Formal event anchoring (aquando de)

Formal Event Anchoring: "Aquando de"

When you need to situate an event in time, particularly in a formal, official, or journalistic context, you can use the preposition aquando de. It translates to "at the time of" or "on the occasion of."

Because of its formal tone, it is the perfect tool for discussing international relations, diplomatic summits, and the signing of treaties.

at the time of
aquando de

Contractions with "de"

Just like the standalone preposition de, the de in aquando de must contract with the article or demonstrative pronoun that follows it.

  • de
    • o = do
  • de
    • a = da
  • de
    • aquela = daquela

Here is how you use it to anchor events to specific ceremonies and summits:

The delegation arrived in Lisbon at the time of the summit.
A delegação chegou a Lisboa aquando da cimeira.
The bilateral agreement was signed at the time of that formal ceremony.
O acordo bilateral estava assinado aquando daquela cerimónia formal.

Structuring Your Timeline

You can place the aquando de phrase either in the middle of your sentence to provide context for an action, or right at the beginning to set the stage before describing what happened.

The country accepted the international treaty at the time of its ratification.
O país aceitou o tratado internacional aquando da sua ratificação.
At the time of the meeting, the diplomatic representative said nothing.
Aquando da reunião, o representante diplomático não disse nada.
At the time of the treaty, the president confirmed the bilateral agreement.
Aquando do tratado, o presidente confirmou o acordo bilateral.
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