Isso é segredo entre nós, então não conte nada ao Paulo.

Yes, isso usually points to something close to the listener or something just mentioned, so it often translates as that. But in English, this and that do not always match Portuguese perfectly.

In a sentence like Isso é segredo, isso often refers to:

• something that was just said
• a situation both speakers already know about
• an idea rather than a physical object

So depending on context, English might say This is a secret or That is a secret, even though Portuguese uses isso.

A quick comparison:

• isto = this, near the speaker, or something not yet specified
• isso = that, near the listener, or something just mentioned
• aquilo = that over there / that yonder, farther from both

In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, isso is extremely common.

Both are possible, but they are not exactly the same.

• Isso é segredo sounds more idiomatic and general, like That’s secret or That’s a secret.
• Isso é um segredo is also correct, but it sounds a little more explicit: That is a secret.

Portuguese often leaves out the indefinite article in expressions where English would naturally include a/an.

So:

• É segredo. = It’s secret / It’s a secret.
• É um segredo. = It’s a secret.

In this sentence, the version without um sounds very natural.

Entre nós literally means between us, but in this context it means just between us or only we should know this.

It is used to mark something as private or confidential.

Examples:

• Isso fica entre nós. = This stays between us.
• Entre nós, eu não gostei do filme. = Between us / Just between us, I didn’t like the movie.

So here, segredo entre nós means the secret is shared only by the two of us.

Então here means so, therefore, or in that case.

It connects the two ideas:

• This is a secret between us
• so don’t tell Paulo anything

It is very common in spoken and written Brazilian Portuguese.

Possible translations of então depending on context:

• so
• then
• well
• in that case

In this sentence, so is the best match.

Because this is the negative imperative of contar for você.

In Brazilian Portuguese, commands with você are formed like this:

• affirmative command: use the present subjunctive
• negative command: also use the present subjunctive

The verb contar has the subjunctive form conte:

• que você conte

So:

• Conte ao Paulo. = Tell Paulo.
• Não conte ao Paulo. = Don’t tell Paulo.

Even though você conta means you tell in the present indicative, that form is not used for this command.

Yes, it is a kind of double negative, and in Portuguese that is completely normal.

Não conte nada literally looks like Don’t tell nothing, but in Portuguese it means Don’t tell anything.

Portuguese commonly uses não with words like:

• nada = anything / nothing
• ninguém = anyone / no one
• nunca = ever / never

Examples:

• Não vi nada. = I didn’t see anything.
• Não conheço ninguém aqui. = I don’t know anyone here.
• Ele nunca diz nada. = He never says anything.

So não + nada is standard Portuguese grammar, not a mistake.

Ao is a contraction of a + o.

• a = to
• o = the
• ao = to the

So ao Paulo literally means to the Paulo.

That may sound strange in English, but in Brazilian Portuguese it is very common to use an article before people’s names:

• o Paulo
• a Ana
• o João

Because of that, the preposition a combines with the article:

• a + o Paulo → ao Paulo
• a + a Ana → à Ana

So:

• conte ao Paulo = tell Paulo

Important note: using articles before names is very common in Brazil, but usage can vary by region and style.

Contar can mean both to count and to tell, depending on context.

Common meanings of contar:

• to count numbers
  
  • contar até dez = to count to ten
• to tell a story, secret, or information
  
  • contar uma história = to tell a story
  • contar um segredo = to tell a secret

In this sentence, não conte nada ao Paulo means don’t tell Paulo anything, not don’t count anything to Paulo.

Yes, but the tone and structure are slightly different.

You may hear:

• ao Paulo
• para o Paulo
• pro Paulo = contraction of para o

In many everyday situations, Brazilians often prefer para/pro with people:

• Não conta nada pro Paulo.

That sounds very natural in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.

However, contar algo a alguém is also completely correct and often feels a bit more standard or written:

• Não conte nada ao Paulo.

So all of these are possible depending on register:

• não conte nada ao Paulo = correct, a bit more neutral/formal
• não conta nada pro Paulo = very common in casual speech

Both can refer to we/us, but they behave differently.

• nós = we / us
• a gente = literally the people, but very often used to mean we in spoken Brazilian Portuguese

In entre nós, nós is the normal form because it comes after the preposition entre.

You would not say entre a gente? Actually, you can, and it exists in informal speech:

• Isso fica entre a gente.

That sounds more casual and conversational.

So:

• entre nós = more neutral or slightly more polished
• entre a gente = more informal, very common in speech

Yes, that is grammatically possible, but não conte nada ao Paulo sounds more natural to many speakers.

These are all understandable:

• Não conte nada ao Paulo.
• Não conte ao Paulo nada.
• Ao Paulo, não conte nada. — more emphatic

Portuguese word order is somewhat flexible, but some orders sound more natural than others depending on rhythm and emphasis.

In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, não conte nada ao Paulo is a very normal choice.