Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Eles vêm de comboio.

Eles vêm de comboio.

They come by train.

Breakdown of Eles vêm de comboio.

of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)

Questions & Answers about Eles vêm de comboio.

Why does vêm have a circumflex accent (the little hat)?

The accent shows that this is the plural form meaning they come (eles vêm). Without the accent, vem means he or she comes (ele vem). The accent also tells you to stress that syllable with a nasal sound.

Why do we use de here when it usually means of or from?

In Portuguese, you use the preposition de to state your mode of transportation. When combined with vehicles like comboio (train), carro (car), or autocarro (bus), de translates to by.

Is vêm related to the verb for to see?

No, but they look very similar! Vêm (with the accent) is from vir, which means to come. The Portuguese word for they see is veem, which comes from the verb ver. This is a very common mix-up for beginners.

I thought the word for train was trem. Why is it comboio here?

Comboio is the correct word for train in European Portuguese, which is spoken in Portugal. The word trem is used in Brazilian Portuguese.