Determiners (e.g.: um, uma, o, a, os, as, meu, nossos, este, aqueles)

Questions about Determiners

Q: Why is it uma aula and NOT um aula?
Aula is feminine, so it requires a feminine determiner:

• uma aula, esta aula, a aula

Q: Why is it O Paulo ama a mulher and NOT O Paulo ama ao mulher?
The determiner must agree with the noun that follows:

• a mulher (feminine)

• o cão → ama o cão

👉 Also note: unlike Spanish, Portuguese does not use a personal a.

Q: Why is it as pessoas and NOT a pessoas?
Plural must be marked on both:

• the noun (pessoas)

• the determiner (as)

👉 Agreement is required:

• as pessoas, os livros

Q: Why is it a água and NOT o água?
In Portuguese, água is simply feminine:

• a água fria

• as águas frias

👉 Unlike Spanish, there is no change to a masculine article.

Q: Why is it ela lava as mãos / ela lava as mãos and NOT ela lava as suas mãos?
With body parts, Portuguese normally uses:

• a definite article (as mãos)

• not a possessive (suas mãos)

👉 Reflexive form is also possible:

• ela lava-se as mãos

Q: Why is it gosto destas saias and NOT forms with accents like Spanish (éstas)?
In Portuguese:

• demonstrative determiners never take accents

• accents are only used for stress, not to distinguish determiner vs pronoun

• estas saias (determiner)

• estas são bonitas (pronoun)

🔑 Key point

• Determiners must agree in gender and number

• Portuguese differs from Spanish in:

  • no personal a

  • no el agua-type alternation

  • no accent distinction in demonstratives