Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| para | /pa.ɾɐ/ (Brazil) /pɾa/ (Brazil) |
colloquial |
| a |
The word is used to indicate movement in the direction of something and arriving at a destination. It is also used to express purpose.
Which one should you use?
While para is a common way to express direction or purpose, the preposition a is also used to mean 'to'. In formal contexts, if you want to emphasize the movement or direction towards something, you can use the expression em direção a.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
para is marked as colloquial. In spoken Portuguese, especially in Brazil, you may hear the contraction pro (a combination of para and the masculine article o) used in informal situations.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the preposition a before a definite article, the words contract into a single form. Before a masculine singular noun, a and o become ao. Before a feminine singular noun, they become à. For masculine plural nouns, a and os become aos and for feminine plural nouns, a and as become às. Additionally, the suffixes -ar, -er and -or serve as infinitive markers in the language.
How do you pronounce it?
The syllables are pronounced /pa.ɾɐ/.
Did you know?
- In many Portuguese-speaking regions, the preposition a is used for a temporary movement, while para is used when the destination is permanent or long-term.
- The word para is a linguistic hybrid, originating from the combination of the Latin words per meaning 'through' and ad meaning 'to'.
- Portuguese uses the accent in à to signal a contraction of the preposition a and the article a, a grammatical feature called crasis.
Examples in context
- Eu fui ao spa.I went to the spa.This sentence is useful for practicing the contraction ao.Tatoeba #2814921 by alexmarcelo, translation #2793973 by Hybrid
- Sou grato a ti.I'm grateful to you.This sentence demonstrates the use of a to indicate a recipient.Tatoeba #3490333 by piterkeo, translation #2548248 by CK
- Dê isso ao Tom.Give this to Tom.This sentence shows the use of ao when giving something to someone.Tatoeba #3782988 by Ricardo14, translation #2261870 by CK
- Eu vou para o supermercadoI'm going to the supermarket.
- Estas flores são para a minha mãeThese flowers are for my mother.
- Ela caminha até a praia todos os diasShe walks to the beach every day.
- Eu trabalho das 9h até às 18hI work from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Ele estava correndo em direção ao parqueHe was running towards the park.
- O avião está voando em direção ao Rio de JaneiroThe plane is flying towards Rio de Janeiro.
- Vou pro cinema com meus amigosI'm going to the movies with my friends.
- Ela vai pro trabalho de bicicletaShe goes to work by bike.
- Eu trouxe um presente pra vocêI brought a gift for you.
- Vamos pra praia amanhãLet's go to the beach tomorrow.
- 11772 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Juliana are planning their afternoon trip.
- GabrielJuliana, você quer ir para o shopping?Juliana, do you want to go to the mall?
- JulianaNão, prefiro ir para o cinema.No, I prefer to go to the cinema.
- GabrielTudo bem, vamos para o cinema então.Alright, let's go to the cinema then.
- JulianaÓtimo, pegue as chaves do carro.Great, grab the car keys.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “to” translations and entries para, a, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, para, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
