Português

In an ordinary active sentence, the doer or cause is usually the subject and comes before the verb. It can be a person acting deliberately or something that causes a change, such as wind. There is no special doer preposition: word order, verb agreement, and context identify this role.

O Pedro abriu a janela.

O vento derrubou uma cadeira.

Fechei o portão antes de sair.

Inglês

In an ordinary English statement about an action, the doer or cause is usually the subject and comes before the verb. The subject can be a person, an animal, or a thing. In a passive sentence, which presents an action from the receiving side, the doer can appear after by or remain unnamed.

Tom washed the dishes.

The sun melted the snow.

We moved the table.

Português

In a typical action sentence, the affected participant is the direct object, the person or thing the verb acts on, and follows the verb without a preposition. Short object pronouns such as me and te are common in speech, while o and a are more characteristic of writing. When something changes or moves without a named doer, the affected participant can instead be the subject.

A criança derrubou o suco.

A Marina me abraçou.

O copo caiu no chão.

Inglês

With verbs such as cut or move, English usually puts the affected participant after the verb as the object, the person or thing the action is directed at. Pronouns used as objects have forms such as me, him, and them. In a sentence describing a change without a named doer, the affected participant can instead be the subject.

Mia cut the bread.

The noise woke me.

The ice melted.

Português

The subject normally comes before the verb, but it can also follow it or remain unspoken when understood. In standard Portuguese, the verb agrees with the subject, changing to match who is involved and whether it is singular or plural. The subject may be a doer, someone in a state, or something affected by an event; it is not necessarily the topic, the chosen starting point of the message.

As crianças estão com sono.

A porta ficou aberta a noite toda.

Chegaram duas encomendas hoje.

Inglês

English usually uses the subject to name the person or thing it makes a statement about. In an ordinary statement, the subject comes before the verb and can name a doer, someone in a state, or something affected by an action. It is not always the topic or the first phrase in the sentence.

Ella is tired.

My bag was found at the station.

After lunch, the kitchen was quiet.

Português

Recipients are commonly introduced by para or a, while the person benefiting from an action is usually introduced by para. Para is very common in Brazilian speech and is often shortened to pra. Short pronouns such as me and te also mark recipients; lhe and lhes occur especially in formal writing and have regional uses in speech.

Mandei as fotos para a Luana.

Meu irmão me deu uma caneca.

Guardei um lugar para a Bia.

Inglês

With verbs such as give, English can name the recipient before the thing given or after it with to. A beneficiary, someone an action is done for, is often introduced with for; verbs such as make also allow the person before the thing made. Not every verb allows both word orders.

I sent Lily a photo.

Please give the keys to Ben.

We saved a seat for you.

Português

The person who feels, perceives, or knows something is often the subject, as with gostar de, sentir, and saber. Other verbs put that person in an object form, as in Esse barulho me incomoda. There is no single marker for this role: the pattern of the particular verb or expression determines how the person is linked to the feeling.

A Júlia gosta de desenhar.

Estou com fome depois da caminhada.

Esse barulho me incomoda.

Inglês

The person who feels, perceives, or knows something is often the English subject, before the verb. With verbs such as bother or surprise, that person can instead be the object, after the verb. The verb and its usual partners determine the pattern.

I like this song.

Anna knows the answer.

The noise bothers him.

Português

Com commonly introduces a physical tool or body part used to do something. Means of travel often use de, while channels of communication often use por. The choice depends on the kind of means and the established expression, rather than on one marker for everything used.

Cortei a manga com uma faca.

A gente vai ao trabalho de ônibus.

Enviei o comprovante por e-mail.

Inglês

English commonly uses with to name a physical tool. It often uses by for a way of traveling or sending information, as in by train or by email. The choice depends on how the tool or means is described, so there is no single preposition for every case.

Mia opened the door with a key.

Please send the photos by email.

We got there by train.

