Tudo bem?
So today I'm gonna start something important if you intend to make sentences: Pronouns (Pronomes).
The first difference at least between Portuguese and English is about the neutral pronoun "It". Im Portuguese there's no such thing. Then it doesn't matter if you are talking about things or animals, we use the same feminin ou masculin pronouns we use for people.
This is also something important: our nouns change the ending if they are relating to feminin or masculin pronouns! See some information further in this post. Let's have a look on the pronouns in portuguese:
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| Fonte: http://osestrelinhas.blogs.sapo.pt/pronomes-pessoais-154493 |
Eu >> I
Tu* >> You
Você* >> You
Ele** >> He
Ela** >> She
Nós >> We
Vós* >> You
Vocês* >> You
Eles >> They (masculin)
Elas >> They (feminin)
* "Tu" is used mainly in the south and some coast cities although in daily conversations they don't conjugate the verbs correctly. "Tu" itself is the formal way to relate to someone.
* "Você" is the substitute for "tu" in most of the country. It's always informal and should not be used to somone you don't know, someone you deserve respect like older people, or formal situations. However, in daily life you'll see people who says "você" to everybody.
"Vós" is used only in very formal situations such as court or parliament. Instead, use "Vocês" (plural) in daily life or "os Senhores" (masculin) and "as Senhoras" (feminin) in a meeting or speach for example.
Well most of the time people don't feel insulted by being called "você", some even prefer that in order to feel younger, but in general I'd recommend saying:
Formal
Senhor + first name (masculin)
Senhora + first name (feminin)
Informal
Seu + first name (masculin)
Dona + first name (feminin)
For doctors and professors
Doutor (Dr.) + first name (masculin)
Professor (Prof.) + first name (masculin)
Doutora (Dra.) + first name (feminin)
Professora (Profa.) + first name (feminin)
** We don't have a neutral pronoun like "it", so when you wanto to refer to things and animals you need to know if it is feminin or masculin! Sounds weard to English speakers, but it's important in portuguese.
So every noun in portuguese is suitable to an article "a" (feminin) or "o" (masculin). It represents the "the" in English, but here there are two differents depending on the genre.
Some nouns have only one genre, always.
Example:
A mesa (The table)
O computador (The computer)
Some nouns may have two genres, then the ending changes to suit the article:
O menino (The boy)
A menina (The girl)
I guess it's too much information for today. No more torture!
Até logo!
