Path
Which route does it take?
Significado
We can say which route something takes as it moves or passes through. It can follow a line, cross an area, or pass through an opening. Languages mark routes with words, endings, or the verb itself, and some have no special route endings. Unlike Direction and destination, Path describes the way taken, not the place aimed for.
Como identificar
Look for the part that says which route something follows or what it passes through, across, or along.
Na tua língua materna
Routes often use por, which combines with articles to make pelo, pela, pelos, and pelas. Expressions such as ao longo de describe movement along something. The route can also be built into the verb: atravessar takes the place crossed directly, while passar commonly uses por.
O ônibus passa pelo centro.
Pelo combines por with the article o and identifies the route.
A gente atravessou a praça para chegar à padaria.
Atravessar expresses crossing and takes a praça without a route preposition.
Caminhamos ao longo do rio.
Na tua língua de aprendizagem
English uses through for passing within an area or passage, across for crossing from one side to another, and along for following a line or edge. These words come before the place that forms the route, but some can also be used without a following noun.
We walked along the river.
Along shows that the route follows the river.
The bus went through the tunnel.
Through shows passage within the tunnel.
Ella ran across the street.
Across shows movement from one side of the street to the other.
Learners whose language uses one general crossing word may confuse through, across, and over. Learners whose language uses the same form for location and route may choose a location preposition when they need to make crossing or following a route clear.