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Guia · Unidade 1 · A1
First Steps
Pronouns and the verbs to be
- 1
Hello, and who's who
Greet people the Brazilian way and meet the personal pronouns.
Abrir lição- Oi, tudo bem? is the everyday greeting — and tudo bem is also the answer.
- Bom dia / Boa tarde / Boa noite greet by time of day.
- The pronouns: eu, você, ele/ela, nós, vocês, eles/elas.
- Você is "you" for one person; vocês for a group.
- Elas only for all-female groups — otherwise eles.
- In speech, a gente often replaces nós for "we".
- 2
Ser: who you are
The verb for identity, origin and profession — and how to introduce yourself.
Abrir lição- Ser is "to be" for identity, origin, nationality and profession.
- Present forms: sou, é, somos, são — only four to learn.
- Você shares é with ele/ela; vocês shares são with eles/elas.
- Origin is ser de: Sou de Boston. With the article: Ele é do Rio.
- No article before a profession: Ele é professor.
- Answer yes by echoing the verb: Você é americana? — Sou, sim.
- 3
Estar: how and where you are
The “to be” of moods, conditions and location — and when it beats ser.
Abrir lição- Estar is "to be" for feelings, temporary conditions and where someone is now.
- Present forms: estou, está, estamos, estão.
- Ser = what something is; estar = how or where it is at the moment.
- Quick test: could it change by tomorrow? → estar.
- Como você está? — Estou bem, obrigado/obrigada.
- 4
Ter: what you have
Possession and age with ter — then all three core verbs side by side.
Abrir lição- Ter = to have: tenho, tem, temos, têm.
- Age uses ter: Eu tenho 25 anos — never sou 25 anos.
- Eles têm (they have) carries a circumflex; ele tem (he has) doesn't.
- The big three: ser for identity, estar for states and location now, ter for possession and age.