Brazilian Portuguese Grammar
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Persons |
Verbs are conjugated according to grammatical persons:
| Persons | English | |
| eu | 1st person, singular | I |
| tu | 2nd person, singular | you, thou (formal) |
| ele | 3rd person, singular | he, it |
| ela | 3rd person, singular | she, it |
| você | 2nd person, singular | you (informal) |
| nós | 1st person, plural | we |
| vós | 2nd person, plural | you (formal) |
| eles | 3rd person, plural | they (masculine) |
| elas | 3rd person, plural | they (feminine) |
| vocês | 2nd person, plural | you, you guys (informal) |
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In everyday speech, most Brazilians use você and vocês for the second persons (you-singular, you-plural). Tu and vós are restricted to literature and to some Brazilian dialects, but they are largely used in Portugal and in other Portuguese-speaking countries. In theory, você is not a personal pronoun; it is a form of address (such as sir, ma'am, Your Honor), but it is used just like a personal pronoun in Brazil. |
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In everyday speech, Brazilians usually say a gente instead of nós. Verbs must agree with a gente in the third person singular: Nós somos felizes. or A gente é feliz. (colloquial) = We are happy. |
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Voices |
Verbs can be used in three voices (vozes):
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Voz ativa (active voice), e.g.:
Pedro Álvares Cabral descobriu o Brasil.
(Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil.)
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Voz passiva (passive voice), e.g.:
O Brasil foi descoberto por Pedro Álvares Cabral.
(Brazil was discovered by Pedro Álvares Cabral.)
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Voz reflexiva (reflexive voice), e.g.:
Daniel se cortou.
(Daniel has cut himself.)
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