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Há muitos meses que a vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro do prédio.

Há muitos meses que a vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro do prédio.
The female neighbor has been trying to talk to the doorman of the building for many months.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Portuguese (Brazil)

Questions & Answers about Há muitos meses que a vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro do prédio.

What does há mean here, and is it the same as tem?
  • Há is the impersonal present of haver used to express elapsed time or duration. Here, Há muitos meses = It has been many months / For many months.
  • In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, people often use tem the same way: Tem muitos meses que... This is very common in speech but more informal than há.
Why is há singular even with muitos meses?
Because haver is impersonal in this time-expression use. It has no subject and always stays in the third-person singular: há, never hão. Similarly, with fazer for time, use singular faz.
Can I use faz instead of há?
Yes. Faz muitos meses que a vizinha tenta... is fully acceptable and very common. Just keep it singular: prefer faz over fazem in careful writing, even with a plural time word.
Is the que necessary after há muitos meses?
  • If the time expression comes first, you normally include que: Há muitos meses que a vizinha tenta...
  • If you place the time expression at the end, you drop que: A vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro do prédio há muitos meses.
Does há meses que mean for months or since months?

It depends on whether the main clause is affirmative or negative:

  • Affirmative: Há meses que ela tenta... = She has been trying for months.
  • Negative: Há meses que ela não tenta... = She hasn’t tried in months.
    So, with não, it means since the last time.
Why use the simple present tenta instead of está tentando?

Brazilian Portuguese often uses the simple present for ongoing or habitual actions. Nuances:

  • tenta = tries repeatedly/regularly (habitual or ongoing).
  • está tentando = is in the process of trying (right now or around now).
  • vem tentando = has been trying and keeps at it (ongoing, progressive feel).
  • tem tentado = has tried repeatedly up to now (present perfect of repeated actions).
Why falar com and not falar a or falar para?
  • falar com alguém = talk with/to someone (interaction, two-way).
  • falar para alguém = speak to someone (one-way telling/announcing; common in speech).
  • falar a alguém = formal/literary in Brazil.
    Here, com is the natural choice because it suggests a conversation.
What does do in do prédio stand for?

do = de + o (of the). It marks association/possession: porteiro do prédio = the building’s doorman.
Compare: no = em + o (in the). Porteiro no prédio would mean a doorman in the building (location), not necessarily the building’s own doorman.

Why muitos and not muitas?
Agreement. meses (months) is masculine plural, so use muitos. If it were tempo (time), you’d say muito tempo (singular, masculine).
Why the definite article in a vizinha? Could I say uma vizinha or minha vizinha?
  • a vizinha = the neighbor (a specific, known neighbor).
  • uma vizinha = a neighbor (unspecified).
  • minha vizinha is natural in Brazil; a minha vizinha also exists but is more European-sounding. In Brazilian Portuguese, possessives usually don’t need the article.
Can I drop do prédio and just say o porteiro?
Yes. o porteiro already implies the building’s doorman in many contexts. do prédio simply makes it explicit which building’s doorman you mean.
Is Fazem muitos meses correct?

In standard grammar, when fazer expresses time, it’s impersonal and should stay singular: Faz muitos meses.
In casual speech you’ll hear Fazem, but prefer Faz in writing and formal contexts.

Are there other natural ways to say this in Brazil?

Yes, for example:

  • Faz meses que a vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro.
  • A vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro há meses.
  • A vizinha vem tentando falar com o porteiro há meses.
  • Tem meses que a vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro. (informal)
  • Há muito tempo que a vizinha tenta falar com o porteiro.
Does há mean ago as well?

Yes. há can mean either for or ago, depending on the verb:

  • With an ongoing action: Ela mora aqui há dois anos. = She has lived here for two years.
  • With a past event: Ela tentou há dois meses. = She tried two months ago. To say in (future), use daqui a: Daqui a dois meses = in two months.
Is tentar followed by de or a before a verb?
Neither. Use tentar + infinitive without a preposition: tentar falar. Avoid tentar de and tentar a in Brazilian Portuguese.
Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky words here?
  • Há: H is silent; open A.
  • muitos: stress on mui; the final S sounds like S.
  • meses: first E is closed (like AY but shorter); S between vowels sounds like Z.
  • vizinha: nh sounds like the Spanish ñ (vee-ZEEN-ya).
  • porteiro: ei like AY; the single R is a quick flap.
  • prédio: open é (as in bed); di often sounds like DJ (PRÉ-djo).
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