Questions & Answers about Eu moro perto da praia.
Why do we use da here instead of just de?
The phrase for "near" is perto de (literally "near of"). Because praia (beach) is a feminine noun, it expects the feminine word for "the", which is a. In Portuguese, when de and a are next to each other, they smash together to form the contraction da.
Does perto always need to be followed by de?
Yes, whenever you mention what something is near. Just like the other location phrases you are learning (such as ao lado de or em frente de), the de connects the location word to the actual place. If you were just saying "I live nearby" without mentioning the beach, you would drop it and simply say Eu moro perto.
Should perto change to match the feminine word praia?
Could I use the verb viver instead of morar in this sentence?
Yes, you could say Eu vivo perto da praia, as both verbs mean "to live". However, morar is the most natural and common choice when talking about a physical address, home, or neighborhood. Viver is generally used for broader concepts, like living in a certain country or the general experience of being alive.
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