Understanding Portuguese Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of place in Portuguese help us understand where things are located. They tell us if something is on, in, under, next to, or between other things. Learning these words is like learning a secret code that helps us describe where things are.
Important Points
- Em - This means 'in' or 'on'. We use it to say something is inside or on top of something else.
- Sobre - This means 'on' or 'about'. It is used when something is directly on top of something else.
- Debaixo de - This means 'under'. We use it when something is below another thing.
- Ao lado de - This means 'next to'. It tells us that something is beside another thing.
- Entre - This means 'between'. It is used when something is in the middle of two other things.
- Perto de - This means 'near'. We use it to say something is close to another thing.
- Longe de - This means 'far from'. It tells us that something is not close to another thing.
Examples
- O gato está em casa.
- O livro está sobre a mesa.
- O cachorro está debaixo de cadeira.
Let's imagine you have a toy car. If you put the car in a box, you can say 'O carro está em uma caixa.' If the car is on the table, you say 'O carro está sobre a mesa.' If the car is under the chair, you say 'O carro está debaixo da cadeira.'
Examples
- A escola está ao lado de parque.
- O parque está entre as casas.
- A loja está perto de mercado.
When you use these prepositions, you can describe the world around you better. You can tell stories about where your toys are or where you go with your family.