Linking sentences · Portuguese grammar A2

Linking words: por isso, pois, como, enquanto, desde que#

Formation

A1 uses e, mas, ou, porque, então and quando. A2 adds:

Result. Por isso (“so, that’s why”) introduces the result of what has just been said: Estava cansado, por isso fiquei em casa. Logo (“therefore”) has the same meaning, in a more formal style.

Reason. Pois (“because, as”) introduces a reason after the main sentence, after a comma: Levo o guarda-chuva, pois vai chover. Como (“as, since”) introduces a reason placed first, followed by a comma and the result: Como estava a chover, fomos de táxi.

Addition. Além de (“besides, as well as”) introduces an additional point, before a noun or an infinitive: Além de cantar, toca piano.

Time. Enquanto (“while”) links two actions that go on at the same time; in the past, both are usually in the imperfeito: Enquanto eu cozinhava, ele punha a mesa. Desde que (“since”) introduces the point in time from which a situation began; the verb after it is in the perfeito, the main verb in the present or the perfeito: Desde que mudei de casa, durmo melhor. Before a noun or a date, “since” is desde alone: desde março.

Not … nor. Nem links two negative elements, explained in Two negative words: não … nada, ninguém veio, nem … nem.

Use

Porque introduces a reason after the main sentence; at the beginning of a sentence, the reason is introduced by como. Como in this sense is always placed first.

O restaurante estava cheio, por isso jantámos em casa.The restaurant was full, so we had dinner at home.
Como não tinha dinheiro, não comprei o casaco.As I had no money, I didn’t buy the coat.
Vou deitar-me cedo, pois amanhã trabalho às sete.I’m going to bed early, as I start work at seven tomorrow.
Enquanto os pais conversavam, as crianças jogavam às cartas.While the parents were talking, the children were playing cards.
Desde que a Sofia começou a trabalhar, não tem tempo para nada.Since Sofia started working, she hasn’t had time for anything.

Difference from English

English “as” and “since” introduce a reason at the beginning of a sentence, like como; porque is not used there. English “since” is used with the present perfect (“since I moved, I have slept better”); Portuguese uses the present for a situation that is still going on: desde que mudei, durmo melhor.

Common mistakes

~~Porque estava doente, não fui.~~ → Como estava doente, não fui.A reason placed first is introduced by como.
~~Desde que mudo de casa, durmo melhor.~~ → Desde que mudei de casa, durmo melhor.The moment from which the situation began is in the perfeito.
~~desde que março~~ → desde marçoBefore a noun, “since” is desde.

Practise

“Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, Giving a result or a reason: por isso, logo, pois, além de “Quantity and negation: muito, algum, todo, ninguém, nada, dele”, Never and neither … nor: nunca, nem “The past: telling a story with the perfeito and the imperfeito”, Two things at once in the past: enquanto + imperfeito

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Conditions: se + the present#

Formation

A condition that is real, true now or true in general, is introduced by se (“if”) followed by the present: Se tens fome, Se faz sol. The main sentence is in the present, in the imperative or formed with ir + infinitive.

Use

The construction expresses what happens, or what is to be done, when the condition is met: Se tens fome, come uma maçã, Se faz sol, vamos à praia. Where English has “will” in the main sentence, Portuguese usually has the present: Se não tens carro, levo-te eu. At A2, se is used with the present only; a condition about the future has a form of its own, not used at this level. Se has no accent; sim means “yes”.

Se estás cansado, descansa um pouco.If you’re tired, have a rest.
Se queres, vou contigo.If you like, I’ll go with you.
Se a loja abre às nove, vamos lá cedo.If the shop opens at nine, we’ll go there early.
Se não percebes, pergunta à professora.If you don’t understand, ask the teacher.

Difference from English

English uses the present after “if” and “will” in the main sentence (“If you want, I’ll help you”); Portuguese can use the present in both: Se queres, ajudo-te.

Common mistake

~~Sim tens tempo, telefona-me.~~ → Se tens tempo, telefona-me.“If” is se; sim means “yes”.

Practise

“Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, Saying what follows if something is so: se + the present

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Saying, thinking, knowing that: diz que, penso que, sei que#

Formation

A sentence that reports what is said, thought or known is introduced by que after verbs such as dizer, pensar, achar, saber, ouvir and ler: O Rui diz que vem, Penso que tens razão, Sei que é tarde. Que is never left out.

Use

After these verbs used in the affirmative, the verb that follows que is in the indicative, in the tense of the fact reported: Diz que está doente, Disse que chegou ontem, Acho que o museu fecha às seis. The verb after que has its own subject and agrees with it.

A Joana diz que o filme é ótimo.Joana says the film is great.
Penso que o banco já está fechado.I think the bank’s already closed.
Sabes que o Pedro mudou de casa?Do you know that Pedro has moved house?
Li que vai chover amanhã.I read that it’s going to rain tomorrow.

Difference from English

English often leaves out “that” (“I think you’re right”); que is always expressed: Acho que tens razão.

Common mistake

~~Penso tens razão.~~ → Penso que tens razão.Que cannot be left out.

Practise

“Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, Saying what is said, thought and known: diz que, penso que, sei que

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Saying which one: o livro que li, a senhora que mora aqui#

Formation

Que after a noun introduces a sentence that says which person or thing is meant. It refers to a person or a thing, singular or plural, and it is the subject or the object of the verb that follows: o rapaz que chegou (subject), o livro que li (object).

Use

Que is never left out, even where “who”, “which” or “that” is left out in English: “the book I read” is o livro que li. When que is the subject, the verb agrees with the noun before it: as pessoas que moram aqui. At A2, que is used without a preposition; quem and onde introduce such sentences in other constructions, not used at this level.

