Introduction
Learning how to use articles and pronouns correctly is one of the first steps in Brazilian Portuguese. This article focuses on how to use os and as when talking about more than one thing or person. You will get clear rules, practical examples, common mistakes, and useful vocabulary for everyday situations.
- What are os and as?
- How to form plurals with articles
- When to use os vs as
- Practical phrases for beginners
- Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
- Words that change gender meaning
- Using os and as with people
- Common phrases you will see in signs, menus, and schedules
- Practice exercises for beginners
- Common support words that change with plural
- More realistic examples you will use
- When the article is dropped in plural
- Mini review: checklist before speaking
- Conclusion
What are os and as?
In Brazilian Portuguese, os and as are definite articles used with plural nouns. They work like the English word the, but they must match the gender and number of the noun. Use os with masculine plural nouns and as with feminine plural nouns.
Quick gender reminder
Most nouns ending in -o are masculine and most ending in -a are feminine, but there are many exceptions. For beginners, recognizing common patterns helps. When in doubt, learn nouns with their article: for example, o carro and a casa. For plurals, these become os carros and as casas.
How to form plurals with articles
When a singular noun has a definite article, the article and the noun both change to plural. Keep the gender when you form the plural.
Singular masculine: o livro → Plural masculine: os livros
Singular feminine: a mesa → Plural feminine: as mesas
Examples with everyday vocabulary
os amigos — the friends (masculine or mixed group)
as amigas — the friends (female group)
os restaurantes — the restaurants
as praias — the beaches
When to use os vs as
Choose os if the group you mention is all masculine or mixed gender. Choose as if the group is all feminine. Gender agreement is essential because Portuguese adjectives and articles must match the noun they describe.
Gender agreement examples
os estudantes inteligentes — the intelligent students (mixed or male)
as estudantes inteligentes — the intelligent students (female)
os carros novos — the new cars
as lojas fechadas — the closed shops
Practical phrases for beginners
Short, everyday phrases help you remember how to use os and as naturally.
At a cafe: Os cafés estão abertos?
Are the cafes open?
As tickets: As entradas são para sábado.
The tickets are for Saturday.
As hours: Os horários mudaram.
The schedules changed.
Shopping list: Compre as frutas e os legumes.
Buy the fruits and the vegetables.
Short dialogues
Dialogue 1 — planning:
— Vamos às praias amanhã?
— Sim, as praias perto do hotel são bonitas.
Dialogue 2 — asking for information:
— Onde estão os bilhetes?
— Os bilhetes estão na mesa.
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: using os and as randomly without checking noun gender. Always learn the article with the noun: say o livro, a cadeira.
Mistake 2: translating word-for-word from English. English uses the for both genders. In Portuguese you must change the article. Think masculine or feminine before choosing os or as.
Mistake 3: forgetting plural agreement for adjectives. Adjectives change to plural too: os alunos felizes, as alunas felizes.
Simple trick to remember
When you learn a new noun, say it with its singular article: o or a. Later, if you need the plural, change o to os and a to as and add -s or -es to the noun. This builds a habit and reduces errors.
Words that change gender meaning
Some nouns change meaning with gender. Here the plural article also changes the meaning or who you talk about.
o capital (money) → os capitais (capitals in geography) — be careful with context.
a capital (the capital city) → as capitais (female cities) — rare but possible in some contexts.
Another example: o rádio (device) vs a rádio (radio station). Plurals: os rádios, as rádios. Context tells you which one.
Using os and as with people
When talking about people, pay attention to group composition. Use os for a male group or mixed group, as for a female-only group.
Os alunos chegaram cedo. — The students (boys or mixed) arrived early.
As alunas chegaram cedo. — The students (girls) arrived early.
Gender-neutral and inclusive language
Traditional grammar teaches masculine as default for mixed groups. Some speakers use neutral forms in informal contexts, but for beginners focus on standard usage: os amigos for mixed groups and as amigas for an all-female group.
Common phrases you will see in signs, menus, and schedules
Signs and public information often use plural articles. Recognizing them helps you navigate Brazil.
Menu: As sobremesas — the desserts
Train schedule: Os horários — the times
Store hours sign: As lojas abrem às 9h — The shops open at 9
Tourist brochure: Os museus fecham às 17h — The museums close at 5pm
Practice exercises for beginners
Exercise 1: Convert these singular phrases to plural using the correct article.
o cachorro →
a cadeira →
Answers: os cachorros, as cadeiras
Exercise 2: Choose the correct article.
_____ praias são lindas. (os / as)
_____ livros estão na mesa. (os / as)
Answers: as praias, os livros
Exercise 3: Translate to Portuguese.
The shops are closed.
The friends are here. (female group)
Answers: As lojas estão fechadas.
As amigas estão aqui.
Tips to learn faster
Tip 1: Always learn new nouns with their article: o or a. For example, memorize o teclado, a janela.
Tip 2: Practice with real materials: read menus, signs, and simple messages in Brazilian Portuguese and identify plural articles.
Tip 3: Listen to short dialogues or songs and spot os and as. Hearing helps internalize patterns.
Common support words that change with plural
Some function words also change with number and must match os and as. Learn these pairs.
do + os becomes dos — of the / from the for masculine plural: dos amigos
da + as becomes das — of the / from the for feminine plural: das amigas
Examples: O livro dos professores — the teachers book
As fotos das meninas — the girls photos
More realistic examples you will use
At a bakery: As bolachas estão frescas. — The cookies are fresh.
Making plans: Os cinemas têm novos filmes. — The cinemas have new movies.
Asking a friend: As receitas são fáceis? — Are the recipes easy?
Work email: Os relatórios foram enviados. — The reports were sent.
When the article is dropped in plural
Sometimes Portuguese drops the article in lists or headlines. Beginners should notice but still learn the full forms. Example on a menu: Saladas, Sopas, Massas (no articles). In a sentence you will usually use the article: As saladas estão frescas.
Mini review: checklist before speaking
1. Identify the noun and whether it is singular or plural.
2. Identify gender: masculine or feminine.
3. Use os for masculine plural, as for feminine plural.
4. Make adjectives and verbs agree in number and gender when needed.
Conclusion
Mastering os and as is essential for clear communication in Brazilian Portuguese. Focus on learning nouns with their articles, practice with realistic phrases like menus, signs, and short dialogues, and remember the gender and plural agreement rules. With simple daily practice, you will soon feel confident using os and as in real conversations.
