Interesting Details of Portuguese

The basis of the Portuguese language without a doubt are the rules of grammar and a good vocabulary. However, every language has its own details. For example, you need to draw an analogy, say that there is not just a lot of something, but too much, or emphasize that it is you who will complete some task.

Of course, one can always be straightforward. But, there are situations when, without knowing the details, it will be difficult for you to win an argument, express your special opinion or insist on your position. Today we will fix it!

Quantity and quality

Surely, you have already met such a word as “pouco” (little). It would seem how its meaning can change if its translation is absolutely clear and specific. Let’s tell you a secret: the presence of an indefinite article before “pouco” and the article “de” after it changes the meaning of the word from positive to negative and vice versa.

For example, consider the word “pouco” without articles or prepositions. With it, we can characterize the quantity if it is followed by a noun:

O Fernando comprou pouco vinho. (Fernando bought little wine = not enough)

A Joana tem pouca paciência. (Joana has little patience.)

In this case, the word “pouco” has a negative meaning and emphasizes that we have a lack of something that we need more.If “pouco” is followed by an adjective, then we have a state or quality characteristic:

Esta laranja é pouco doce. (This orange is not very sweet.)

However, as soon as we add the indefinite article “um“, the characteristic becomes positive. Compare the following two examples.

Esta sala está pouco quente. (This room isn’t warm enough.)

Esta sala está um pouco quente. (It’s a little hot in this room.)

If in the first example we state a fact, then in the second we emphasize that the conditions make us uncomfortable. Do you feel the difference?

Now let’s add the preposition “de” and see what happens.

Eu falo um pouco de português. (I speak a little Portuguese.)

Here we see that the meaning of the sentence is positive, that is, this skill gives us the opportunity to communicate in Portuguese. We emphasize that it is not enough, but we say. If we remove the article, then the meaning immediately becomes negative:

Eu falo pouco português. (I speak a little Portuguese.)

Although the translation of the two sentences is the same, in this example we emphasize that we speak Portuguese so poorly, we have so little knowledge that we cannot apply for any position.

We see that by “playing” with articles and prepositions we can change the meaning of the word “pouco”, although at first it seemed impossible to us.

The word “mesmo”

Sometimes you may need the word “mesmo“, which has several completely different meanings. On the one hand, it is convenient – to remember just one word for different situations, and on the other hand, you can get confused.

First, the word “mesmo” means “the same”. It is used with nouns and its ending depends on the gender and number of the object to which it refers. And note that the corresponding definite article is also put.

Nós ficámos no mesmo hotel e vamos comer os mesmos pratos. (We are staying at the same hotel and will eat the same meals.)

Secondly, with the help of the word “mesmo” you can strengthen the meaning of the adjective, adverb and verb. That is, it means “really, very, a lot”. In this case, “mesmo” does not change in gender and number.

Ele é mesmo flexível. (He’s really flexible.)

Eles falam chinês mesmo bem. (They speak Chinese very well.)

Eu leio mesmo. (I read a lot.)

Thirdly, the word “mesmo” emphasizes the independence of the object and changes depending on the kind and number of the object.

Eu mesmo vou comprar um bolo. (I’ll buy the pie myself.)

Nós mesmos vamos tomar esta decisão. (We will make this decision ourselves.)

And also “mesmo” is involved in the idiomatic expression:

Esta tudo na mesma. (Everything is still.)

The word “próprio”

The word “próprio” most often denotes some kind of personal ownership of an object or action. For example, we can specify exclusivity:

Eu vou comprar o meu próprio apartamento e quero trabalhar por conta própria. (I will buy my own apartment and want to work for myself.)

Or, for example, you can verify your identity:

– Quero falar com a Maria. (I want to talk to Maria.)

– É a própria. (It’s me.)

And in some cases, “mesmo” and “próprio” are used interchangeably:

Eu próprio vou comprar o bolo. (I’ll buy the pie myself.)

We can conclude that “próprio” is translated as “personal, personally.”

Too much

There are two synonyms in Portuguese that mean “too much”. If the word “pouco” basically indicates a lack of something, then the synonyms “demasiado” and “demais”, on the contrary, about a large amount or enhanced quality.

So, only “demasiado” is used with nouns and changes the ending depending on the gender and number of the object that it multiplies.

Há demasiados erros no teu texto. (There are too much mistakes in your text.)”

Demasiado” and “demais” are also used with verbs. They both mean in this case “very, excessively”, that is, they are interchangeable. Namely:

A mãe trabalha demasiado. = A mãe trabalha demais. (Mom works very hard.)But in relation to the adjective, these two words have a different order, although they mean the same thing.

Este carro é demasiado caro. = Este carro é caro demais. (This car is too expensive.)Instead of using the usual word “muito“, we can diversify our speech with the help of the words that we have analyzed today.

Conclusion

It is very good that in Portuguese there is an explanation for everything, so once again we are convinced that this language is not philosophy and psychology, it is mathematics. You need to know the mechanism and have the tools in your head, then you will easily speak Portuguese! “Sei lá!” (I don’t know! – a set expression) – you say. But we know what we’re talking about!