Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): No inverno, levo sempre um cachecol grosso para o trabalho. - In winter, I always take a thick scarf to work.

It’s the contraction of the preposition em (in) + the definite article o (the): em + o = no → “in the.” Related forms: na (em + a), nos (em + os), nas (em + as).

Why is it No inverno and not Em inverno or without the article?

Seasons normally take the definite article in Portuguese: no inverno, no verão, etc. Em inverno sounds odd. You sometimes see the article dropped in headlines or very set expressions, but no inverno is the standard form.

Do I need the comma after No inverno?

It’s optional. A comma after a fronted time phrase is common in writing for clarity: No inverno, ... In speech there’s usually a small pause. Without the comma is also acceptable.

Why use levo and not uso or visto?

levar = take/carry something from here to there. Levo um cachecol... = I take a scarf with me.
usar / vestir = wear / put on. Uso/Visto um cachecol says you wear it, not that you carry it to work. Different nuance.

Could I say trago instead of levo?

Use trazer when the endpoint is where the speaker/listener is (bring “here”). If you’re speaking from work or to someone at work, trago can fit. From a neutral/home perspective, levo is the natural choice.

What tense/aspect is levo?

Present indicative, 1st person singular. Portuguese uses the present comfortably for habitual actions: Levo sempre... You can also say Costumo levar... (“I usually take...”), which is weaker than “always.”

Where should sempre go?

The neutral spot is after the verb: levo sempre. You can also say:

Sempre levo um cachecol... (emphasizes “always”)
Levo um cachecol grosso sempre (less common; end-focus) All are grammatical.

Why um cachecol grosso and not um grosso cachecol?

Adjectives usually follow the noun. Cachecol grosso is neutral. Pre‑posing (um grosso cachecol) is marked/literary and can alter nuance. Note: grosso here means “thick” (synonym: espesso), not “fat” or “rude.”

Does the adjective agree with the noun?

Yes. Cachecol is masculine singular → um cachecol grosso. Examples:

feminine singular: uma camisola grossa
plural: cachecóis grossos / luvas grossas

Is para o trabalho the same as ao trabalho or no trabalho?

para o trabalho = to work (destination).
ao trabalho (a + o) also means “to work,” but with levar it’s less natural; it’s common with ir: Vou ao trabalho.
no trabalho = at work (location), not movement. With levar, prefer para o trabalho.

Why not drop the article and say para trabalho?

When you mean the workplace as a destination, you use the article: para o trabalho. para trabalho tends to mean “for work (as an activity/purpose),” not “to the workplace.”

Does trabalho mean “job” or “workplace”? What about emprego?

trabalho = work; also idiomatic for the place you go to: ir para o trabalho = go to work.
emprego = a job position. ir para o emprego is understandable but much less idiomatic than ir para o trabalho.

Any pronunciation tips (Portugal)?

No inverno: no ends in a close [u]; inverno has open-ish e: [iɱˈvɛɾnu].
levo: stress first syllable [ˈlɛvu].
sempre: final -e is the unstressed
cachecol: stress last syllable: ca-che-COL [kɐʃɨˈkɔl].
trabalho: lh = [ʎ] (like the y in “million”): [tɾɐˈbaʎu].
para o is often reduced in speech, roughly [pɾu]/[pɔ], though it’s written para o.

Should inverno be capitalized?

No. Seasons are lowercase in Portuguese: inverno, primavera, verão, outono. Capitalize only at the start of a sentence.

How do I say “I never take” or “I don’t always take”?

Never: Nunca levo um cachecol grosso para o trabalho.
Not always: Não levo sempre um cachecol grosso para o trabalho. Note that nunca replaces não before the verb.

How would Brazilians say it?

The sentence is fine in Brazil. In speech you’ll often hear pro (para + o): No inverno, levo sempre um cachecol grosso pro trabalho. In formal writing, para o is also used. Grammar and vocabulary remain the same; pronunciation differs.