E você?
/ˈɛ voˈse/word by word
The English phrase "how about you?" is translated into Portuguese as E você?
E você? is used to mean "And you?" and is the standard way to return a question in a conversation. You may also use E contigo? to mean "And with you?" in both Brazil and Portugal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase E você? literally translates to "And you?" in English.
Which one should you use?
While E você? is the standard way to return a question, it is less formal than using senhor or senhora. If you are addressing a group of people, you must use the plural form E vocês?
How does it change in a sentence?
E você? is used when addressing one person in an informal or neutral context. To address a man formally, use E o senhor? To address a woman formally, use E a senhora? Use the plural form E vocês? when asking "how about you?" to a group.
Did you know?
- The word você was originally a contraction of the phrase vossa mercee, which literally means 'your mercy'.
- In very formal Portuguese settings, using você can actually be seen as slightly rude or too direct, leading speakers to avoid the word entirely by using the person's name or title.
- In many parts of Brazil, even though você is grammatically treated as a third-person pronoun, it is used as the primary way to say 'you' in almost all social situations.
Examples in context
- Bom dia, doutor. Como está? E o senhor?Good morning, doctor. How are you? And you, sir?
- Oi Ana, tudo bem? Como foi seu fim de semana? E você?Hi Ana, how are you? How was your weekend? And you?
- Bom dia, como está? E o senhor?Good morning, how are you? And you, sir?
- Oi, e você? Como tem passado?Hey, and you? How have you been?
- E contigo? Como foi o trabalho hoje?And with you? How was work today?
- Eu estou bem, e você?I am well, and how about you?
- Eu gosto de café, e você?I like coffee, how about you?
- Eu vou ao cinema amanhã, e você?I am going to the cinema tomorrow, how about you?
Example conversation
Gabriel and Mariana are meeting at a café.
- GabrielOi Mariana, tudo bem?Hi Mariana, how are you?
- MarianaTudo ótimo, Gabriel! E você?Everything is great, Gabriel! And how about you?
- GabrielEu também estou muito bem.I am also very well.
- MarianaQue bom!That's good!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (e, você) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries e, você, CC BY-SA 4.0.
