Introduction
The Portuguese word desde is essential for talking about time, origins, and starting points. English speakers often translate it as since or from, but its uses and preposition combinations in Brazilian Portuguese deserve careful explanation. This article explains how to use desde step by step, with clear grammar rules, natural examples, and helpful usage notes.
- What does desde mean?
- Using desde with time
- Using desde with events and clauses
- Using desde for spatial origin and direction
- Comparing desde with por, desde de, and há
- Common sentence structures and word order
- Verb tense tips when using desde
- Idiomatic expressions and collocations with desde
- Usage notes and regional preferences
- Quick reference: when to use desde
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Practical examples for learners
- Conclusion
What does desde mean?
Desde indicates a starting point in time or space. In English, it usually corresponds to since, from, or as of. It can mark when an action began and often pairs with verbs in the present perfect (in English) or presente/perfeito in Portuguese, depending on the context.
Basic senses
Desde has two main senses: temporal and spatial. Temporally, it points to the moment when an event started. Spatially, it describes origin or distance from a point. Both are common in Brazilian Portuguese and follow similar structure rules.
Using desde with time
When talking about time, desde is followed by a date, a day, a point in time, or an event. It answers the question quando começou? (when did it start?). The choice of verb tense in the main clause depends on whether the action is still ongoing or finished.
Common time expressions with desde
Use desde with points such as anos, meses, dias, horas, datas, eventos, or expressions like ontem, segunda-feira, and 2010. Examples:
desde 2015
desde janeiro
desde ontem
desde que cheguei
desde a infância
Ongoing actions
To describe an action that started in the past and continues in the present, use desde plus the starting point and the present tense in Portuguese.
Examples:
Eu moro em São Paulo desde 2018. (I have lived in São Paulo since 2018.)
Ela trabalha na empresa desde janeiro. (She has worked at the company since January.)
Notice Portuguese uses the present tense morar/trabalhar to express a continuing state, unlike English which often uses the present perfect. Both languages convey the same meaning.
Completed actions or specific periods
If the action is finished and you want to mention when it started, you can still use desde, but pair it with a past tense to indicate completion.
Examples:
Ele estudou português desde fevereiro até junho. (He studied Portuguese from February until June.)
O festival durou uma semana; surgiu desde a década de 1990. (The festival has existed since the 1990s.)
Using desde with events and clauses
Desde can introduce a clause to specify the event that marks the starting point. In these cases, desde is often followed by que + verb (desde que + verb).
Desde que + verb
Desde que introduces the situation or event that created the starting point. The verb after que is usually in the indicative when stating facts and in the subjunctive if the sentence expresses a condition or uncertainty.
Examples:
Eu não como carne desde que fiquei doente. (I haven’t eaten meat since I got sick.)
Desde que você chegou, tudo melhorou. (Since you arrived, everything improved.)
When there is no doubt or wish, use the indicative: desde que chegou, desde que começou. If the clause expresses a wish, fear, or hypothetical, Portuguese speakers may use the subjunctive after desde que.
Common pitfalls: desde que vs desde de
Never use desde de. The correct forms are desde + noun/date or desde que + clause. Wrong: desde de ontem. Right: desde ontem or desde que começou.
Using desde for spatial origin and direction
Spatial uses of desde describe movement or origin from a place. It is equivalent to from or since in English when talking about geographic starting points.
Examples of spatial desde
Ele veio desde Recife. (He came from Recife.)
A casa fica a cinco quilômetros desde o centro. (The house is five kilometers from the center.)
In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, short forms and colloquial alternatives sometimes appear, but desde remains correct and common in both written and spoken registers.
Comparing desde with por, desde de, and há
Portuguese has several prepositions to talk about time and duration. It is important to know when to use desde instead of others like por or há.
Desde vs há
Desde indicates the starting point; há emphasizes the duration that has passed. Use desde to say when something started and há to state how long it has been happening.
Examples:
Eu estudo português desde 2020. (I have been studying Portuguese since 2020.)
Eu estudo português há três anos. (I have been studying Portuguese for three years.)
