Aula 2

Portuguese Language and Culture

Ana Moutinho
acmout@ufp.edu.pt

Universidade
Fernando Pessoas
Orientation Week

Masculine/feminine, singular/plural
Masculino/feminino, singular/plural (1/2)
If the word ends with o (masculine) it usually will
have the article o [oh] or um [oom].
If the word ends with a (feminine) it usually will
have the article a [ah] or uma [oo-mah].
But the are exceptions!

Masculine/feminine, singular/plural
Masculino/feminino, singular/plural (2/2)

Masculino
The boy (singular)
O menino (singular)
Os meninos (plural)

A boy (singular)
Um menino (singular)
Uns meninos (plural)

Feminino
The girl (singular)
A menina (singular)
As meninas (plural)

A girl (singular)
Uma menina
(singular)
Umas meninas
(plural)

O menino e a menina = Os meninos

Um menino e uma menina = Uns meninos.

Singular/plural (1/8)
The majority of Portuguese nouns end in a
vowel and simply add an S to form the
plural:
Singular
Plural

A cadeira (The chair)

O livro (The book)
A lei (The law)
O carro (The car)

As cadeiras
Os livros
As leis
Os carros

Singular/plural (2/8)
Nouns ending in R or Z add ES to form the
plural:
Singular
Plural

O elevador (The lift)

A mulher (The woman)
O rapaz (The boy)
A cruz (The cross)

Os elevadores
As mulheres
Os rapazes
As cruzes

Singular/plural (3/8)
Nouns ending in S form their plural in one
of two ways:
a) if last syllable is stressed ES is added:
Singular
Plural
O pas (The country)
Os pases
O chins (The Chinese) Os chineses

Singular/plural (4/8)
b) if the syllable is not stressed the noun
remains unchanged :
Singular

Plural

O lpis (The pencil)

Os lpis

Singular/plural (5/8)
Nouns ending in M change the M to NS in
the plural:
Singular
Plural
O homem (The man)
A viagem (The trip)
O jardim (The garden)

Os homens
As viagens
Os jardins

Singular/plural (6/8)
Nouns ending in AL, EL, OL and UL change
their L to IS:
Singular

Plural

O animal (The animal)

O papel (The paper)
O sol (The sun)

Os animais
Os papis
Os sis

Singular/plural (7/8)
Noun ending in IL form their plural in two
ways:
a) stressed IL is changed to IS:
Singular
Plural
O barril (The barrel)

Os barris

b) untressed IL is changed to EIS

Singular
O fssil (The fossil)

Plural
Os fsseis

Singular/plural (8/8)
Nouns ending in O generally form their
plurals in one of the following ways:
a) O changes to ES:
Singular
Plural
A lio (The lesson)
As lies
b) O changes to OS
Singular
Plural
O irmo (The brother)
Os irmos
c) O changes to ES
Singular
Plural
O co (The dog)
Os ces

Activity 3
Actividade
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

The statue.
The castle.
The cellars.
A monastery.
A bus.
Trams.
The D. Luiss bridge
and the Ribeiras
cube (the monuments).
8. A bridge.

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.

Um mosteiro.
O castelo.
Um autocarro.
Uns elctricos.
Os monumentos.
A esttua.
Uma ponte.
As caves.

Activity 3 (cont.)
Actividade
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Um mosteiro.
O castelo.
Um autocarro.
Uns eltricos.
Os monumentos.
A esttua.
Uma ponte.
As caves.

Transforme as palavras acima em singular ou plural

(conforme a palavra original)