o & a
The gender of the: o or a, depends on the subject. Masculine nouns usually end in o, feminine in a. There are many exceptions to this.
masculine:
o barco
(the boat)
feminine:
a música
(the music/the song)
demonstrative pronouns
There are three diferent words for saying this and three for that. Which one you use depends on the gender of the thing you're talking about.
This (conversational)
masculine: esse >
Seu carro é esse?
(This is your car?)
feminine: essa >
Adoro essa loja!
(I love this store!)
neutral: isso >
O que é isso?
(What is this?)
This (more formal)
masculine: este
feminine: esta
neutral: isto
That
masculine: aquele >
Aquele prédio é muito alto.
(That building is pretty.)
feminine: aquela >
Quero provar aquela roupa.
(I want to try on those clothes.)
neutral: aquilo >
Tem nada a ver com aquilo.
(It has nothing to do with that.)
*All of these contract (combine) with any other prepositions or articles that come before them.
em esse = nesse
de esse = desse
em aquele = naquele
de aquele = daquele
dever + verb
desc
xxx (xxx)
deveria + verb
desc
xxx (xxx)
diminutive & augmentative
Brazilians like to add endings at the end of words to give them a sense of cuteness or smallness or, as a sign of affection.These are called diminutives.
The most common diminutive suffixes are:
masculine words
--inho >
bonitinho,
cachorrino,
amorzinho
--zinho >
cafezinho,
amorzinho,
coraçãozinho
feminine words
--inha >
casinha,
garotinha,
cervejinha
--zinha >
camizinha,
florzinha,
mãozinha
They also modify noun endings to lend a sense of largeness, grandness. These are called augmentatives.
The most common augmentative suffixes are:
--ão >
portão,
carrão,
amigão
--arão >
casarão
There are many diferent suffixes but these above are by far the most common. A more complete reference to using diminutives & augmentatives can be found at Street Smart Brazil.
Object Pronouns 1
In sentences where você is the object of action, you can (and should) replace it with te.. The te has to be placed before the verb.
Eu amo você. >
Eu te amo.
(I love you).
Eu vou ajudar você. >
Eu te ajudo.
(I'll help you).
Eu vou ligar para você. >
Eu te ligo.
(I'll call you).
Similary, in sentences where you have para mim (for me) this can be replaced with just me. The me has to be placed before the verb.
Você pode fazer um favor para mim?
>
Você pode me fazer um favor?
(Can you do me a favor?)
Ela deu tudo para mim.
>
Ela me deu tudo.
(She gave me everything.)
Object Pronouns 2
There are other substitutions you can make besides the te for você. Besides te, the next most commonly used are,
xxx (xxx)
the Double Negative
Brazilians love to use the double negative.
Eu não quero não.
(I don't want any.)
Eu não quero nada não.
(I don't want anything.)
Não quero nada disso não!
(I don't want any of this!)
xxx (xxx)
em falta
This expression using the verb FALTAR (to lack, run out of) means:
to be out of
Use it to say things like:
A camisa branca está em falta.
(We're out of the white shirts.)