Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Mas creates contrast. Mais increases or adds.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
mas
but
Use mas for contrasting one statement with another.
mais
more or plus
Use mais for a larger amount, addition, or comparison.
How to choose
- mas: Choose mas if the sentence points to contrasting one statement with another.
- mais: Choose mais if the sentence points to a larger amount, addition, or comparison.
Examples
Quero ir, mas estou cansado.
I want to go, but I am tired.
Quero mais café.
I want more coffee.
Common trap
They sound very similar in much of Brazil. Replace mas with porém or mais with menos to test the meaning.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with mas, then once with mais. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.