting for?
- Orações Relativas That's the book I was talking about.
- Voz Passiva The issue was dealt with.
- Phrasal Verbs What did you come up with?
Por que acontece
- Objeto Movido The object of the preposition moves to the sentence start.
- Phrasal Verb Preposition is integral to the verb's meaning.
- Fluxo Natural Avoids awkward, overly formal phrasing.
Quando Evitar (Formal)
- Escrita Acadêmica Formal reports, papers.
- Documentos Jurídicos Official, precise language.
- Cláusulas Formais Específicas To whom, about which.
Colocação da Preposição: Informal vs. Formal
Devo Terminar Minha Frase com uma Preposição?
É um contexto altamente formal (trabalho acadêmico, documento jurídico)?
A preposição faz parte de um 'phrasal verb' (ex: 'look for', 'deal with')?
A frase é uma pergunta ou uma oração relativa onde o objeto da preposição foi movido para o início?
Preposições no Final: Checagem Rápida
Perguntas Comuns
- • Who with?
- • What about?
- • Which one for?
- • Where from?
Phrasal Verbs
- • Look for
- • Talk about
- • Deal with
- • Come up with
Orações Relativas
- • The person I spoke to.
- • The thing I dreamt about.
- • The job I applied for.
Voz Passiva
- • He was looked after.
- • It's been waited for.
- • The matter was decided on.
Exemplos por nível
Where are you from?
Who are you with?
What are you looking at?
Who is she talking to?
What are you waiting for?
Which house do you live in?
Who did you go to the party with?
This is the movie I told you about.
That's the guy I was arguing with.
I found the keys I was looking for.
Which company did you apply to?
He is someone you can rely on.
The results were exactly what we had hoped for.
It’s a difficult situation to deal with.
Who was the contract signed by?
The children need someone to look after them.
The sheer number of variables we had to account for was staggering.
He is a man whom I have the greatest respect for.
This is the kind of nonsense I will not put up with.
The city has many hidden gems to marvel at.
The metaphysical implications are what the author is primarily concerned with.
It is a principle that the entire legal system is based upon.
Such are the tribulations that a modern democracy must contend with.
The very ground they stood on seemed to shift.
Fácil de confundir
Learners often confuse a simple preposition with the particle of a phrasal verb.
Learners think they must use 'whom' if there is a preposition involved.
Erros comuns
Where you from?
Where are you from?
Who you with?
Who are you with?
What you look at?
What are you looking at?
I from Japan.
I am from Japan.
Who are you waiting?
Who are you waiting for?
What are you listening?
What are you listening to?
The book I told you.
The book I told you about.
To who are you talking to?
Who are you talking to?
The man who I work.
The man who I work with.
Which room do you sleep?
Which room do you sleep in?
To whom are you looking for?
Who are you looking for?
Padrões de frases
Who are you ___ with?
That is the ___ I was telling you about.
What are you so ___ about?
Real World Usage
Who are you with?
What kind of environment do you thrive in?
What does this come with?
This is a theory that many scholars agree with.
What can I help you with?
What are you looking for in a partner?
Abrace a Naturalidade
Who are you talking to?
O Contexto é Chave
That is the project on which I am working.
Phrasal Verbs Adoram Isso
What did you come up with?
A 'Regra' está Ultrapassada
This is the app I was looking for.
Smart Tips
Just use 'Who' and put the preposition at the end. It's safe, modern, and professional.
Always put the preposition at the end. 'That' cannot follow a preposition.
Drop the relative pronoun ('who' or 'that') entirely and keep the preposition at the end.
Never try to move the particle to the front; it will break the verb's meaning.
Pronúncia
Preposition Stress
When a preposition is at the end of a sentence, it is usually unstressed and 'weak'. However, if you want to emphasize it, you can stress it.
Rising-Falling
Who are you with? ↘
A standard, neutral information-seeking question.
