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Introduction to Portuguese Basics:
Lesson 8

By Linas

Let’s talk about describing things.

The word for this in Portuguese is este.

How would you say:

This sir doesn’t have time.

Answer: Este senhor não tem tempo.
Not correct. Please try again.

What about:

This time is good.

Answer: Este tempo é bom.
Not correct. Please try again.

And:

I have this money.

Answer: Eu tenho este dinheiro.
Not correct. Please try again.

The word este is masculine.

Actually, the word este is a weird word because it ends with e and still is masculine. Usually describing words (pronouns, adjectives) that end with e work the same for both genders but este is an exception. It should be esto instead of este if it were totally regular but I guess este sounds better. Anyway.

Knowing that it should be esto for the masculine, can you guess the feminine word for this?

The feminine word for this

Now, say:

This lady is good.

Answer: Esta senhora é boa.
Not correct. Please try again.

This word

Answer: Esta palavra
Not correct. Please try again.

Alright. Now, Portuguese and English are similar in a lot of words. For example:

The Portuguese word for interesting is interessante.

It ends with e and as I have already told you:

Adjectives (i.e. words that describe things) that end with e work for both masculine and feminine words.

So, how would you say:

This word is interesting.

Answer: Esta palavra é interessante.
Not correct. Please try again.

What about:

This time is interesting.

Answer: Este tempo é interessante.
Not correct. Please try again.

Now, if you wanted to say interesting word or interesting time you would actually switch these and say word interesting or time interesting. This happens all the time in Portuguese. Try it:

An interesting time

Answer: Um tempo interessante
Not correct. Please try again.

An interesting word

Answer: Uma palavra interessante
Not correct. Please try again.

Knowing that interesting is interessante, could you try to guess the Portuguese word for important:

Important.

Answer: Importante.
Not correct. Please try again.

Say:

It is very important.

Answer: É muito importante.
Not correct. Please try again.

It is very interesting but not very important.

Answer: É muito interessante mas não é muito importante.
Not correct. Please try again.

You can even say:

The interesting word is important.

Answer: A palavra interessante é importante.
Not correct. Please try again.

So, here is how describing things works. We are going to expand this knowledge now.