In this lesson, we will talk about the most common Portuguese Prepositions, their usage, followed by examples.
Portuguese Prepositions
Prepositions are used to indicate the position of the noun in time or space, they can be formed of a single word or more than one, let’s look at this list:
| Portuguese | English |
| a/para | to |
| acima de | above |
| antes de | before |
| ao lado de | beside |
| ao redor de | around |
| até | until |
| atrás de | behind |
| cerca de | towards, about |
| com | with |
| contra | against |
| de | of, from |
| depois de | after |
| desde | from, since |
| em | in, on |
| em baixo de | below, under |
| em frente a | in front of |
| em frente de | opposite |
| entre | between, among |
| longe de | far from |
| para | for, in order, by |
| perto de | near |
| por | for, through, along, via |
| sem | without |
| sobre | on, over |
Note: you can practice what you’ve learned here, and learn how to pronounce each of the words in our Memrise course here, don’t know how to use the platform or sign up? we’ve got you covered in this easy-to-follow tutorial here.
Examples:
A
Oualid is going to Rabat. – O Oualid vai a Rabat.
Até
I am here until tomorrow. – Eu estou aqui até amanhã.
Com
He is with her now. – ele esta com ela agora.
De
I’m from Morocco. – Sou de marrocos.
Em
I live in Nador. – Eu vivo em Nador.
Para
This is not good to drink. Isto não é bom para beber.
Por
Can you stop by my house? Podes passar por minha casa?
Sobre
They talk about art. – eles falam sobre arte.
Portuguese Prepositions Study Guide
Quiz
Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences.
- What is the function of a preposition in a sentence?
- Provide two examples of Portuguese prepositions and their English equivalents.
- Translate the following sentence into Portuguese: “I am going to the park with my friend.”
- What preposition would you use in Portuguese to indicate something is “below” something else?
- How do you say “This gift is for you” in Portuguese?
- Translate this phrase: “The book is on the table” into Portuguese.
- What is the Portuguese preposition for “without”? Provide an example sentence in Portuguese using this preposition.
- What preposition would you use to say “He is talking about the movie”?
- Explain the difference between “a” and “para” when used as prepositions in Portuguese.
- Provide an example sentence in Portuguese using the preposition “desde”.
Answer Key
- Prepositions link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words in a sentence, indicating relationships of time, space, or direction.
- a / para (to), sobre (on, about)* (Other acceptable answers possible)
- Eu vou ao parque com meu amigo.
- em baixo de
- Este presente é para você.
- O livro está sobre a mesa.
- Sem. Example: Eu estou sem meu celular. (I am without my cell phone.)
- sobre
- Both can mean “to,” but “a” often refers to a destination or direction, while “para” implies purpose or intention. For example, “Vou a Lisboa” (I am going to Lisbon) vs. “Estudo para aprender” (I study to learn).
- Eu moro aqui desde 2010. (I have lived here since 2010.) (Other acceptable answers possible)
Happy learning!
Oualid Cheddadi is a language enthusiast who created Lingualid with the mission to inspire independent language learners worldwide, regardless of the language they are learning. The name “Lingualid” is derived from the Portuguese word for “language,” “língua,” and the last three letters of Oualid’s name, “Lid.”