naquele

The word naquele is a fundamental contraction in the Portuguese language, formed by the merging of the preposition em (meaning in, on, or at) and the demonstrative pronoun or adjective aquele (meaning that). In the Portuguese spatial and temporal system, aquele represents something that is distant from both the speaker and the listener. Therefore, naquele translates most directly to "in that," "on that," or "at that" when referring to a masculine singular noun that is physically or metaphorically far away. Understanding this word requires grasping the tripartite demonstrative system of Portuguese: este (this, near me), esse (that, near you), and aquele (that over there, far from both of us). When we add the preposition em, these become neste, nesse, and naquele.

Spatial Distance

Used when the object or place is located at a significant distance from the conversational circle. For example, pointing to a mountain on the horizon or a building blocks away.

Beyond physical space, naquele is extensively used to denote temporal distance. While neste refers to the current time and nesse refers to a recent or mentioned time, naquele points to a distant past. It is the classic choice for storytellers and historians. When you say "naquele tempo" (in that time), you are usually evoking a sense of nostalgia or discussing an era long gone, such as your childhood or the Middle Ages. This temporal distinction is crucial for English speakers who are used to using "that" for almost any non-present situation. In Portuguese, the choice between nesse and naquele tells the listener exactly how far back in your mind the memory resides.

Abstract Reference

Used to refer to ideas or concepts mentioned previously in a text or conversation that are considered remote or distinct from the current topic.

In daily conversation, native speakers use naquele to create a clear separation between the 'here and now' and the 'there and then'. It provides a specific texture to descriptions. For instance, if you are looking at a photo album, you might point to a specific person in a group photo from twenty years ago and say "naquele dia estávamos felizes" (on 그 day we were happy). It acts as a mental pointer, guiding the listener's attention to a specific coordinate in space or time that is removed from the immediate context. It is also common in literature to set the scene: "Naquele pequeno vilarejo..." (In that small village...). This immediately tells the reader that the village is far away or the story happened a long time ago, establishing the narrative distance right from the start.

Agreement Rule

Since 'naquele' is a contraction of 'aquele', it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Masculine singular: naquele; Masculine plural: naqueles; Feminine singular: naquela; Feminine plural: naquelas; Neutral/Abstract: naquilo.

Using naquele correctly involves more than just translating "in that." You must consider the geography of your sentence. In Portuguese, grammar is deeply tied to the relative positions of the speaker and listener. When you use naquele, you are signaling to your listener that the object of your sentence is not near you, and it is not near them either. It is effectively 'over there.' This is particularly important when giving directions or describing a scene. If you say "moro naquele prédio" (I live in that building), and you are pointing to a building across the city, you are using the word perfectly. If the building were right next to you, you would use neste. If it were next to the person you are talking to, you would use nesse.

Sentence Structure with Time

When referring to years, months, or specific days in the distant past, 'naquele' is the mandatory choice. It precedes the noun it modifies.

Another sophisticated use of naquele is in prepositional phrases that indicate state or condition. For example, the phrase "naquele estado" can mean "in that state" (literally a geographical state) or "in that condition" (referring to a mess or a specific situation mentioned earlier). This flexibility is common in B1 level Portuguese, where you start moving from concrete descriptions to more abstract concepts. You might say, "Depois da festa, a sala ficou naquele estado," implying a state of disarray that the listener can imagine or that was previously described. Here, naquele acts as a placeholder for a specific quality that is being emphasized through distance.

Usage with 'Lá' and 'Ali'

Portuguese often pairs 'naquele' with the adverbs 'lá' or 'ali' (there/over there) to reinforce the sense of distance. This is very common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.

Finally, consider the use of naquele in academic or formal writing. It is used to refer back to a specific point in a text that is not the one currently being discussed. For example, "Como mencionado naquele capítulo anterior..." (As mentioned in that previous chapter...). This creates a clear structural link between different parts of a document. It helps the reader navigate the 'space' of the text. In these contexts, naquele maintains its core function of indicating distance, but the distance is intellectual rather than physical. Mastery of this word allows you to create complex, multi-layered sentences that clearly define the relationship between the subject and the various points of reference in time and space.

Common Nouns used with Naquele

Lugar (place), dia (day), momento (moment), tempo (time), sentido (sense/direction), caso (case), contexto (context).

If you walk through the streets of Lisbon or São Paulo, you will hear naquele constantly. It is an essential part of the phonetic landscape. One of the most common places to hear it is in nostalgic conversations. Brazilians and Portuguese people alike are very fond of 'saudade' (a deep longing for the past), and naquele is the vehicle for that emotion. You will hear older generations saying "Naquele tempo a vida era mais simples" (In those times life was simpler). It sets a tone of reverence for the past. It's also ubiquitous in football commentary. When a player scores from a great distance, the commentator might scream, "Ele colocou a bola naquele ângulo!" (He put the ball in that corner!), emphasizing the specific, distant spot where the ball landed.

In Music and Fado

Fado, the traditional Portuguese music, often uses 'naquele' to refer to a lost love or a distant place. It adds a poetic distance that heightens the emotional impact.

