Question 1

Why do we use para instead of a to say they are going to London?

Accepted Answer

Both a and para can mean "to", but they express different lengths of time. You use a for a quick trip where you will return soon (like going to the supermarket or the beach for the afternoon). You use para when traveling for a longer stay, or moving somewhere permanently. Since they are going for their vacation, they will be staying a while, making para the correct choice.

Question 2

Why is "for the holidays" translated as nas férias? Shouldn't it use a word like para or por?

Accepted Answer

In English, we say we go somewhere "for" the holidays, but Portuguese phrases this differently. It uses the preposition em (in/on/at) to talk about the time period. Nas is a mandatory contraction of em + as (the feminine plural word for "the"). So, literally, they are going to London "in the" holidays.

Question 3

Is férias always plural?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The word férias (vacation / holidays) is always plural in Portuguese, even if you are just taking one single vacation. Because it is a feminine plural word, it forces the words connected to it to match, which is why we must use the plural nas instead of the singular na.

Question 4

Why is there no "the" before Londres? E.g., para a Londres?

Accepted Answer

In Portuguese, while most countries require a definite article before them (like a França or o Brasil), the vast majority of cities do not take any article. You simply put the preposition directly in front of the city name: para Londres.

Eles vão para Londres nas férias.

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