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Study Resource: Prepositions that commonly follow verbs in Brazilian Portuguese

By: Ana Amélia Rodrigues dos Santos

This page lists several common verbs in Brazilian Portuguese that are followed by the prepositions a, com, de, and em. We’ll also cover a few verbs that are not followed by prepositions in Brazilian Portuguese, even though they are in English.

Verbs followed by ‘a’

This table illustrates the meanings of verbs combined with the preposition a meaning to in Brazilian Portuguese.

VerbExample
acostumar-se a
Translation: to get used to
Eles se acostumaram a dormir cedo.
Translation: They got used to sleeping early.
ajudar a
Translation: to help to
Ele me ajudou a estudar para a prova.
Translation: He helped me study for the test.
ajudar a
Translation: to learn to
Ele aprendeu a dirigir.
Translation: He learned to drive.
assistir a
Translation: to watch
Eu assisti ao filme no cinema.
Translation: I watched the movie in the cinema.
começar a
Translation: to start to
Nós começamos a estudar português.
Translation: We started to learn Portuguese.
dedicar-se a
Translation: to dedicate oneself to
Ela se dedica ao trabalho voluntário.
Translation: She dedicates herself to volunteer work.
destinar a
Translation: to dedicate to
Este programa destina-se às mulheres.
Translation: This program is dedicated to women.
negar-se a
Translation: to refuse to
Eles se negaram a sair da sala.
Translation: They refused to leave the room.
opor-se a
Translation: to oppose
Os funcionários se opuseram às ordens.
Translation: The employees opposed the orders.
tender a
Translation: to tend to
A vida deles tende a melhorar.
Translation: Their lives tend to get better.
aspirar a
Translation: to aspire, to aim
Todos aspirar a sermos felizes.
Translation: We all aspire to be happy.

Others:

  • advertir a meaning to warn

  • agradar a meaning to please

  • agradecer a meaning to thank

  • avisar a meaning to warn

  • chegar a meaning to arrive at

  • comparecer a meaning to attend

  • comunicar a meaning to communicate

  • desagradar a meaning to displease

  • emprestar a meaning to lend to

  • ir a meaning to go to

  • obedecer a meaning to obey

  • pagar a meaning to pay

  • pedir a meaning to ask for

  • perdoar a meaning to forgive

  • preferir a meaning to prefer

  • prevenir a meaning to prevent

  • proceder a meaning to proceed

  • querer a meaning to want

  • responder a meaning to respond to

  • senta a meaning to sit at

  • suceder a meaning to succeed at

  • visar a meaning to aim at

  • voltar a meaning to return to

Verbs followed by ‘com’

This table illustrates the meanings of verbs combined with the preposition com meaning with in Brazilian Portuguese.

VerbExample
concordar com
Translation: to agree with
Ele concorda com você.
Translation: He agrees with you.
contar com
Translation: to count on
Ele conta com a sua amizade.
Translation: He counts on your friendship.
conversar com
Translation: to talk to
Você ainda conversa com a Selma?
Translation: Do you still talk to Selma?
parecer com
Translation: to look like
Você se parece com a sua irmã.
Translation: You look like your sister.
preocupar-se com
Translation: to worry about
Os pais se preocupam com os filhos.
Translation: Parents worry about their children.
sonhar com
Translation: to dream with
Hoje eu sonhei com você.
Translation: Today I dreamed with you.
implicar com
Translation: to provoke, to tease
Maria sempre implica com a Joana.
Translation: Maria always teases Joana.

Others:

  • empatar com meaning to tie with

  • mexer com meaning to mess with

  • namorar com meaning to date

  • simpatizar com meaning to sympathize with

Verbs followed by ‘de’

This table illustrates the meanings of verbs combined with the preposition de meaning of, from in Brazilian Portuguese.

VerbExample
acabar de
Translation: to have just
Nós acabamos de chegar em casa.
Translation: We have just arrived at home.
defender-se de
Translation: to defend oneself
Eles aprenderam a se defender na floresta.
Translation: They learned to defend themselves in the forest.
depender de
Translation: to depend on
João não depende de ônibus para ir ao trabalho.
Translation: João does not depend on a bus to go to work.
discordar de
Translation: to disagree with
Desculpe, mas nós discordamos de vocês.
Translation: Sorry, but we disagree with you.
esquecer de
Translation: to forget to
Eu esqueci de levar o guarda-chuva.
Translation: I forgot to take the umbrella.
gostar de
Translation: to like
Eles gostam de conversar sobre literatura.
Translation: They like to talk about literature.
lembrar-se de
Translation: to remember
Você se lembrou de comprar café?
Translation: Did you remember to buy coffee?
precisar de
Translation: to need
Vocês precisam de alguma coisa?
Translation: Do you need anything?
proteger-se de
Translation: to protect oneself from
Ana se protegeu da chuva.
Translation: Ana protected herself from the rain.
reclamar de
Translation: to complain about
João sempre reclama do barulho na sala.
Translation: João always complains about the noise in the room.
ser capaz de
Translation: to be able to
Luana é capaz de caminhar sozinha.
Translation: Luana is able to walk by herself.
terminar de
Translation: to finish
Você já terminou de almoçar?
Translation: Have you finished having lunch?

Others:

  • avisar de meaning to warn

  • chegar de meaning to arrive from

  • desdenhar de meaning to disdain to

  • emprestar de meaning to borrow from

  • impedir de meaning to prevent

  • informar de meaning to inform of

  • ir de meaning to go from

  • lembrar de meaning to remember

  • mexer de meaning to mess with

  • necessitar de meaning to need

  • precisar de meaning to need

  • usufruir de meaning to enjoy

  • voltar de meaning to return from

Verbs followed by ‘em’

This table illustrates the meanings of verbs combined with the preposition em meaning in in Brazilian Portuguese.

VerbExample
acreditar em
Translation: to believe in
As crianças acreditam em Papai Noel.
Translation: Children believe in Santa Claus.
confiar em
Translation: to trust in
Eles confiam nos amigos.
Translation: They trust their friends.
morar em
Translation: to live in
Você mora em São Paulo?
Translation: Do you live in São Paulo?
ser bom em
Translation: to be good at
Eles são bons em comunicação.
Translation: They are good at communication.
ser viciado em
Translation: to be addicted to
Pati é viciada em séries.
Translation: Pati is addicted to a series.

Others:

  • assistir em meaning to assist

  • comparecer em meaning to attend

  • empatar em meaning to tie for

  • ingressar em meaning to join

  • mexer em meaning to mess with

  • residir em meaning to reside in

  • senta em meaning to sit in

Verbs that are NOT followed by a preposition in Brazilian Portuguese

The following verbs are not followed by prepositions in Brazilian Portuguese, even though they are in English.

VerbExample
conseguir
Translation: to be able to / to succeed / can
Eu não consegui falar com a Cristina hoje.
Translation: I did not manage to talk to Cristina today.
dever
Translation: *must
Ele deve te ligar hoje.
Translation: He must call you today.
precisar
Translation: to need
Você precisa dormir.
Translation: You need to sleep.
preferir
Translation: to believe in
Eu prefiro esperar aqui.
Translation: I prefer to wait here.
pretender
Translation: to intend
Juliana pretende mudar de país no próximo ano.
Translation: Juliana intends to move to another country next year.
querer
Translation: to want
Eu quero falar com a Priscila.
Translation: I want to talk to Priscila.
tentar
Translation: to try
Eles tentaram falar com você?
Translation: Did they try to talk to you?

*Notice that both the Brazilian Portuguese verb dever and the English equivalent “must” do not require a preposition.