Minha mãe usa farinha e manteiga para fazer o molho.

My mother uses flour and butter to make the sauce.

Breakdown of Minha mãe usa farinha e manteiga para fazer o molho.

• para: to
• minha: my
• e: and
• usar: to use

Questions & Answers about Minha mãe usa farinha e manteiga para fazer o molho.

Why is it minha mãe and not meu mãe?

Because mãe is a feminine noun, so the possessive has to match it:

• minha = my, used with feminine singular nouns
• meu = my, used with masculine singular nouns

So:

• minha mãe = my mother
• meu pai = my father

Why is there no article before minha mãe? Could it be A minha mãe?

Yes, A minha mãe is also possible in Brazilian Portuguese.

Both forms exist:

• Minha mãe usa...
• A minha mãe usa...

In Brazilian Portuguese, possessives with family members often appear with or without the article, depending on style, region, and level of formality.
Without the article can sound a bit cleaner or more neutral in simple example sentences.

So this sentence is completely natural as written.

What tense is usa?

Usa is the present tense of the verb usar.

Here it is:

• eu uso = I use
• você / ele / ela usa = you / he / she uses

So Minha mãe usa... literally means My mother uses...

In context, the Portuguese present tense can mean:

• a habitual action: My mother uses flour and butter to make sauce
• a general fact
• sometimes even a near-present situation, depending on context