Português

Portuguese normally expresses actions and events with verbs that change form for tense and for the subject. The verb can describe a deliberate action or something that happens without anyone choosing it. In combinations with a helping verb, such as vai chover, the helping verb changes form while the main verb names the event.

O Rafael preparou o almoço.

A sacola rasgou no caminho.

Vai chover à tarde.

Inglês

English normally uses a verb to express an action or event. The verb form and helper verbs can show its time and whether it is in progress. Events without a deliberate doer also use verbs, such as fall, arrive, or melt.

Ben cooks dinner every evening.

The snow is melting.

The bus arrived late.

Português

Estar links a subject to its condition or location, while ficar can describe entering or remaining in a condition. For existence or availability, Brazilian conversation commonly uses ter; standard writing also uses haver or existir. Existential ter and haver normally stay singular, while existir agrees with the things said to exist.

A água está fria.

Tem pão na cozinha.

Há duas farmácias nesta rua.

Inglês

English often uses be to describe a state or say where something is. To introduce something as existing or being present, it commonly uses there is or there are. Other verbs, such as exist, know, and belong, can express states too.

The kitchen is warm.

My glasses are on the table.

There is some milk in the fridge.

Português

Identity and classification normally use ser, a linking verb that connects someone or something to a name or category. Occupations and nationalities often appear without an article after ser, while other classifications commonly use um or uma. Ser does not simply mean permanent: it can identify someone's role for a particular occasion too.

Minha irmã é dentista.

Essa é a Camila.

Esse prédio é uma escola.

Inglês

English uses a form of be before a name or noun to say who or what someone or something is. A singular noun for one member of a group normally needs a/an if it names something that can be counted. To identify a particular person or thing, English can use a name or a phrase such as the new teacher.

This is Emma.

Leo is a driver.

That building is the library.

Português

Portuguese names participants with nouns and pronouns, such as ela and a gente. Articles often accompany nouns; an article before a person's name is common in many Brazilian regions but varies by region and speaker. A subject can remain unspoken when its identity is clear, although Brazilian conversation often uses an explicit pronoun.

A Camila e o irmão dela chegaram cedo.

A gente almoça aqui aos domingos.

Chegamos antes do almoço.

Inglês

English usually names a participant with a noun, a name, or a pronoun such as she. A noun can have other words with it, as in my old bike; together these words form a noun phrase. When a participant is the subject, English normally expresses it even when the listener knows who is meant.

My new neighbor works at the library.

She has a small dog.

Your plan sounds good.

Português

Time expressions include words such as ontem and phrases with prepositions, such as às nove for a clock time. A duration can be expressed with por or durante, while desde introduces a starting point. Há plus a length of time can mean either ago with a past event or for with a situation continuing in the present.

A consulta começa às nove.

Morei em Recife por dois anos.

Moro aqui há seis meses.

Inglês

English uses words such as yesterday and expressions with at, on, and in to say when something happens. For gives a length of time, while since gives the starting point of a period continuing to a later point, often now. Time expressions often go at the beginning or end of a sentence.

The class starts at nine on Monday.

We waited for twenty minutes.

I've lived here since 2020.

Português

Portuguese changes verb forms to mark tense and distinguishes several ways of talking about the past. Everyday Brazilian Portuguese commonly uses ir plus an infinitive, the verb's dictionary form, for the future; present forms can also refer to scheduled future events. The one-word future, such as chegarei, is more common in formal writing than in conversation.

Ontem encontrei a Bia na padaria.

Agora estou em casa.

Amanhã vou buscar meu irmão na escola.

Inglês

English has present tense and past tense verb forms; the past is often marked by -ed, but many common verbs use a different form. A present tense form can describe habits and states, while present tense be plus an -ing form often describes an action happening now. Future time is commonly expressed with will, be going to, or a present tense form supported by context.

We walked home yesterday.

Lena works at a cafe.

Maya is cooking right now.

I will call you tonight.

Our train leaves at six tomorrow.