QUESTIONS

The most simple way to make a question in Portuguese is just to

transform a statement into a question.
For this, the only thing that we need to do is to remove the stop sign at
the end and replace it with a question mark. When speaking, we also
need to change the intonation at the end.
Contrary to English, we don´t need to change any word order.

Example:

O Pedro é português. (statement)

Pedro is portuguese.

O Pedro é português? (question)

Is Pedro portuguese?

However, as in English and the other languages, there are several

question words that we can use to make questions.

QUEM WHO
QUANDO WHEN
ONDE WHERE
COMO HOW
QUE / O QUE / O QUÊ WHAT / WHICH
QUANTO HOW MUCH
QUANTO / QUANTA HOW MANY
QUANTOS / QUANTAS
QUAL (singular) WHICH / WHAT
QUAIS (plural)
PORQUE / PORQUÊ WHY
QUEM = WHO

Quem és tu?
Who are you?

Question words can also be combined with prepositions in order to build

a more specific question.
These are the possible combinations with QUEM:

DE QUEM = OF WHOM
(With the sense of belonging to someone.)

De quem é este carro?

Of whom is this car? (literal direct translation)
Whose car is this?

A QUEM? = TO WHOM

A quem (tu) dás a prenda?

To whom do you give the gift?

PARA QUEM? = TO WHOM

Para quem é essa prenda?

To whom is that gift.
Note:
The choice between “a” or “para” here is many times related with the
preposition that fits better with the verb.
For example, in Portuguese the verb “dar” (to give) is usually used with
the preposition “a”: “dar a” = to give to (someone).

COM QUEM? / WITH WHOM

Com quem moras (tu)?

With whom do you live?

ONDE? = WHERE?

Onde está o carro?

Where is the car?

“ONDE” can also be combined with several prepositions:

DE ONDE = FROM WHERE

De onde és (tu)?
From where are you? (literal direct translation)
Where are you from?
PARA ONDE = TO WHERE

Para onde vais (tu) ?

To where are you going? (literal direct translation)
Where are you going to?

AONDE (A + ONDE) = TO WHERE

Aonde vais (tu)?

To where are you going? (literal direct translation)
Where are you going to?

NOTE:
In this case “a” and “para” can many times be interchangeable, we can
use one or the other. However, the preposition “a” is usually associated
with a temporary movement, while the preposition “para” is usually
associated with a more permanent movement or destination of the
movement.
For example:
If the person is leaving and we know that it will be for some minutes or
hours, we can ask “Aonde vais?”
If the person is moving and going to live in another city or country, then
in this case we would ask: “Para onde vais?”.

POR ONDE = THROUGH WHERE

Por onde (nós) vamos?

Through where are we going?
Nós vamos pela auto-estrada?
Do we go through the highway?

QUE / O QUE / O QUÊ? = WHAT?

All of them mean “what” in English, but the way they are used can differ.

QUE and O QUE are sometimes interchangeable, meaning that we can

use one or the other.
However, QUE when alone is often used with nouns, and the form O
QUE is usually coupled up with a verb.

QUE HORAS SÃO?

What hours are they? (literal direct translation)
What time is it?

QUE DIA É HOJE?

What day is today?

O QUE ESTÁS A FAZER?

What are you doing?

O QUE É ISTO?
What is this?
“QUE” COMBINED WITH PREPOSITIONS:

A QUE = AT WHAT

A que horas chega o avião?

At what time does the plane arrive?

EM QUE = IN WHAT/WHICH

Em que dia (tu) viajas para Lisboa?

In which day do you travel to Lisbon?

DE QUE = OF WHAT

De que cor é o carro?

Of what color is the car?

OTHER FORMS

O QUÊ? = WHAT?
This formula, with a sign “^” in the letter “e”, is mostly used alone and to
express surprise or exclamation.

O quê? Não acredito.

What !? I don’t believe.
PORQUE / PORQUÊ = WHY?

Porque gostas de bananas?

Why do you like bananas?

The form “Porquê” is often used alone in a sentence:

Tu gostas de bananas. Porquê?

You like bananas. Why?

However, “Porquê” can also be used inside a sentence, not as a

question pronoun but as noun, with the meaning of “the reason/the
why”

Quero saber o porquê de (tu) estares atrasado?

I want to know the why / the reason of you being late?

“Porquê” can also be used in the beginning of a question, but when we

don´t have an explicit verb:

Porquê tanto stress?

Why so much stress?
POR QUE, separate, is also possible, with the meaning of FOR WHAT /
WHICH.

Por que razão / motivo estás triste?

For what/which reason / motive are you sad?

In the middle of a statement, not a question, PORQUE also has the

meaning of BECAUSE.

Estou triste porque está a chover.

I am sad because it is raining.

QUANDO = WHEN

Quando vais para Portugal?

When do you go to Portugal?

Quando fazes anos?

When do you make years? (literal direct translation)
When is your birthday?
COMO = HOW

Como estás (tu)?

How are you?

Como vais para a escola?

How do you go to the school?

Como te chamas?
How do you call yourself? (literal direct translation)
What is your name?

QUANTO = HOW MUCH

(When it is connected to a verb and it does not have a feminine and
plural forms.)

Quanto é?
How much is it?

Quanto custa?
How much does it cost?
QUANTO = HOW MANY
When it is coupled up with a noun / something that is quantifiable.

Quantos bolos queres (tu)?

How many cakes do you want?

Quantas cidades tem Portugal?

How many cities does Portugal have?

QUAL = WHICH / WHAT

(plural: QUAIS)

Qual é o teu clube favorito?

What is your favorite club?
(In the sense of “which” – out of all the clubs, which one is your favorite.)

Qual é a tua profissão?

What is your profession?
(Also in the sense of “which” – out of all of the professions, which one is
yours.)

Quais são os teus filmes preferidos?

What are your preferred movies?