employment of H
O H it is a letter that remains in some words due to the etymology or written tradition of our language. Some rules regarding your employment must be observed:
a) The H when the etymology or written tradition of our language so determines.
man, hygiene, honor, today, hero.
b) The H at the end of some interjections.
Oh! Ah!
c) Inside the words, it is not used H, except:
- in compound words in which the second element with h is joined by a hyphen to the first.
superman, prehistory.
- when it is part of the digraphs ch, lh, nh.
Bird, straw, rain.
employment of s
the letter is used s:
- in the suffixes -are you, -this and -yeah, used in the formation of words indicating nationality, profession, social status, honorary titles.
Chinese, Chinese, bourgeois, bourgeois, poetess.
- in the suffixes -bone and -ow (qua means “full of”), used in the formation of adjectives.
delicious, gelatinous.
- after diphthongs.
thing, cornstarch, Neusa.
- in the forms of the verbs to put and to want and their compounds.
put, put, wanted, wanted.
- in words derived from a primitive spelled with s.
analysis: analyze, analyzed
search: search, searched.
employment of z
the letter is used z in the following cases:
- in the suffixes -ez and -yes, used to form abstract nouns derived from adjectives.
rigidity (rigid), wealth (rich).
- in words derived from a primitive spelled with z.
cross: cruise, crusade.
slide: slide, slide.
Use of suffixes -air and -izar.
The suffix is used -air in verbs derived from words whose stem contains -s, otherwise, employ –ize.
analysis - analyze eternal - eternalize
use of letters and and i.
Some forms of verbs ending in –oair and -ow they are spelled with and.
forgive (forgive), continue (continue).
Some forms of verbs ending in -air,-oer and -ow they are spelled with i.
attracts (attracts), hurts (hurts), possesses (possess).
employment of x and tea.
the letter is used x in the following cases:
- after diphthong: box, fish, muggle.
- after initial syllable en-: flood, migraine (exceptions: fill, soak, flood and its derivatives).
- after me- initial: stir, mussel (except: mecha and its derivatives).
- words of indigenous and African origin: xavante, xangô.
employment of g or j
the letter is used g
- in the endings -gio, -egio, -igio, -ogio, -ugio: prestige, refuge.
- in the -agem, -igem, -ugem endings: garage, rust.
the letter is used j in words of indigenous and African origin: shaman, canjica, jirau.
employment of s, c, ç, sc, ss.
- verbs spelled with ced originate nouns and adjectives spelled with cess.
give in – assignment.
grant - grant.
rewind - rewind.
Exception: exceed - exception.
- in verbs spelled with na originate nouns and adjectives spelled with us.
ascend - ascension
expand - expand
intend – claim.
- verbs spelled with ter originate nouns spelled with tension.
detain - detain
contain – containment.
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By Marina Cabral
Specialist in Portuguese Language and Literature
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SILVA, Marina Cabral da. "Orthography. Use of the letters h, s, z, x, ch, g, j, ss, sc"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/ortografia-emprego-das-letras.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
