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
Traz without an accent is a form of trazer; trás with an accent points behind or backward.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
traz
brings
Use traz for the third-person present form of trazer.
trás
behind or back
Use trás for an adverb used in expressions of rear position or backward movement.
How to choose
- traz: Choose traz if the sentence points to the third-person present form of trazer.
- trás: Choose trás if the sentence points to an adverb used in expressions of rear position or backward movement.
Examples
Ela traz o almoço de casa.
She brings lunch from home.
Olhe para trás antes de sair.
Look behind you before leaving.
Common trap
Test the verb by replacing it with leva. If the sentence instead answers “where?”, trás is likely the adverb.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with traz, then once with trás. 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.