feche a porta
To say 'close the door' in Portuguese, you use feche a porta.
The phrase is used to instruct someone to move a door so that it is shut.
Which one should you use?
Use the infinitive fechar a porta when you want to express the concept 'to close the door' rather than issuing a command.
How does it change in a sentence?
feche a porta is the imperative form used for formal address (using você). fecha a porta is used when speaking to someone you know well or are on informal terms with (using tu).
Did you know?
- The word porta shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'port', as both derive from the Proto-Indo-European root per- meaning 'to pass through'.
- The word fechar is also used when zipping up a jacket or fastening a belt, treating these actions as 'closing' the garment.
- If someone says fechar a porta in a social context, it can sometimes be a way to say one is 'closing' a chapter or ending a relationship.
Examples in context
- Não feche a porta!Don't close the door.This sentence shows how to tell someone not to close the door using feche a porta.Tatoeba #5391597 by carlosalberto, translation #1491982 by CK
- Por favor, feche a porta.Please close the door.This sentence demonstrates a polite, formal way to request someone to close the door using feche a porta.Tatoeba #576714 by brauliobezerra, translation #495838 by CK
- Feche a porta, por favor.Close the door, please.This sentence shows a variation of the polite request using feche a porta.Tatoeba #872920 by alexmarcelo, translation #38524 by CK
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Juliana are at home on a windy day.
- LucasEstá muito frio aqui.It is very cold in here.
- JulianaVocê tem razão, feche a porta.You are right, close the door.
- LucasEu fecho agora mesmo.I will close it right now.
- JulianaObrigada, Lucas.Thank you, Lucas.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, porta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
