Joined Prepositions & Pronouns

01

Contractions with Definite Articles

The most common contractions involve the prepositions de (of/from), em (in/on/at), a (to/at), and por (by/for/through) with the definite articles o, a, os, as (the).

Preposition de (of/from)

• de + o → do
• de + a → da
• de + os → dos
• de + as → das

• Eu gosto do seu carro.

  I like your car.

• Ela é a capital do Brasil.

  It is the capital of Brazil.

• As chaves da casa estão aqui.

  The keys to the house are here.

Preposition em (in/on/at)

• em + o → no
• em + a → na
• em + os → nos
• em + as → nas

• O livro está na mesa.

  The book is on the table.

• Nós moramos no Rio de Janeiro.

  We live in Rio de Janeiro.

• Pense nas suas opções.

  Think about your options.

Preposition a (to/at)

When a meets the masculine articles o or os, they combine straightforwardly.

• a + o → ao
• a + os → aos

• Eu vou ao supermercado.

  I'm going to the supermarket.

• Ele respondeu aos e-mails.

  He replied to the emails.

When the preposition a meets the feminine articles a or as, they merge into a single form with a grave accent (` `). This specific fusion is called crase.

• a + a → à
• a + as → às

• Nós vamos à praia amanhã.

  We are going to the beach tomorrow.

• Refiro-me às suas filhas.

  I am referring to your daughters.

Preposition por (by/for/through)

The preposition por changes its form to pel- before contracting.

• por + o → pelo
• por + a → pela
• por + os → pelos
• por + as → pelas

• Obrigado pela informação.

  Thank you for the information.

• Nós caminhamos pelo parque.

  We walked through the park.

02

Contractions with Pronouns

Prepositions also contract with several types of pronouns.

Personal Pronouns

The prepositions de and em contract with third-person personal pronouns (ele, ela, eles, elas).

• de + ele/ela → dele/dela (of him/her, his/hers)
• de + eles/elas → deles/delas (of them, theirs)
• em + ele/ela → nele/nela (in/on/at him/her/it)
• em + eles/elas → neles/nelas (in/on/at them)

• Eu preciso do livro dele.

  I need his book.

• Você pode confiar nela.

  You can trust her.

• Não há nada de errado neles.

  There is nothing wrong with them.

Demonstrative Pronouns

The prepositions de, em, and a also contract with demonstrative pronouns like este (this), esse (that), and aquele (that over there).

Contractions with de and em:

• de + este → deste (of/from this)
• em + este → neste (in/on/at this)
• de + esse → desse (of/from that)
• em + esse → nesse (in/on/at that)
• de + aquele → daquele (of/from that over there)
• em + aquele → naquele (in/on/at that over there)

• Eu não gosto dessa cor.

  I don't like that color.

• Neste momento, estou ocupado.

  At this moment, I am busy.

• Você se lembra daquele dia?

  Do you remember that day?

Contractions with a (Crase):

The preposition a only contracts with the aquele family of pronouns, also forming a crase.

• a + aquele → àquele (to that)
• a + aquela → àquela (to that)
• a + aquilo → àquilo (to that thing)

• Eu me referi àquele documento.

  I referred to that document.

• Dê atenção àquilo que ele disse.

  Pay attention to that which he said.