Memorize
Mnemônico
The preposition is like a 'tail'—it's natural for it to wag at the end of the sentence dog.
Associação visual
Imagine a fishing hook at the end of a sentence. The preposition is the hook that catches the object at the very beginning of the sentence.
Rhyme
If a question you must send, put the 'with' or 'to' at the end.
Story
A traveler named 'Who' went on a journey. He always left his bags ('with', 'for', 'from') at the hotel (the end of the sentence) while he went to explore the city (the beginning of the sentence).
Word Web
Desafio
Write 5 questions you would ask your favorite celebrity, ensuring every single one ends with a preposition (e.g., 'Who do you look up to?').
Notas culturais
Some older teachers or very formal institutions still cling to the 'never end with a preposition' rule, despite it being linguistically debunked.
Americans are generally very comfortable with stranded prepositions in almost all contexts, including business.
While common, some high-level British RP (Received Pronunciation) speakers might use fronted prepositions to sound more 'proper' or 'upper-class'.
Preposition stranding is a native feature of Old English and other Germanic languages like Old Norse.
Iniciadores de conversa
Who is the person you look up to most?
What kind of music are you into lately?
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go to?
What is a problem you've recently dealt with?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
Which movie are you talking ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
Whom did you go to the concert with?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesWho are you waiting ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
To whom are you talking?
Select the natural-sounding sentence.
you / looking / what / at / are / ?
¿Con quién estás?
Listen, Wait, Look, Talk
The man / I / work / with
It is grammatically incorrect to end a sentence with a preposition in modern English.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThat's the problem we need to deal ___.
Escolha a frase correta:
This is the person to whom I spoke with.
Traduza para o inglês: 'Com quem você está saindo?'
Organize estas palavras em uma frase:
Combine as perguntas informais com seus equivalentes formais:
The meeting was cancelled. I don't know why, but it was decided ___.
Escolha a frase correta:
The project with which I am involved is very complex.
Traduza para o inglês: 'Isso é algo em que você pode confiar.'
Organize estas palavras em uma frase:
Combine os verbos com suas preposições finais comuns:
Score: /12
Perguntas frequentes (8)
Yes, absolutely! It is a natural part of English. The 'rule' against it was made up in the 1600s to make English more like Latin, but it doesn't fit how English actually works.
In extremely formal documents, like a legal contract or a very traditional academic paper, you might choose to 'front' the preposition (e.g., 'The person to whom...'). However, even then, if it sounds awkward, stranding is fine.
It's the linguistic term for leaving a preposition at the end of a clause when its object has moved to the front, like in 'Who are you with?'.
It's grammatically possible but sounds very strange. It's a 'register clash'—'whom' is very formal, but stranding is more informal. Stick to 'Who... to' or 'To whom...'.
Phrasal verbs *must* keep their particles. You can't move the 'up' in 'What did you give up?' to the front. 'Up what did you give?' is nonsense.
Most common ones like 'to', 'for', 'with', 'at', and 'from' are frequently stranded. Longer prepositions like 'concerning' or 'despite' are rarely stranded because they sound awkward at the end.
It's a 'zombie rule'—a rule that is dead but still haunts classrooms. Many people were taught this in school by teachers who were following outdated textbooks.
Technically no, but more than two usually sounds confusing. For example: 'What did you bring that book I don't like being read to out of up for?' is a famous (but silly) example of too many.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Preposition + Relative Pronoun
The preposition must always precede the pronoun in Spanish.
Preposition + Qui/Lequel
Ending a sentence with 'à' or 'de' is grammatically impossible in French.
Da-compounds or fronting
German uses 'W-compounds' for questions (e.g., Womit) rather than stranding.
Postpositions
Japanese particles are always attached to the noun they modify.
Resumptive Pronouns
Arabic requires a pronoun to 'fill the gap' left by the moved object.
Pre-verbal prepositional phrases
Word order is strictly Preposition + Object + Verb.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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