Demonstrative and indefinite determiner (tal / tais)

Expressing Extremes with tal and tais

To express surprise, add emphasis, or refer back to something outrageous, Portuguese uses the determiner tal (such) and its plural tais.

Both forms are gender-neutral, meaning they stay exactly the same before masculine and feminine nouns.

Use tais before plural nouns:

We do not accept such caprices.
Nós não aceitamos tais caprichos.
Such exaggerations do not make sense.
Tais exageros não fazem sentido.

Use tal before singular nouns. Unlike English, Portuguese does not use an indefinite article (um or uma) after tal. To say "such a frivolous attitude," you simply say tal atitude fútil.

I do not understand such a frivolous attitude.
Não compreendo tal atitude fútil.
I have never visited such a mansion!
Nunca visitei tal mansão!
I do not pay for such an extravagance.
Não pago tal extravagância.

These determiners pair perfectly with extreme behaviors, like flaunting wealth (ostentar) or demanding excessive privileges (mordomias).

They prefer to flaunt such luxuries.
Eles preferem ostentar tais luxos.
The millionaire would demand such privileges.
O milionário exigiria tais mordomias.
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