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Questions & Answers about Eu vou de avião amanhã.
Why do we use de before avião to talk about traveling by plane?
In Portuguese, the preposition de indicates the means of transportation (equivalent to “by” in English). So vou de avião literally means “I go by plane.” This pattern holds for other vehicles too: vou de carro, vou de comboio, vou de bicicleta, etc.
Why is there no article before avião (e.g. o avião)?
When you refer to a mode of transport in general, you normally omit the definite article. Saying vou de avião treats “plane” as a general concept. If you specify a particular plane, you would use an article and a different preposition: for example, vou no avião das 9h (I’m taking the 9 a.m. plane), where no is the contraction of em + o.
Could we use other verbs instead of vou in this sentence, like irei or viajarei?
Yes.
- Vou
- infinitive (like vou viajar) is the common colloquial way to express the near future.
- Irei is the simple future of ir, more formal or literary: Irei de avião amanhã.
- Viajarei is the future of viajar: Viajarei de avião amanhã.
Using vou sounds most natural in everyday speech.
Can we drop Eu and just say Vou de avião amanhã?
Absolutely. Portuguese is a pro-drop language, so subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already indicates the subject. You include Eu only if you want to emphasize who is doing the action.
Why is amanhã placed at the end? Can we move it to the beginning?
Word order in Portuguese is quite flexible. Amanhã vou de avião is just as natural as Vou de avião amanhã. Placing amanhã at the start often emphasizes when the action will occur, while at the end it feels more neutral or conversational.
Why can’t I say Eu voo de avião amanhã?
The verb voar means “to fly” and usually applies to the thing doing the flying (birds, planes). Saying Eu voo sounds like you yourself are flying unaided. To express that you’re traveling by plane, Portuguese uses ir + de + transporte or viajar de + transporte.
What’s the difference between vou de avião and viajo de avião?
Viajar specifically means “to travel,” so viajo de avião focuses on the journey itself. Ir means “to go,” so vou de avião emphasizes the act of going by plane. In most contexts, they’re interchangeable: Vou viajar de avião amanhã / Viajo de avião amanhã both work.
Are there any contractions with de and articles in this context?
Yes: de + o → do, de + a → da. However, when speaking about transport modes in general, you don’t use an article, so there’s no contraction (you won’t hear d’avião). If you refer to a specific plane, you’d use em + o → no (e.g., vou no avião das 9h).