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
Problema is something wrong. Questao is an issue, question, or matter.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
problema
problem
Use problema for a difficulty, defect, conflict, or thing that needs fixing.
questao
question, issue, or matter
Use questao for a topic, exam question, issue, or point under discussion.
How to choose
- problema: Choose problema if the sentence points to a difficulty, defect, conflict, or thing that needs fixing.
- questao: Choose questao if the sentence points to a topic, exam question, issue, or point under discussion.
Examples
Temos um problema no sistema.
We have a problem in the system.
Essa questao e delicada.
This issue is delicate.
Common trap
Use questao when you mean topic or issue without necessarily saying something is broken.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with problema, then once with questao. 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.