A2Lesson 6: Demonstratives, Possessives & Weather
Portuguese possessives agree with the thing possessed (not the possessor) and Brazilian Portuguese strongly prefers "dele/dela" over "seu/sua" to avoid ambiguity, creating a clearer but less formal system than traditional grammar suggests.
meu/minha = my (meus/minhas plural)
seu/sua = your/his/her/their (ambiguous!)
nosso/nossa = our (nossos/nossas)
dele/dela = his/her (clearer than seu/sua)
deles/delas = their (clearer than seus/suas)
Agree with thing possessed, not owner
Articles optional but common: o meu carro
Seu/sua ambiguity solved with dele/dela
Possessives are tricky because "seu" can mean your, his, her, or their – imagine the confusion! Saying "seu carro" could mean YOUR car or HIS car, so Brazilians say "o carro dele" (his car) to be clear. Plus, unlike English, these words change based on what's owned, not who owns it: "minha casa" (my house-feminine) but "meu carro" (my car-masculine). Master these patterns to avoid awkward misunderstandings about whose stuff is whose!
(article) + possessive + noun OR noun + possessive (emphasis)
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| Person | Masc. Sing. | Fem. Sing. | Masc. Plural | Fem. Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eu | meu | minha | meus | minhas |
| tu | teu | tua | teus | tuas |
| você/ele/ela | seu | sua | seus | suas |
| nós | nosso | nossa | nossos | nossas |
| vocês/eles/elas | seu | sua | seus | suas |
"Minha mãe e meu pai moram juntos" (My mother and father live together)
"Sua irmã é mais nova?" (Is your sister younger?)
"O marido dela viaja muito" (Her husband travels a lot)
"Nossos filhos têm a idade dos seus" (Our children are the age of yours)
"Esqueci meu celular em casa" (I forgot my cell phone at home)
"Seu café está esfriando" (Your coffee is getting cold)
"A bolsa dela sumiu" (Her purse disappeared)
"Nosso carro está no conserto" (Our car is being repaired)
Unlike English:
"Lavei as mãos" (I washed my hands)
"Cortou o cabelo" (She cut her hair)
"Quebrei o braço" (I broke my arm)
"Seu João" = Mr. João (not his João)
"Sua Excelência" = Your Excellency
"Seu doutor" = Doctor (formal address)
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