9 Jan 2012

Learning Articles in Portuguese -Articles-Begginer

Articles - Artigos

 

Definite and Indefinite articles – Artigo Definido e Indefinido

Articles are small words that precede the substantive (a noun). 

Definite article: used to indicate that a thing is unique in some way.

Example:

 carro – The truck (O / the – refer to a specific truck and not to any truck)

 

Indefinite article: used to indicate that a thing is not identified as unique.

Example:

 Um caminhão – A truck (Um/ A – refer to any truck)

 

In Portuguese the article must agree in gender and number with the noun, which means that the definite article o, for example, should precede a singular and masculine (as you could see in the first example - "o caminhão").  Observe the chart below: 

 

 

Articles

 

Definite - singular /plural

The

Indefinite - singular / plural

A / Some

Masculine

O     / Os  

Um   / Uns  

Feminine

A    /  As   

Uma    / Umas   

 

Examples:

  • o computador – the computer   / os computadores – the computers
  • um caminhão – a truck  / uns caminhões – some trucks
  • casa – the house / as casas – the houses
  • uma garota – a girl / umas garotas – some girls