de + Noun
Possession with De
In Portuguese, possession is expressed by placing the possessed object first, followed by the preposition de, and then the owner. Unlike English, there is no 's' (apostrophe-s).
How It Works
The preposition de is the primary way to indicate possession, origin, or relationship in Portuguese.
1. Word Order:
The order is always 'The [Thing] of [Person]'. You cannot say 'Maria's carro'. It must be 'O carro de Maria'.
2. Material and Composition:
Beyond possession, de is used to describe what something is made of. For example: 'uma mesa de madeira' (a wooden table) or 'um copo de vidro' (a glass cup).
3. Mandatory Contractions:
When de is followed by a definite article or a demonstrative, they must merge. This is not optional:
- de + o = do / de + a = da (with definite articles)
- de + este = deste / de + aquela = daquela (with demonstratives)
4. Optional Contractions:
Contractions with indefinite articles, like de + um = dum or de + uma = duma, are common in spoken Portuguese but are often avoided in formal writing.
5. Pronoun Fusions and Agreement:
To say 'his' or 'hers' clearly, Portuguese often uses dele (de + ele) or dela (de + ela). These forms are preferred in speech to avoid confusion with seu/sua, which can mean 'your', 'his', or 'her'.
Crucial Rule: Unlike other possessives, dele/dela agree with the owner, not the object. For example: 'A casa dele' (His house - male owner) and 'O carro dela' (Her car - female owner).
6. Names and Articles:
In Portugal and many parts of Brazil, it is standard to use definite articles before names. In these regions, 'John's house' becomes 'A casa do João' (The house of the John). In other regions or formal writing, the article may be omitted: 'A casa de João'.
Examples (5)
- O livro do Pedro.
Pedro's book.
Word by Word: The book of the Pedro.
Uses the contraction 'do' (de + o) because names often take a masculine article.
- A chave da casa.
The house key.
Word by Word: The key of the house.
Uses 'da' (de + a) because 'casa' is a feminine noun.
- Onde está o carro dele?
Where is his car?
Word by Word: Where is the car of him?
'Dele' is the contraction of 'de + ele' (of him).
- Os brinquedos das crianças.
The children's toys.
Word by Word: The toys of the children.
Uses 'das' (de + as) for a feminine plural possessor.
- Este é o escritório do diretor.
This is the director's office.
Word by Word: This is the office of the director.
Shows a professional relationship/ownership using 'do'.
Common Mistakes
Using an English-style apostrophe-s.
Maria's carro.O carro da Maria.Portuguese never uses apostrophes to show possession. You must use the 'de' construction.
Failing to contract 'de' with the article.
O livro de o professor.O livro do professor.Contractions like 'do' and 'da' are mandatory in Portuguese grammar.
Reversing the word order.
O de Maria carro.O carro da Maria.The possessed object must always come before the possessor.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To express possession using 'de', you first need to understand the basic preposition 'de' and how it frequently contracts with definite articles (do/da) to link the object possessed to the owner.
Related Patterns
- de + o = doContraction Do
This is the specific masculine singular contraction used in possession.
Level 1 - dele/dela/deles/delasClarifying Seu/Sua with De
These are the contractions of 'de' with third-person pronouns to mean his/her/their.
Level 2 - de + este/esse/aquele = deste/desse/daqueleContraction with Demonstratives (De)
Mandatory contractions of 'de' with demonstrative adjectives to show possession or location.
Level 2 - de + um = dumContraction Dum
Optional and colloquial contractions of 'de' with indefinite articles.
Level 2 - de quemWhose (De Quem)
The question form used to ask 'Whose?' using the preposition 'de'.
Level 1
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Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice de + Noun in Bubblegum
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