When you need to rephrase, specify, or clarify a statement, you can use a clarification connector. In intense situations—like coordinating a mountain climbing expedition—making sure your team understands you perfectly is crucial.
The two most common phrases for this in Portuguese are isto é and ou seja. Both serve the same purpose and are highly interchangeable.
Isto é
Literally translating to "this is", isto é is used exactly like the English expression "that is" to clarify or elaborate on a previous point.
| The climber does not see anything on the mountain, that is, the fog is extreme. | O alpinista não vê nada na montanha, isto é, o nevoeiro é extremo. |
| I was climbing the frozen slope, that is, the danger was enormous. | Eu estava a subir a encosta congelada, isto é, o perigo era enorme. |
Ou seja
Ou seja literally translates to "or let it be", but it functions as "in other words". Use it to restate information in a clearer, more direct way.
| The climbers are sick due to not having oxygen, in other words, the problem is critical. | Os alpinistas estão doentes por não terem oxigénio, ou seja, o problema é crítico. |
| The climber never takes any rope for the climb, in other words, the risk is critical. | O alpinista nunca leva nenhuma corda para a escalada, ou seja, o risco é crítico. |
Punctuation and Structure
Notice that both isto é and ou seja are typically surrounded by commas when they appear in the middle of a sentence.
These connectors can link two complete clauses (each with its own verb) to explain a consequence or add context to a situation:
| A wrong step is fatal, in other words, we must be careful in the abyss. | Um passo errado é fatal, ou seja, devemos ter cuidado no abismo. |
They can also link smaller phrases just to specify a detail or provide a synonym:
| We must reach the summit quickly, in other words, before the storm. | Devemos chegar ao cume rapidamente, ou seja, antes da tempestade. |
| The climbers stopped due to feeling very cold, in other words, due to being frozen. | Os alpinistas pararam por sentirem muito frio, ou seja, por estarem congelados. |
