ARTICLES IN PORTUGUESE

The use of definite and indefinite articles in Portuguese is quite… chaotic! Often, on the first day of A1 level classes, students appear very concerned about using articles. I understand this concern, but it’s a mistake to try to be perfect with definite and indefinite articles in Portuguese. In fact, it’s only at the C1 level that students study the complete list of rules we use with articles. And to be honest, in many situations, this long (too long) list of rules doesn’t explain all the uses. The Portuguese language is like a living organism, evolving, and the use of articles has evolved over time. I often say that my grandmother used articles in sentences where I no longer do these days.

PRO TIP: Don’t expend too much energy on articles. Your teacher will teach you the essential rules of article usage, but these rules won’t solve all problems. No worries! Take it easy, let the process flow. Even if you don’t use the articles correctly, we will perfectly understand what you mean.

To listen to the AUDIO in Portuguese, go to OPTIONS and switch the AUDIO to ON. To turn on the AUDIO, go to FLASHCARDS and click on the COG WHEEL (top right).

To learn and consolidate this list, you should follow the following STUDY METHOD:

1-FLASH CARDS

2-LEARN

3-SPELL

4-ASSESS

5-COMBINE