por
/puʁ/
The English word 'by' can be translated into Portuguese as por or a.
Meaning: indicates a means (prep)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| por | /puʁ/ (Brazil) /poʁ/ (Brazil) |
| a |
Por is commonly used to indicate a means or a way of doing something, such as moving through a place or via a specific route (for example, por ali for 'through there'). In certain phrases, such as por mim or por nós, it can also mean 'along a path'.
Which one should you use?
The form por is used to express through or via a route, whereas the form a is used specifically as the agent in a passive voice construction. When por is used with a definite article, it contracts into pelo for masculine nouns or pela for feminine nouns.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form a is used to indicate the agent of a passive verb, particularly when that agent is a person or a noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/puʁ/
Did you know?
- The preposition a can sometimes be a 'hidden' version of 'by' in Portuguese, descending from the Latin 'ab' which means 'from' or 'away from'.
- In certain contexts, the preposition a used for 'by' can be confused with the homophone há, which actually means 'there is'.
- The preposition por can be used to express an exchange, such as swapping one object 'for' or 'by' another.
Examples in context
- Todo mundo a ama.She is loved by everyone.This sentence shows how to use a to indicate the person being loved.Tatoeba #377714 by brauliobezerra, translation #312960 by CC
- Matou Caim a Abel.Abel was killed by Cain.This sentence illustrates a being used to identify the agent in a passive construction.Tatoeba #1379467 by tulio, translation #2448658 by Felipe
- Está cego de amor.He is blinded by love.This sentence shows the use of a to express being blinded by an emotion.Tatoeba #5034263 by alexmarcelo, translation #1789114 by Spamster
- Enviado por email.Sent by email
- Escrito por Machado de Assis.Written by Machado de Assis
- Entre em contato através do telefone.Contact us by phone
- O acesso é permitido mediante uma taxa.Access is allowed by payment of a fee
- Ele foi liberado mediante a assinatura do contrato.He was released by signing the contract
- Passo pelo banco antes de ir para casa.I stop by the bank before going home
- O livro foi escrito pelo meu amigo.The book was written by my friend
- Entre em contato por meio do WhatsApp.Contact us by WhatsApp
- Comprei esse produto por meio da internet.I bought this product through the internet
- Passo pela farmácia todos os dias.I stop by the pharmacy every day
- O texto foi escrito pela professora.The text was written by the teacher
- 3861 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Gabriel are talking about how they got to work.
- MarianaComo você veio para o trabalho hoje?How did you come to work today?
- GabrielEu vim por ônibus, e você?I came by bus, and you?
- MarianaEu vim por Uber porque estava chovendo.I came by Uber because it was raining.
- GabrielFoi a melhor escolha, Mariana.That was the best choice, Mariana.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “by” translations and entries por, a, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
