Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ela vai às compras com a família.

The verb ir (to go), which is vai here, is usually followed by the preposition a (to). The noun compras (purchases) is feminine plural, so it takes the article as (the). In Portuguese, you must combine the preposition and the article (a + as) into the contraction às.

Does the backward accent on às change how it sounds?

Yes! The normal article as has a short, closed, somewhat muffled vowel sound. The grave accent on às tells you to open your mouth wider and make a bright, open 'ah' sound. This helps listeners clearly hear that you are saying 'to the' and not just 'the'.

Why does às compras translate to 'shopping'?

The noun compras literally means 'purchases'. The phrase ir às compras translates directly to 'to go to the purchases', which is the standard Portuguese idiom for 'to go shopping'.

Why do we need the a in com a família?

In English, we often just say 'with family'. However, Portuguese uses definite articles (o, a, os, as) much more often. When referring to family in this context, you must include the article, literally saying 'with the family'.