I can say where things are: “O sofá está ao lado da janela”, “A mala está debaixo da cama” — and ask “Onde fica a escola?”.
Where things are
Where things are
To say where things are, you need a preposition, an article, and a noun together.
Almost all place prepositions end in “de”, and this “de” joins the article exactly as in the last lesson: “ao lado do sofá”, “em cima da mesa”, “perto dos quartos”. Like the “to” of “next to” and the “of” of “on top of”, the “de” itself never disappears.
There's one exception — “entre”: no “de” after it. “Entre a mesa e a janela.”
You can ask about a place in three ways: “Onde está a chave?” — about a thing here and now; “Onde é o prédio?” and “Onde fica o prédio?” — about a building, a city, a country. English uses “Where is…?” for all of them. At this level, “fica” has one form.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “em cima de a mesa” → “em cima da mesa.”
• NOT “em cima a mesa” — the “de” doesn't disappear: “em cima da mesa.”
• NOT “entre da porta e da janela” → “entre a porta e a janela.”
• NOT “Onde fica a chave?” — a key isn't a building: “Onde está a chave?”
Where things are: place prepositions
Almost all of them end in de, and that de contracts with the article.
| Preposition | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| entre | between | entre a mesa e a janela |
| ao lado de | next to | ao lado do sofá |
| ao pé de | by, beside | ao pé da porta |
| à direita de | to the right of | à direita da cama |
| à esquerda de | to the left of | à esquerda do armário |
| à frente de | in front of | à frente do prédio |
| atrás de | behind | atrás da escola |
| em cima de | on (top of) | em cima da mesa |
| debaixo de | under | debaixo da cadeira |
| dentro de | inside | dentro da mala |
| fora de | outside | fora de casa |
| perto de | near, close to | perto do centro |
| longe de | far from | longe da cidade |
Three questions about place
A thing right now — está; a building or a city — é or fica.
| Question | What it's about | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Onde está…? | a thing, here and now | Onde está o livro? |
| Onde é…? | a permanent place | Onde é o prédio? |
| Onde fica…? | a building, a city, a country | Onde fica o centro da cidade? |
Lesson notes
Where things are
To say where things are, you need a preposition, an article, and a noun together.
Almost all place prepositions end in “de”, and this “de” joins the article exactly as in the last lesson: “ao lado do sofá”, “em cima da mesa”, “perto dos quartos”. Like the “to” of “next to” and the “of” of “on top of”, the “de” itself never disappears.
There's one exception — “entre”: no “de” after it. “Entre a mesa e a janela.”
You can ask about a place in three ways: “Onde está a chave?” — about a thing here and now; “Onde é o prédio?” and “Onde fica o prédio?” — about a building, a city, a country. English uses “Where is…?” for all of them. At this level, “fica” has one form.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “em cima de a mesa” → “em cima da mesa.”
• NOT “em cima a mesa” — the “de” doesn't disappear: “em cima da mesa.”
• NOT “entre da porta e da janela” → “entre a porta e a janela.”
• NOT “Onde fica a chave?” — a key isn't a building: “Onde está a chave?”