Preposition DE (of/from)
The preposition `de` connects nouns to show where they come from, who owns them, or what they are.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Use `de` to indicate origin, possession, material, or topic.
- Always contract `de` with definite articles: `do`, `da`, `dos`, `das`.
- Portuguese has no 's; use `de` to show ownership instead.
- Use `de` for starting points and `para` for destinations.
Quick Reference
| Combination | Contraction | English Equivalent | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| de + o | do | of the / from the (masc.) | O livro do professor |
| de + a | da | of the / from the (fem.) | A chave da casa |
| de + os | dos | of the / from the (pl. masc.) | Os brinquedos dos meninos |
| de + as |
das
|
of the / from the (pl. fem.) | As bolsas das mulheres |
| de + um | dum | of a / from a (masc.) | O teto dum carro |
| de + uma | duma | of a / from a (fem.) | A porta duma loja |
Key Examples
3 of 9Eu sou de Lisboa.
I am from Lisbon.
Este é o relógio do meu pai.
This is my father's watch.
Eu tenho uma mesa de vidro.
I have a glass table.
The 's Trick
Whenever you want to use 's in English, flip the sentence and use `de`. 'The cat's tail' becomes 'The tail of the cat' (`A cauda do gato`).
Don't be a Robot
Avoid saying `de o` or `de a`. It sounds very unnatural. Practice the contractions until they feel like a single sound.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Use `de` to indicate origin, possession, material, or topic.
- Always contract `de` with definite articles: `do`, `da`, `dos`, `das`.
- Portuguese has no 's; use `de` to show ownership instead.
- Use `de` for starting points and `para` for destinations.
Overview
Meet de. It is the most hardworking word in Portuguese. You will see it everywhere. It is like the glue of the language. It connects ideas, people, and things. Mainly, it means "of" or "from". It tells us where things come from. It tells us who owns what. It even tells us what things are made of. Think of it as a bridge. Without it, your sentences would just fall apart. It is simple but very powerful. You cannot speak basic Portuguese without it. Let's dive into how it works.
How This Grammar Works
In English, we use "of" or "from". Sometimes we use an apostrophe and an "s". Portuguese keeps it simpler. It uses de for all these jobs. But there is a small catch. de is a social butterfly. It hates being alone. When it meets an article like o (the), they merge. They become one single word. This is called a contraction. You must do this. It is not optional like in English. If you say de o, you will sound like a robot. Native speakers always combine them. It makes the language flow smoothly. It sounds more musical this way.
Formation Pattern
- 1Learning the patterns is like learning a dance. Follow these steps to master the contractions:
- 2
de+o(the, masculine) =do - 3
de+a(the, feminine) =da - 4
de+os(the, plural masculine) =dos - 5
de+as(the, plural feminine) =das - 6
de+um(a, masculine) =dum(optional, but common) - 7
de+uma(a, feminine) =duma(optional, but common) - 8Most of the time, you will use
doandda. Usedealone when there is no article. This happens with names of people or some cities. For example,de Mariaorde Coimbra.
When To Use It
You will use de in four main scenarios. First is Origin. Use it to say where you are from. Imagine you are at a party. Someone asks your nationality. You say, "Eu sou de Nova Iorque." It works for countries and cities too.
Second is Possession. Portuguese does not have an apostrophe-s. You cannot say "John's car." You must say "The car of John." In Portuguese: "O carro do João." It sounds backwards at first. You will get used to it quickly.
Third is Material. What is your table made of? Wood? Use de. "Uma mesa de madeira." It describes the substance.
Fourth is Content or Topic. Are you drinking a cup of coffee? That is "Uma xícara de café." Are you talking about politics? That is "Falar de política." It defines the subject matter. It is the ultimate connector for your daily life.
When Not To Use It
Do not use de for destinations. If you are going *to* a place, use para or a. de is only for where you started. Think of it like a GPS. de is the starting point. para is the finish line.
Also, do not use it with every verb. Some verbs in English use "of," but Portuguese does not. For example, "to like" is gostar de. But "to see" is just ver. You do not need de there.
Another tip: do not use contractions with verbs in the infinitive. If you say "The time of eating," it is "A hora de comer." Do not say "da comer." Keep the de separate before a verb. It is a tiny rule, but it makes you sound pro.
Common Mistakes
The biggest mistake is forgetting the contraction. Saying de o carro is a classic beginner move. It is like wearing socks with sandals. People understand you, but it looks a bit wrong. Always aim for do carro.
Another mistake is using de for "in". Beginners often confuse de and em. If you are *inside* a car, use em. If the car *belongs* to you, use de.
Watch out for city names too. Some cities need an article, some do not. You say de Lisboa but do Porto. Why? Because Porto means "The Port." It already has an article built-in. Yes, even native speakers find this a bit quirky sometimes. Just memorize the big ones!
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Compare de with desde. de is a point of origin. desde means "since." Use de for "I am from Brazil." Use desde for "I have been here since Monday."
Also, look at de versus da/do. Use de for general things. Use da/do for specific things. "Suco de laranja" is orange juice in general. "O suco da laranja" is the juice from that specific orange on the table. It is a subtle difference. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. General is green, specific is yellow.
