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Portuguese (Portugal)

### "a" vs. "para"

In English, we usually just say "to" when expressing direction. In Portuguese, you must choose between **a** and **para** based on how long you intend to stay at your destination.

### Short Visits with "a"

Use the preposition **a** for brief, temporary trips where you plan to return relatively soon. Think of it as "going to and coming back."

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Remember that **a** combines with definite articles (**ao**, **à**, **aos**, **às**). We use these contractions when popping out for quick errands or short weekend plans.

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### Longer Stays with "para"

Use **para** when traveling somewhere for a longer period, such as moving to a new city, going away to work, or returning to your home country.

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### Final Destinations

**Para** is also used to emphasize a final destination or the specific direction of travel. You will often use it when asking where someone is heading, or when focusing on the departure of a vehicle.

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### Time Expressions

You will frequently pair these prepositions with time expressions that hint at the duration of the trip, such as **amanhã** (tomorrow), **o fim de semana** (the weekend), or **as férias** (the holidays).

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Prepositions of direction (a, para)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

contraction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prefix

prep

preposition

pron

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstratives and the verb to be (isto é, o, a)

Subject pronouns and negation (eu, não)

Yes/no questions and question words (quem, o que)

Plural pronouns, articles, and verbs (somos, são, os, as)

Origin and possession (de, do, da)

Introductions (chamar-se)

Indefinite articles (um, uma, uns, umas)

The verb to be for locations (estar)

Contrasting the two verbs to be (ser vs. estar)

Preposition for locations (em, no, na)

Numbers 0 to 10 (zero, um, dois)

The verb to have (tenho, tem)

Regular -ar verbs (falar, trabalhar)

Regular -er verbs (comer, beber)

Regular -ir verbs (abrir, partir)

My, your, and our (o meu, a nossa)

His, hers, and theirs (dele, dela)

Adjective agreement and placement

Days of the week (segunda-feira)

Months of the year (janeiro)

Counting by tens to 100 (trinta, quarenta...)

Telling time (é uma, são...)

Asking about time (quando, a que horas)

The verb to go (ir)

Preposition a contractions (ao, à, aos, às)

Prepositions of place (ao lado de, em frente de...)

Demonstratives (este, esse, aquele)

Contractions with demonstratives (neste, desse, daquele)

Asking which and how many (qual, quanto)

Plurals ending in -ão (-ões, -ãos, -ães)

Plurals ending in consonants (-ns, -is, -es)

The verb to like (gostar de)

The verb to need (precisar de)

The verb to want (querer)

The verb can or may (poder)

Expressing obligation (ter de)

Adverbs of degree (muito, pouco)

Quantifiers (muito, pouco)

Comparatives (mais... do que, menos... do que)

Equality comparisons (tão... como)

The preposition com (comigo, contigo)

Coordinating conjunctions (e, mas, ou, porque)

The preposition por (pelo, pela)

Double negation (nunca, nada, ninguém)

Present continuous (estar a)

Near future (ir)

Past tense of regular -ar verbs

Past tense of regular -er and -ir verbs

Past tense of ser and ir (fui, foi)

Direct object pronouns (me, te, o, a, nos, os, as)

Pronoun placement with negatives and questions

Greetings and courtesy (bom dia, obrigado)

Physical states with ter (ter fome, ter frio)

Asking the way (à direita, sempre em frente)

Colours (vermelho, amarelo, cor-de-rosa)

Money and shopping (custar, a moeda)

Getting around (o motorista, a paragem de autocarro)

Weather and seasons (faz calor, o inverno)

Omitting the subject pronoun

Where things are: ficar (Onde fica...?)

Richer questions: que + noun and é que

Numbers above 100 (cento e vinte, mil)

First-person sound changes (durmo, prefiro)

Advice and ability: dever and saber

Asking why: porquê and porque

When one thing happens: quando-clauses

Here and there: aqui, aí, ali (cá e lá)

Formal and plural possessives: o seu, o vosso

Irregular presents: ver, vir, dar

Present irregulars

Reflexive verbs (me, te, se, nos)

Stem-changing reflexives

Attached object pronouns (-lo, -la, -los, -las)

Nasal attached pronouns (-no, -na, -nos, -nas)

Pronoun placement with adverbs

Past tense of fazer, dizer, and trazer

Past tense of ter, estar, poder, and saber

Past tense of querer and vir

Past tense of ver, dar, and ler

Past tense reflexive verbs (-se)

Time elapsed in the past (há)

Already and not yet (já, ainda não)

Question	Answer
to return	voltar
I am going to Lisbon, but I return at night.	Eu vou a Lisboa, mas volto à noite.
to / for	para
The teacher goes to London to work.	O professor vai para Londres trabalhar.
the center	o centro
the weekend	o fim de semana
They are going to the center on the weekend.	Eles vão ao centro no fim de semana.
tomorrow	amanhã
the country	o país
Tomorrow we return to our country.	Amanhã nós voltamos para o nosso país.
the station	a estação
What time are you going to the station?	A que horas vais para a estação?
the holidays	as férias
Are you going to his country for the holidays?	Vocês vão para o país dele nas férias?
The bus leaves for the center now.	O autocarro parte para o centro agora.
The doctor returns to the hospital on the weekend.	O médico volta ao hospital no fim de semana.
I am not going to the station today.	Eu não vou à estação hoje.
Tomorrow they are going to the beach.	Amanhã elas vão à praia.
At night, we go to the cinema.	À noite, nós vamos ao cinema.
They go to London for the holidays.	Eles vão para Londres nas férias.
have a good trip	boa viagem
Have a good trip, friends!	Boa viagem, amigos!
Are you going to London? Have a good trip!	Vocês vão para Londres? Boa viagem!
Merry Christmas	feliz Natal
Merry Christmas, Mum!	Feliz Natal, mãe!
Merry Christmas, teacher!	Feliz Natal, professor!

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