Portuguese help! Por favor!?

Question

Do I always use "do", "da", "dos", "das" in front of nouns? This is where I tend to make mistakes and your help is appreciated! Muito Obrigado!!!

Answer 1

Hi, Devin!

No, you don't necessarily have to use the "de" and its variations (da, das, do, dos) in front of nouns. In fact, what you have the consider is not the noun, but the verb.

What you have to keep in mind is that "de" is a preposition, therefore "do", "da", "dos", "das" are a combination of preposition + article (which vary in gender and number: o, a, os, as).

So, when you formulate a sentence, you have to remember if the verb in the sentence needs a preposition - and, of course, if the preposition needed is "de". For example:

- Gosto da minha mãe - the verb "gostar" is a transitive verb that needs a "indirect object" (objeto indireto), or a preposition - "gostar" is always followed by "de" or any of its variations, depending on the noun that comes next.

- Cheguei em casa - "chegar" is a transitive verb that needs the preposition "em" or any of its variations (na, nas, no, nos).

- Estou comendo o sanduíche que preparei - the verb "comer" is a transitive/intransitive verb that either needs an "objeto direto", which doen't need a preposition, or doesn't need any complement at all.

You also use "de" and variations when expressing ownership: "a casa da minha amiga", "o pai do meu marido", "as roupas dos meus filhos".

The Portuguese structure is a little bit complex, so I'm afraid I won't be able to provide an extensive explanation. However, if you consider the above when in doubt, than I think you might do just fine!

Boa sorte!

Answer 2

No, you don't. "o" and "a" is the masculine and feminine definite article in the singular, "os" and "as" in the plural (in English, it would be "the" in all the cases mentioned). The forms you mention are the combinations of the prefix "de" and the respective articles, rendered in English either by the genitive case (if the noun refers to a person: "a casa do meu pai" = 'my father's house') or by the preposition "of" and (often) the definite article (if the noun does not refer to a person: "amor da vida" - 'love of life'). The preposition "de" ia also mandatory with some verbs, in those cases it can also be combined with the definite article: "gosto de vinho" - "I like wine"; "gosto mais do fado de Coimbra" - 'I like the Fado from Coimbra most'.

de nada!