How to Study Brazilian Portuguese Grammar

A good way to learn grammar is to focus on how we use it.

All people in the world speak and write bulding sentences, which are linked by special words (conjuctions or relative pronouns) or ponctuation (even tough we don't have ponctuation on speaking, we have pauses or other structures that represent it). A single sentence is made with small units called "Phrases". Phrases are important for language students because they make easier to understand how things are placed and the rules behind it. There is just five types of Phrases:

 

1-       Nominal Phrases;

We use Nominal Phrases to refer to something and also bring information about it.

2-       Verbal Phrases;

We use Verbal Phrases to express an action or event related to something.

3-       Adjectival Phrases;

We use Adjectival Phrases to bring information about a Nominal Prase.

4-       Adverbial Phrases;

We use Adverbial Phrases also to bring information, but this time about the Verbal Phrase, the Adjectival Phrase or even another Adverbial Phrase.

5-       Prepositioned Phrases.

We use Prepositioned Phrases to link a Phrase to another one as its information, showing relations of space and movement, being this physical or abstract relations.

 

Let’s look one example on how this works?

 

Os aventureiros   partiram   rapidamente   em direção   ao belo horizonte.

The adventurers   quickly   left   in the direction   of the beauty horizon.

 

In that example we have:

 

1-       “Os aventureiros” it is a Nominal Phrase referring to something;

2-       “Partiram” it is a Verbal Phrase showing the action of the adventurers;

3-       “Rapidamente” it is a Adverbial Phrase that brings more information about the action;

4-       “Em” is a preposition that connects the action to a Nominal Phrase “direção”, becoming a Prepositioned Phrase, to give more information to the action;

5-       And finally we have another Prepositioned Phrase “ao belo horizonte” again bringing more information about the action.

Now you can be asking yourself: why does all of that matter? Phrases are a good way to improve your grammar learning process and start as soon as possible to use the language, especially when you learn how natives actually use them (and not just how it is supposed to be used), which is my main point here on this blog. Also, note that the placement of elements are different in both languages, another thing that is important to learn and the concept of phrases will make it easier.

So, to finish this introduction, our goal on grammar will be to learn how to use each one of these phrases on Portuguese, considering how natives do it in real life, to become independent as soon as possible.

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As this project is just beginning (jun, 2020), maybe you will not find everything, but I’ll post at least one time each week, so by the time we'll cover everything on Portuguese Grammar. Don’t miss any post! Also, if you want you can join our Whatsapp group where we can discuss about anything you are in doubt, check it out on the invite link bellow!

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