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Questions & Answers about Eu moro num bairro calmo.
What does num stand for in this sentence?
num is the contraction of em + um, so num bairro calmo literally means em um bairro calmo (“in a calm neighborhood”).
When do we contract em + um into num?
In Portuguese, prepositions combine with definite or indefinite articles:
- em + o = no
- em + a = na
- em + um = num
- em + uma = numa
This makes speech and writing more fluid.
Why is bairro masculine, and how do I know that?
Every Portuguese noun has a grammatical gender. Bairro is masculine (you’d say o bairro). Adjectives and articles must agree, so you use um bairro calmo, not uma or calma.
Can I omit Eu and just say Moro num bairro calmo?
Yes. Portuguese verbs are conjugated for person and number. Moro already means “I live,” so dropping Eu is natural in everyday speech: Moro num bairro calmo.
Why does the adjective calmo come after bairro?
Typical adjective placement in Portuguese is after the noun:
– bairro calmo (neighborhood calm)
You can sometimes place adjectives before for emphasis or style, but the usual order is noun + adjective.
What’s the difference between morar and viver in Portuguese?
- morar em refers specifically to residing somewhere (your address).
- viver means “to live” in a broader sense (to be alive or experience life).
You could say Vivo em Lisboa, but when talking about your home address, Moro em Lisboa is more common.
How would this sentence change if I were speaking about “we” living somewhere?
You need to change the pronoun and verb:
Nós moramos num bairro calmo.
Here morar is conjugated in the first-person plural (moramos).
Are there other ways to say calmo or bairro?
Yes, you can use synonyms:
- For calmo: tranquilo, silencioso, pacato.
- For bairro: zona, vizinhança (slightly different nuance).
Example: Eu moro numa zona tranquila.