Quick FAQ
Q. Does de ever change for gender?
A. The word de itself does not. Only the contraction changes based on the next word.
Q. Can I use de for time?
A. Yes! Use it for periods of the day. "De manhã" means "in the morning."
Q. Is dum mandatory?
A. No, de um is perfectly fine. do and da are the ones you must use.
Q. How do I say "from the"?
A. Use do or da. It covers both "of the" and "from the."
Reference Table
| Combination | Contraction | English Equivalent | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| de + o | do | of the / from the (masc.) | O livro do professor |
| de + a | da | of the / from the (fem.) | A chave da casa |
| de + os | dos | of the / from the (pl. masc.) | Os brinquedos dos meninos |
| de + as |
das
|
of the / from the (pl. fem.) | As bolsas das mulheres |
| de + um | dum | of a / from a (masc.) | O teto dum carro |
| de + uma | duma | of a / from a (fem.) | A porta duma loja |
The 's Trick
Whenever you want to use 's in English, flip the sentence and use `de`. 'The cat's tail' becomes 'The tail of the cat' (`A cauda do gato`).
Don't be a Robot
Avoid saying `de o` or `de a`. It sounds very unnatural. Practice the contractions until they feel like a single sound.
City Exceptions
Most cities don't use articles (de Londres, de Paris). But some do! (do Rio de Janeiro, do Porto). If the city name is a common noun, it usually needs `do` or `da`.
De Nada
You probably know 'De nada' means 'You're welcome'. It literally translates to 'of nothing'. It's the ultimate example of `de` in daily life!
Exemples
9Eu sou de Lisboa.
Focus: de
I am from Lisbon.
Lisbon doesn't take an article, so we use 'de' alone.
Este é o relógio do meu pai.
Focus: do
This is my father's watch.
We use 'do' because 'pai' is masculine and specific.
Eu tenho uma mesa de vidro.
Focus: de
I have a glass table.
Use 'de' to describe what an object is made of.
✗ O carro de o João → ✓ O carro do João.
Focus: do
John's car.
Never leave 'de o' uncontracted; it must be 'do'.
✗ Eu sou em Brasil → ✓ Eu sou do Brasil.
Focus: do
I am from Brazil.
Use 'do' for origin, not 'em' (in).
Nós gostamos de falar de futebol.
Focus: de
We like to talk about soccer.
The verb 'gostar' always requires the preposition 'de'.
Ele saiu duma casa antiga.
Focus: duma
He left from an old house.
'duma' is a common contraction of 'de' + 'uma'.
É tempo de partir.
Focus: de
It is time to leave.
Before a verb, 'de' does not contract with anything.
Ela vem da França, mas ele vem de Portugal.
Focus: da
She comes from France, but he comes from Portugal.
Some countries take articles (a França -> da), others don't (Portugal -> de).
Test Yourself
Choose the correct contraction for the masculine singular noun.
O livro ___ (de + o) aluno está aqui.
Since 'aluno' is masculine and specific, 'de' + 'o' becomes 'do'.
Express origin for a city that does not use an article.
Eu sou ___ Londres.
Most cities, like London, do not use an article, so we use 'de' alone.
Identify the material of the object.
Uma garrafa ___ plástico.
When describing material (plastic), we use the simple preposition 'de'.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
DE vs. Contractions
Should I contract?
Is the next word an article (o, a, os, as)?
Is it a specific person or place with an article?
Combine them!
Common Usage Categories
Time
- • De manhã
- • De noite
Contents
- • Xícara de chá
- • Copo de água
Frequently Asked Questions
20 questionsIt usually means 'of' or 'from'. You use it to show where someone is from or who owns an object.
In Portuguese, prepositions and articles must merge. It is a mandatory rule to ensure the language sounds fluid and natural.
Yes, if it is followed by a plural article. It becomes dos (masculine) or das (feminine).
You say Eu sou dos Estados Unidos. Since 'Estados Unidos' is masculine plural, you use dos.
Yes, especially with verbs like 'falar' (to talk). Falar de você means 'To talk about you'.
de is the basic preposition. da is the contraction of de + a (the feminine article).
It is used in both, but it is slightly more common in spoken or informal written Portuguese. de um is also correct.
Yes, you can say vinte de outubro (October 20th). It connects the day to the month.
In Portuguese, some country names are masculine (o Brasil), while others have no article (Portugal). This is just something you have to memorize!
Yes, you can say vestido de seda (silk dress). It describes the material.
Yes, for general times of day like de manhã (in the morning) or de tarde (in the afternoon).
Use da. For example, O carro da Maria (Maria's car).
People will still understand you, but you will sound like a beginner. It's like saying 'I is' instead of 'I am'.
Yes! It contracts with 'ele' (him) to become dele and 'ela' (her) to become dela.
No, even in formal writing, you must use do. The only exception is if the 'o' is part of a title or a specific verb structure.
Yes, always! In Portuguese, you don't just 'like something', you 'like of something' (Eu gosto de chocolate).
You say uma xícara de chá. Here, de shows the content.
de is for origin (from), while desde is for time duration (since).
No, use para or a. de is only for the starting point.
Just remember that de + any word starting with a vowel usually likes to merge. It’s all about the flow!
Grammaire lie
Basic Word Order: SVO
Overview Welcome to your first big step in Portuguese! You are about to learn the skeleton of the language. This skelet...
Questions with Question Words
Overview Questions are the keys to your new life in Portuguese. You want to find the nearest beach? You need a question...
Preposition EM (in/on/at)
Overview Welcome to the world of Portuguese prepositions! Today, we meet the word `em`. Think of `em` as your ultimate...
Preposition A (to/at)
Overview Portuguese has many small words that do big jobs. One of the most important is the preposition `a`. It usually...
Weather Expressions with FAZER
Overview Talking about the weather is the ultimate social survival skill. Whether you are waiting for a bus or starting...
Commentaires (0)
Connectez-vous pour CommenterCommencez à apprendre les langues gratuitement
Commence Gratuitement