Discourse Connectors in Portuguese

Overview

Discourse Connectors (Conectores do Discurso) is a proficiency (CEFR C2) topic in Portuguese grammar. Advanced connectors for argumentation: no entanto, todavia, contudo, por conseguinte, com efeito, é de salientar que, cumpre referir.

Understanding discourse connectors is essential for building correct Portuguese sentences and communicating effectively. This concept is introduced at the C2 level and forms part of the foundation for more advanced grammar structures.

Whether you are learning Brazilian or European Portuguese, mastering discourse connectors will significantly improve your ability to express yourself naturally and accurately in a variety of contexts.

How It Works

Advanced connectors for argumentation: no entanto, todavia, contudo, por conseguinte, com efeito, é de salientar que, cumpre referir.

Examples in Context

Portuguese	English	Note
No entanto, há que reconhecer...	However, one must recognize...
É de salientar que...	It should be noted that...
Cumpre referir que...	It should be mentioned that...
Por conseguinte...	Consequently...
Todavia, ha que considerar.	However, one must consider.
Dado que os resultados.	Given that the results.
Alem disso.	Moreover.
Em suma.	In short.
Por um lado... por outro.	On one hand... on the other.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect form usage

• Wrong: Applying rules from English or other languages directly
• Right: Follow Portuguese-specific patterns for discourse connectors
• Why: Portuguese has its own rules that do not always align with English or other Romance languages.

Forgetting agreement rules

• Wrong: Not matching gender, number, or person correctly
• Right: Ensure all elements in the sentence agree with each other
• Why: Portuguese requires strict agreement between subjects, verbs, articles, adjectives, and pronouns.

Mixing formal and informal registers

• Wrong: Using tu forms with voce verb conjugations, or vice versa
• Right: Be consistent with your chosen register throughout a conversation
• Why: Register consistency is important for natural-sounding Portuguese.

Usage Notes

At the C2 level, mastery of discourse connectors requires awareness of register, regional variation, and stylistic nuance. What is standard in formal European Portuguese may differ from casual Brazilian usage, and vice versa.

This concept is particularly important in professional, academic, and literary contexts. Understanding both the rules and the ways native speakers bend them in practice is key to achieving near-native proficiency.

Practice Tips

1. Practice discourse connectors with authentic Portuguese texts, listening for how native speakers use these forms in context.
2. Create flashcards with complete example sentences rather than isolated words to reinforce natural patterns.
3. Write short paragraphs using discourse connectors and compare them with native-written texts to identify areas for improvement.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Basic Conjunctions -- provides the foundational knowledge needed for discourse connectors