daquele/daquela/daqueles/daquelas

Contraction Daquele

Level 2

Daquele (and its variations) means 'of that' or 'from that'. It is used to refer to things far away from both the speaker and the listener.

How It Works

The contraction daquele follows the gender and number of the noun it refers to:

  • Daquele: Masculine Singular (de + aquele)
  • Daquela: Feminine Singular (de + aquela)
  • Daqueles: Masculine Plural (de + aqueles)
  • Daquelas: Feminine Plural (de + aquelas)

Usage Scenarios:
1. Physical Distance: Use it for objects far from everyone involved. 'Gosto daquela casa ali' (I like that house over there).
2. Temporal Distance: Use it to talk about the distant past. 'Naquela época...' (In those days...).
3. Verbs requiring 'de': Many verbs like gostar (to like) or precisar (to need) trigger this contraction automatically when followed by 'that'.

Note on Register: While the contraction is mandatory in speech and standard writing, very formal literature might occasionally separate them if the demonstrative is the subject of an infinitive (e.g., 'O fato de aquele...'), but this is rare in modern usage.

Examples (4)

  1. Eu gosto muito daquele restaurante no fim da rua.

    I really like that restaurant at the end of the street.

    Word by Word: I like very-much of-that restaurant in-the end of-the street.

    The verb 'gostar' requires the preposition 'de', which contracts with 'aquele' because the restaurant is far away.

  2. Você se lembra daquela viagem que fizemos?

    Do you remember that trip we took?

    Word by Word: You yourself remember of-that trip that we-did?

    Here, 'daquela' is used for a past event (temporal distance) and agrees with the feminine noun 'viagem'.

  3. Hoje eu tive um dia daqueles!

    Today I had one of those days!

    Word by Word: Today I had a day of-those!

    This is a common idiomatic expression using the plural 'daqueles' to imply a particularly difficult or remarkable day.

  4. Eu preciso daquelas ferramentas que estão lá fora.

    I need those tools that are out there.

    Word by Word: I need of-those tools that are there outside.

    The feminine plural 'daquelas' is used to match 'ferramentas' (tools).

Common Mistakes

  • Failing to contract 'de' and 'aquele'.

    Eu gosto de aquele carro.
    Eu gosto daquele carro.

    In Portuguese, you must almost always contract the preposition 'de' with demonstratives. Leaving them separate sounds unnatural.

  • Confusing 'daquele' with 'desse'.

    Dê-me um pouco daquele café que você está segurando.
    Dê-me um pouco desse café que você está segurando.

    Use 'desse' for things near the listener. Use 'daquele' only for things far from both people.

  • Gender disagreement.

    Eu não gosto daquele comida.
    Eu não gosto daquela comida.

    The contraction must match the gender of the noun. Since 'comida' is feminine, you must use 'daquela'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

daquele/daquela/daqueles/daquelasLevel 2Contraction Daquele

Learn This First

To understand 'daquele' and its variations, you need to be familiar with the far demonstrative adjectives (aquele/aquela) and how the preposition 'de' (of/from) functions. Since 'daquele' is a mandatory contraction of 'de' + 'aquele', knowing how 'de' merges with other words like definite articles (do/da) helps you recognize the same linguistic logic here.

Words in This Pattern

daqueledaqueladaquelesdaquelas