Prepositions of Place in Portuguese

Overview

Prepositions of Place (Preposições de Lugar) is a beginner (CEFR A1) topic in Portuguese grammar. Basic location prepositions: em (in/on/at), de (from/of), a (to), com (with), sem (without), entre (between), sobre (on/about), debaixo de (under), em frente de (in front of), atrás de (behind).

Understanding prepositions of place is essential for building correct Portuguese sentences and communicating effectively. This concept is introduced at the A1 level and forms part of the foundation for more advanced grammar structures.

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

How It Works

Main prepositions of place:

Preposition	Meaning	Example
em	in, on, at	Estou em casa.
de	from, of	Sou de Lisboa.
a	to (short)	Vou ao cinema.
para	to (longer)	Vou para o Brasil.
com	with	Vivo com os pais.
sem	without	Saiu sem chapeu.
entre	between	Entre a escola e o parque.
sobre	on, about	O livro esta sobre a mesa.
debaixo de	under	Debaixo da mesa.
em frente de	in front of	Em frente da igreja.
atras de	behind	Atras do edificio.
perto de	near	Perto do centro.
longe de	far from	Longe da cidade.

Examples in Context

Portuguese	English	Note
Estou em casa.	I am at home.
O gato está debaixo da mesa.	The cat is under the table.
Vou ao cinema.	I'm going to the cinema.
O livro está sobre a mesa.	The book is on the table.
Moro em Lisboa.	I live in Lisbon.
Fica ao lado da farmacia.	Next to the pharmacy.
Vive longe da cidade.	Lives far from the city.
Vou para o Brasil.	I am going to Brazil.
Entre a escola e o parque.	Between school and park.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect form usage

• Wrong: Applying rules from English or other languages directly
• Right: Follow Portuguese-specific patterns for prepositions of place
• 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

This concept appears across both Brazilian and European Portuguese, though specific usage patterns may differ between the two variants. At the A1 level, focus on understanding the core patterns before worrying about regional differences.

In everyday conversation, prepositions of place is used frequently in both formal and informal contexts. Pay attention to how native speakers use it in the media you consume, and note any differences between Brazilian and Portuguese sources.

Practice Tips

1. Practice prepositions of place 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 prepositions of place and compare them with native-written texts to identify areas for improvement.

Related Concepts

• This is a foundational concept that connects to many areas of Portuguese grammar.