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Quick Grammar Reference
P o r t u g u e s e O n l i n e

>>Other Words > Conjunctions

Conjunctions connect two or more words or phrases. The most common conjunctions in English are and, or and but.

The Portuguese word e translates to and. Its use is similar to its English counterpart. Ana e Roberto means Anna and Robert. The phrase eu me vou e nunca mais volto translates to I'm leaving and I will never again return (literally "I go myself and never more I return"). Two or more e's can connect multiple words or phrases, often translating to both...and...: e eu e ele both he and I.

The word mas translates to but, and its use is quite similar to the English word but. Ana quer ir comigo, mas não pode means Anna is going with me, but Robert isn't. It is a strong conjunction, sometimes having a meaning closer to however.

The conjunction ou translates to or. Ana ou Roberto means Anna or Robert. Two or more ou's can connect multiple words or phrases, often translating to either...or... The phrase ou me vou, ou fico translates to either I'm leaving, or I'm staying.

Other conjunctions are listed in the section on advanced conjunctions.