O homem que está ao balcão é o dono.The man at the counter is the owner.
Gostei muito do bolo que fizeste.I really liked the cake you made.
As fotografias que tirámos em Sintra são lindas.The photos we took in Sintra are lovely.
Conheces a senhora que mora no segundo andar?Do you know the lady who lives on the second floor?

Difference from English

In English, “who” is used for a person and “which” for a thing, and the word is often left out; que serves for both and is always expressed.

Common mistakes

~~O livro li é bom.~~ → O livro que li é bom.Que cannot be left out.
~~O rapaz qual chegou~~ → O rapaz que chegouQual asks a question; after a noun, the word is que.

Practise

“Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, Saying which one: o rapaz que chegou, o livro que li

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A verb and an infinitive: precisar de, esperar, pensar, desejar#

Formation

A1 uses querer, poder, dever and ter de followed by an infinitive. Esperar (“hope to”), desejar (“wish to”) and pensar (“intend to, plan to”) are also followed directly by an infinitive. Precisar is followed by de before an infinitive, as before a noun: Preciso de sair.

Use

The infinitive has the same subject as the first verb: Espero ver-te em breve (“I hope to see you soon”). Pensar + infinitive is a plan (Penso ir a Paris); pensar em + noun or infinitive means “think about” (Penso em ir a Paris).

Espero chegar a horas.I hope to arrive on time.
Pensamos passar o Natal em casa.We’re planning to spend Christmas at home.
Precisas de descansar.You need to rest.
O senhor deseja beber alguma coisa?Would you like something to drink, sir?

Difference from English

English “need to” has to where precisar has de; English “hope to” and “plan to” have to where esperar and pensar have no preposition.

Common mistakes

~~Preciso estudar.~~ → Preciso de estudar.In European Portuguese, precisar is followed by de.
~~Espero de ver o mar.~~ → Espero ver o mar.Esperar is followed directly by the infinitive.

Practise

“Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, Needing, hoping and planning: precisar de, esperar, desejar, pensar + infinitive

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Lately, possibly, probably: ando a ler, pode chover, deve estar#

Formation

Andar in the present, followed by a and the infinitive, expresses an activity repeated or going on over recent days or weeks: Ando a ler um livro ótimo, Andamos a sair muito. Poder + infinitive expresses what is possible: Pode chover. Dever + infinitive expresses what is likely, a supposition: Deve estar em casa.

Use

Estar a is used for what is going on at this moment (Estou a ler), andar a for a period around now (Ando a ler). Poder and dever have their usual meanings (“can”, “must, should”) in other sentences; with a supposition, dever corresponds to English “must”: Deve ser o carteiro (“It must be the postman”).

Ando a aprender a tocar guitarra.I’ve been learning to play the guitar.
O meu pai anda a trabalhar muito.My father has been working a lot lately.
Leva o casaco: pode estar frio à noite.Take your coat: it may be cold at night.
São nove horas: a Ana deve estar a chegar.It’s nine o’clock: Ana must be arriving.

Difference from English

English “I’ve been reading a book” is ando a ler um livro, not tenho lido um livro. English “must” for a supposition is dever, not ter de, which expresses an obligation.

Common mistakes

~~Ando de ler.~~ → Ando a ler.Andar is followed by a. ~~Tem de estar em casa.~~ (for “he must be at home”, a supposition) → Deve estar em casa. A supposition is expressed with dever.

Practise

“Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, What someone has been doing lately: andar a + infinitive “Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, What is possible and what is likely: pode estar, deve estar

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The verb after two subjects: tu e a Rita, a mãe dos gémeos#

Formation

A1 uses the nós form after eu and another subject. A subject formed of tu and another person takes the third person plural, the form of vocês: Tu e a Rita trabalham juntos? Two subjects in the third person also take the plural: O Pedro e a Sofia moram aqui.

Use

A noun followed by de and another noun is one subject: the verb agrees with the first noun. A mãe dos gémeos trabalha aqui (a mãe, singular), Os amigos da Rita chegaram (os amigos, plural).

Tu e o teu irmão são muito parecidos.You and your brother look very alike.
A Sofia e eu vamos ao mercado.Sofia and I are going to the market.
O professor dos meus filhos é muito simpático.My children’s teacher is very nice.

Difference from English

English “you and Rita” takes the same verb as “you”; Portuguese uses the form of vocês: Tu e a Rita estão prontos?

Common mistakes

~~Tu e a Ana estás cansadas?~~ → Tu e a Ana estão cansadas?Tu and another person take the third person plural.
~~A mãe dos gémeos trabalham aqui.~~ → A mãe dos gémeos trabalha aqui.The verb agrees with a mãe.

In short

Point	Form	Example
result	por isso, logo	Estava cansado, por isso fiquei.
reason after	porque, pois	…, pois vai chover.
reason first	como	Como chovia, fomos de táxi.
at the same time	enquanto + imperfeito	Enquanto eu cozinhava, …
since	desde que + perfeito; desde + noun	desde que mudei, desde março
condition	se + present	Se tens fome, come.
reported fact	verb + que + indicative	Diz que vem.
which one	noun + que	o livro que li
verb + infinitive	esperar, pensar; precisar de	Preciso de sair.
lately	andar a + infinitive	Ando a ler.
possible, likely	poder, dever + infinitive	Deve estar em casa.
two subjects	tu e … + 3rd plural	Tu e a Rita são…

Practise

“Linking sentences: por isso, como, se, que, verb patterns”, The verb after two subjects: eu e a Ana moramos, tu e a Ana moram

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