Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Eu nasci em Lisboa.
What does Eu nasci em Lisboa mean?
It means "I was born in Lisbon." The sentence shows that the speaker's birthplace is Lisbon.
Which verb tense is used in nasci, and why is it appropriate here?
The form nasci is the first-person singular of nascer in the simple past tense (Pretérito Perfeito). This tense is used to indicate that the action—being born—has been completed, even if the speaker is still alive.
Why is the subject pronoun Eu included even though the verb ending already shows who is performing the action?
In Portuguese, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb conjugation makes the subject clear. However, Eu is sometimes added for emphasis or clarity. So while both "Eu nasci em Lisboa" and simply "Nasci em Lisboa" are correct, including Eu can stress that it is I who was born in Lisbon.
Why is the preposition em used before Lisboa?
The preposition em translates to "in" and is used to indicate location. In this sentence, em Lisboa specifies the place where the speaker was born.
How is the verb nascer conjugated for other subjects in the simple past?
In the simple past (Pretérito Perfeito), nascer is conjugated as follows:
• Eu nasci – I was born
• Tu nasceste – You were born (informal singular)
• Ele/Ela nasceu – He/She was born
• Nós nascemos – We were born
• Vós nascestes – You were born (archaic/formal plural)
• Eles/Elas nasceram – They were born
Note that in modern usage, especially in Portugal, tu or você might be used in the singular, with você taking the third-person singular form (e.g., Você nasceu).
Could a different preposition, like de, be used instead of em in this sentence?
No. When stating the place of birth, em is the proper preposition, as in "nasci em Lisboa." Although de is used in expressions to denote origin (for example, "Ele é de Lisboa" meaning "He is from Lisbon"), the act of being born is expressed with em.
Is there any difference in using this sentence between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese?
Not in terms of grammar or basic meaning. Both European and Brazilian Portuguese use "Eu nasci em Lisboa" to mean "I was born in Lisbon." There might be slight pronunciation differences, but the structure and usage remain consistent in both language variants.