In everyday storytelling, naquele is used to create suspense or to specify a detail that is 'out of reach.' Think of a friend telling you about a trip. They might say, "A gente entrou naquele restaurante que você recomendou" (We went into that restaurant you recommended). Even if the restaurant is in the same city, the use of naquele implies it's a specific place they visited in the past, distinct from where they are now. It is also very common in news reporting. Journalists use it to refer to specific dates or locations of past events: "Naquele sábado de março, o país parou" (On that Saturday in March, the country stopped). This usage anchors the news in a specific historical coordinate.

In Literature and Fairy Tales

Standard openings for stories often use 'naquele'. It establishes the setting in a 'long ago and far away' manner.

You will also encounter naquele in religious contexts. In the Bible or during sermons, it is used to refer to biblical times or divine places. "Naquele dia, o Senhor disse..." (On that day, the Lord said...). This usage reinforces the sacred and historical distance of the events being described. Furthermore, in business meetings, it can be used to refer to a specific point in a presentation or a past fiscal year: "Tivemos lucro naquele trimestre" (We had profit in that quarter). Whether in the most mundane chat or the most formal speech, naquele is the bridge that connects the speaker to the distant points of their narrative universe.

Informal Shortening

In very informal Brazilian slang, you might hear people say 'naquilo lá' to refer to a situation or thing they don't want to name directly, often with a roll of the eyes.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with naquele is failing to distinguish between the three levels of distance in Portuguese. In English, we only have "in this" and "in that." Because "in that" covers a lot of ground, learners often use nesse when they should use naquele, or vice versa. The rule of thumb is: if you can point to it and it's far from both you and your listener, or if it happened a long time ago (not just last week), you must use naquele. Using nesse for a distant historical event sounds slightly 'off' to a native ear, as if the event were much more recent or relevant to the listener than it actually is.

Mistake: Gender Disagreement

Using 'naquele' with feminine nouns. This is a classic 'gringo' mistake. Even if you are a man, you must say 'naquela casa' because 'casa' is feminine.

Another common error is using naquele to refer to something the listener is holding or something near the listener. In this case, the correct word is nesse. For example, if your friend is wearing a hat and you want to say "I like that hat," you should say "Gosto desse chapéu." If you say "Gosto naquele chapéu," you are implying that you like a hat that is somewhere else entirely, not the one on their head. This can lead to confusion in simple interactions. Similarly, when writing an email, if you refer to "that document you sent me," you should use nesse because the document is 'near' the listener (they sent it). Naquele would imply a document from a long time ago or a different context.

Mistake: Confusing with 'Naquilo'

Learners often use 'naquele' when they don't have a specific noun. If the object is abstract and doesn't have a gendered noun attached, you must use 'naquilo'.

Finally, learners sometimes forget to pluralize. If you are talking about multiple items, naquele must become naqueles. For example, "Eu vi algo naqueles carros" (I saw something in those cars). Forgetting the 's' is a minor error but it breaks the flow of the sentence. Also, be careful with the preposition itself. Some verbs require different prepositions. While many verbs use em (resulting in naquele), others might use a (resulting in àquele) or de (resulting in daquele). Always check if your verb actually takes the preposition em before defaulting to naquele.

Phonetic Confusion

Do not confuse 'naquele' with 'daquele'. 'Daquele' means 'of that' or 'from that'. 'Naquele' means 'in/on/at that'.

To truly master naquele, you must understand its neighbors in the Portuguese language. The most direct alternatives are the other forms of the em + demonstrative contraction. These words exist on a spectrum of distance. Neste is for things touching or very near the speaker. Nesse is for things near the listener or for the immediate past/future. Naquele is for the furthest distance. Choosing the wrong one doesn't just make you sound like a learner; it can actually change the meaning of your sentence by misplacing the object in space or time.

Naquele vs. Nesse

In speech, Brazilians often use 'nesse' for almost everything. However, in written Portuguese or formal speech, the distinction is vital. 'Naquele' is for the distant past (10 years ago), while 'nesse' is for the recent past (last week).

Another set of similar words are the contractions with the preposition de (of/from). Daquele (of that) is often confused with naquele (in that). If you want to say "the color of that car," you use daquele. If you want to say "I am in that car," you use naquele. Similarly, àquele (to that) is used with verbs that require the preposition a. For example, "Eu fui àquele parque" (I went to that park). The small change in the initial letter changes the entire grammatical function of the word. English speakers find this difficult because "that" remains unchanged in English, while the preposition preceding it changes.

Naquele vs. Naquilo

'Naquilo' is the neutral form. Use it when you are referring to a situation, a fact, or an object whose name you don't know or don't want to use. 'Naquele' always needs a masculine noun.

In some contexts, you can replace naquele with more descriptive phrases to avoid repetition. For example, instead of saying "naquele dia" repeatedly, you could say "em tal data" (on such date) or "na referida ocasião" (on the referred occasion). However, naquele remains the most natural and versatile choice for B1 learners. It is also worth noting the adverbial alternatives like "lá" (there) and "acolá" (over there). While they aren't contractions, they often work in tandem with naquele to specify location. For example, "Naquele prédio acolá" (In that building way over there). Understanding these nuances will help you sound more like a native speaker and less like a translation program.

Spatial Summary

Neste (Here) -> Nesse (There, near you) -> Naquele (There, far from both).