It is true that the Portuguese language is very complex, which makes most of us think that we do not know how to speak our own language correctly. In fact, understanding the structure of our language is essential to correct errors and problems, so this is an easy problem to solve. That said, check out the most common Portuguese mistakes and how to fix them below.
The 7 most common Portuguese mistakes:
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It is very likely that you have already made or still make some of the following mistakes. This indicates that you, like most people, have difficulties with the language.
However, it is enough to better understand some rules to correct these points without problems! Check out the examples below:
1. "half" or "half"?
One of the most common mistakes concerns the word “sock” or “half”. In this case, the term “half” usually appears to mean “a little” or a portion. Whereas “sock” could be a piece of clothing or a numeral. So we say "half and eight" and "she's kind of shy".
Examples:
- I think this coffee is a little bitter, could you put quite sugar sachet?
- She is half-my friend's sister, they only have their father in common.
2. “If not” or “if not”?
Another common exchange that happens is regarding the expressions “else” and “if not”. In this case, both forms are correct, depending on the context. For example, “else” is the same as “otherwise”, since “if not” is a condition for something to happen.
Examples:
- If not study for the test, you will get a low grade.
- She has no other option. if not accept the job that was offered.
3. "Rectify" or "Ratify"?
As in the previous example, here we have two correct forms. However, the difference is that “rectify” is the same as the act of correcting some information or person, while “ratifying” expresses the confirmation of previously said information.
Examples:
- We need rectify customer registration data to avoid future problems.
- The president ratified the board's decision and announced the hiring of the new manager.
4. When to say “lose” and “loss”?
The two expressions appear in the Portuguese language, but in different grammatical classes. In this case, “perca” is a conjugation of the verb “perder”. On the other hand, “loss” belongs to the class of nouns and is the opposite of “gain”.
Examples:
- I do not want you to miss the opportunity to participate in this important event.
- A loss of time is one of the main factors that hinder productivity at work.
5. When is “where” and when is “where”?
It is very common for people to exchange the expressions “where” and “where”, but they have different meanings. After all, “where” is the exact location of an object, while “where” indicates movement, therefore it has the same meaning as “where to”.
Examples:
- Where you are now? (asks about current location)
- To where are you going to travel on vacation? (asks about the destination of the trip)
6. "Bad" or "evil"?
Again, you have to understand that they are two correct words, but with different meanings. This is because “bad” belongs to the class of adjectives and is the opposite of “good”. On the other hand, “mal” belongs to the class of adverbs and is the opposite of “good”.
Examples:
He is one bad football player, always loses the ball.
I am feeling bad today, I think I ate something rotten.
7. “There was” or “there were”?
This is probably one of the verb conjugations that we make the most mistakes. However, just remember that “haver”, when it means “to exist”, will always appear conjugated in the third person singular.
Therefore, the correct form is "there was". When it comes to “having” in the sense of existing, there is no subject in the sentence, as it refers to an abstract idea or a situation in general. Therefore, it should never be conjugated in the plural, that is, there is no “were”.
Example:
- There was a lot of confusion at the birthday party last night.
