Nós vamos ao Porto de comboio.

We are going to Porto by train.

Breakdown of Nós vamos ao Porto de comboio.

• ir: to go
• nós: we
• a: to
• o comboio: the train
• de: by
• Porto: Porto

Questions & Answers about Nós vamos ao Porto de comboio.

What does ao mean here?

ao is the contraction of a (to) + o (the, masculine singular). So it means to the. Because Portuguese marks the article, you get:

• a + o = ao (masculine singular): Vou ao supermercado.
• a + a = à (feminine singular): Vou à praia.
• a + os = aos; a + as = às.

Why does the city name have an article (o Porto)? Do all cities take one?

Not all. Some city names take the definite article in Portuguese, others don’t. Porto does: o Porto. Many others don’t, e.g., Lisboa, Braga, Faro. You say:

• Movement: Vou ao Porto, but Vou a Lisboa.
• Location: Estou no Porto, but Estou em Lisboa.

Can I say para o Porto instead of ao Porto? What’s the nuance?

Both are correct in European Portuguese.

• a/ao: neutral “to,” often used for trips/visits. Example: Vou ao Porto amanhã e volto.
• para (o): emphasizes destination/goal, often with an idea of heading there to stay or for a purpose. Example: Vou para o Porto trabalhar. In casual travel talk, they often overlap.

Why is it de comboio and not por comboio or em comboio?

For means of transport, Portuguese uses de: de comboio (by train), de carro, de avião.

• por is rarely used for transport in everyday speech.
• em indicates location (“in/on”): no comboio = “on the train.”

Could I say no comboio here?

Not with the meaning “by train.” no comboio means “on/in the train” (location). Use it like: Estamos no comboio a caminho do Porto. For “by train,” stick to de comboio.

Why is comboio singular? Can it be plural?

The means-of-transport construction uses the singular: de comboio, de autocarro, de barco. You’d only use the plural if you literally meant multiple trains: e.g., “We’re traveling by several trains.”

Do I need to say Nós, or can I drop it?

You can drop it. Portuguese is a pro‑drop language, so Vamos ao Porto de comboio is perfectly natural. Use Nós for emphasis or contrast: Nós vamos de comboio, eles vão de carro.

What are the present-tense forms of ir (to go)?

• eu vou
• tu vais
• você/ele/ela vai
• nós vamos
• vocês/eles/elas vão

Is vamos present or future? Can it mean “we will go”?

It’s present tense, but Portuguese often uses the present for near-future plans, especially with a time expression: Amanhã vamos ao Porto = “We’re going/We’ll go tomorrow.” You can also use the periphrastic future ir + infinitive: Vamos apanhar o comboio das 9.

Is Nós vamos ir ao Porto de comboio acceptable?

It’s grammatical, but usually redundant. Prefer (Nós) vamos ao Porto de comboio or a clear future: Iremos ao Porto de comboio (more formal) or Vamos apanhar o comboio.

How do I make a yes–no question from this sentence?

Use the same word order with rising intonation: Vamos ao Porto de comboio?
You can also add É que for emphasis/context: É que vamos ao Porto de comboio?

How do I make it negative?

Place não before the verb: (Nós) não vamos ao Porto de comboio.
Example alternative: Não vamos de comboio; vamos de carro.

Are other word orders okay, like moving the transport phrase?

Yes. All of these are fine, with slight shifts in emphasis:

• Vamos ao Porto de comboio.
• Vamos de comboio ao Porto.
• De comboio, vamos ao Porto.

Pronunciation tips for tricky bits?

• Nós: roughly “nohsh” (final s sounds like sh in European Portuguese).
• vamos: “VAH-moosh.”
• ao: “ow” (as in “now”).
• Porto: “POR-too.”
• comboio: “kohn-BOY-oo” (the oi is like English “boy”).

What’s the difference between o Porto (city) and porto (port)? And why do some say “Oporto”?

• o Porto (capital P) = the city Porto.
• o porto (lowercase) = a port/harbor.
  “Oporto” is an older English form that arose from mishearing o Porto; today Porto is standard in English.

How can I say the same with other transport modes?

• de autocarro (by bus)
• de carro (by car)
• de metro (by metro/subway)
• de avião (by plane)
• a pé (on foot)

Why not para Porto without the article?

Because Porto takes the article in Portuguese. You must say para o Porto (or ao Porto). With cities that don’t take an article, you can omit it: para Lisboa, a Braga.

Does nós need the accent? What’s the difference from nos?

Yes. nós (with accent) = “we” (subject pronoun). nos (no accent) is the unstressed object/indirect object/clitic “us”: Eles viram‑nos (“They saw us”).

Could I use vir (to come) instead of ir (to go)?

Use vir when the movement is toward the speaker or listener’s location. If you’re in Porto and asking friends elsewhere: Vocês vêm ao Porto de comboio? Otherwise, from elsewhere heading to Porto, ir is the default: Vamos ao Porto de comboio.

Can this also work as a suggestion, like “Let’s go to Porto by train”?

Yes. Vamos ao Porto de comboio can function as a proposal/plan (“Let’s go…”), especially with the right context or intonation. You can also say simply Vamos! (“Let’s go!”).