por + o/a/os/as = pelo/pela/pelos/pelas

Contraction Pelo/Pela

Level 1

por + o/a/os/as = pelo/pela/pelos/pelas
Translates to: 'by the', 'through the', 'along the', or 'for the'.

How It Works

The contraction pelo (and its variations) is a fundamental part of Portuguese. It comes from an older form of the language where the preposition was 'per' and the articles were 'lo/la'.

1. Movement and Path
Use it when passing through or along a location:

  • Caminho pela rua. (I walk along the street.)

2. Means or Method
Use it to describe how something is sent or communicated:

  • Enviei o convite pelo correio. (I sent the invitation by mail.)
  • Falamos pelo telefone. (We spoke over the phone.)

3. Agent of Passive Voice
Use it to show who did an action in a passive sentence:

  • O livro foi escrito pelo autor. (The book was written by the author.)

4. Cause or Reason
It explains the motive behind an action:

  • Fizemos isso pela paz. (We did that for the sake of peace.)

5. Substitution and Representation
Use it when acting on behalf of someone else:

  • Eu assino pelo meu pai. (I sign for/on behalf of my father.)

6. Exchange and Price
Use it for specific rates or trades:

  • Comprei a fruta pelo preço certo. (I bought the fruit for the right price.)

7. Time and Gratitude
It is used for periods of the day (pela manhã) and to express thanks for specific things:

  • Obrigado pela ajuda. (Thanks for the help.)

Examples (5)

  1. Eu passo pelo parque todos os dias.

    I pass through the park every day.

    Word by Word: I pass through-the park all the days.

    Here, 'pelo' (por + o) indicates movement through a specific location (the park).

  2. Muito obrigado pela sua atenção.

    Thank you very much for your attention.

    Word by Word: Very thanked for-the your attention.

    We use 'pela' (por + a) with 'obrigado' to specify what we are thankful for.

  3. Enviei o documento pelo correio.

    I sent the document by mail.

    Word by Word: I-sent the document by-the mail.

    'Pelo' is used here to indicate the means or method used to send the document.

  4. A casa foi pintada pelos vizinhos.

    The house was painted by the neighbors.

    Word by Word: The house was painted by-the neighbors.

    In the passive voice, 'pelos' (por + os) identifies the agents who performed the action.

  5. Nós esperamos pelas notícias.

    We are waiting for the news.

    Word by Word: We wait for-the news.

    The plural feminine form 'pelas' (por + as) matches the plural feminine noun 'notícias'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'por o' or 'por a' instead of the contraction.

    Eu caminhei por a rua.
    Eu caminhei pela rua.

    Unlike English contractions (like 'don't'), Portuguese contractions with 'por' are mandatory in all levels of formality.

  • Attempting to contract 'por' with demonstratives like 'este' or 'esse'.

    Eu passei peleste caminho.
    Eu passei por este caminho.

    While 'de' and 'em' contract with demonstratives (deste, neste), 'por' only contracts with definite articles (o, a, os, as).

How It Connects

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

por + o/a/os/as = pelo/pela/pelos/pelasLevel 1Contraction Pelo/Pela

Learn This First

To understand the contractions pelo, pela, pelos, and pelas, you first need to be familiar with the preposition 'por' and the definite articles (o, a, os, as). Since these contractions must agree with the gender and number of the noun they precede, knowledge of noun gender and plural markers is also necessary.

Words in This Pattern

pelopelapelospelas