Both sentences communicate related ideas: the first gives the start date, the second gives the duration.
Desde vs por
Por can express duration, often used with verbs in the past to indicate how long something lasted. For ongoing actions, por is less common with present tenses than desde or há.
Examples:
Ela esteve em férias por duas semanas. (She was on vacation for two weeks.) — finished action
Ela está de férias desde a semana passada. (She has been on vacation since last week.) — ongoing action
Common sentence structures and word order
Portuguese word order with desde is flexible but usually follows preposition + starting point near the verb. You can place the temporal phrase at the beginning or end of a sentence depending on emphasis.
Examples with different placements
Desde 2010, eu trabalho aqui. (Since 2010, I have worked here.)
Eu trabalho aqui desde 2010. (I have worked here since 2010.)
Starting the sentence with desde gives the time frame more emphasis. Putting it at the end sounds neutral and is very common in everyday speech.
Verb tense tips when using desde
Choosing the right verb tense with desde depends on whether the action continues.
Present tense for ongoing actions
Use present indicative to describe states or actions that started in the past and continue now.
Examples:
Nós somos amigos desde a escola. (We have been friends since school.)
Ele dirige essa van desde que chegou na empresa. (He has been driving this van since he arrived at the company.)
Past tenses for finished actions
When the action ended, use past forms such as pretérito perfeito, imperfeito, or mais-que-perfeito depending on meaning.
Examples:
Eu trabalhei naquela loja desde 2005 até 2009. (I worked at that store from 2005 until 2009.)
Ela morou em Paris desde que recebeu a bolsa, mas voltou no ano passado. (She lived in Paris since she received the scholarship, but returned last year.)
Idiomatic expressions and collocations with desde
Desde appears in several idiomatic expressions that are frequent in Brazilian Portuguese. Learning these helps you sound more natural.
Desde sempre
Desde sempre means since forever or for as long as one can remember.
Example:
Eu gosto de ler desde sempre. (I have liked reading forever.)
Desde então
Desde então means since then and refers back to a previously mentioned moment.
Example:
Ele mudou de cidade em 2019. Desde então, não nos vimos. (He moved in 2019. Since then, we haven’t seen each other.)
Desde quando
Since when is used to ask about the starting point.
Example:
Desde quando você estuda violão? (Since when have you been studying guitar?)
Usage notes and regional preferences
Brazilian Portuguese speakers widely use desde in both formal and informal contexts. There are some stylistic preferences: in casual spoken language, people sometimes replace desde with desde que in clauses or shorten expressions. Formal writing favors precise use of desde and avoids incorrect forms like desde de.
Cultural note: Brazilians often speak about events and personal history using time markers like desde and há. When telling stories, natives naturally move between starting points and durations to set context, so practicing both desde and há will improve comprehension of conversations and media.
Quick reference: when to use desde
Use desde to indicate a starting point:
– Start of a continuous action: Eu estudo desde 2021.
– Origin or point of departure: Ela veio desde Manaus.
– With clauses introducing the event that marks the start: Desde que começou a chover, ficamos em casa.
Common mistakes to avoid
– Do not use desde de. Wrong: Ele nasceu desde de 1990. Right: Ele nasceu em 1990 or Ele trabalha aqui desde 1990.
– Avoid mixing desde and há in the same phrase incorrectly. Use desde to state the starting point and há to state the duration.
– Remember that Portuguese often uses the present tense for actions that continue, unlike English present perfect. Eu moro aqui desde 2019 (not eu moro aqui desde que eu moro aqui).
Practical examples for learners
Here are several useful sentences showing natural use of desde across contexts. Read them aloud and notice verb choices.
Eu estudo medicina desde 2020.
Trabalho nessa empresa desde que me formei.
Estamos juntos desde a faculdade.
Ela não fuma desde março.
O restaurante abriu desde o mês passado.
Eles vieram desde outra cidade para a festa.
Conclusion
Desde is a small but powerful preposition in Brazilian Portuguese. Use it to mark starting points in time and space, pair it with the present to express ongoing actions, and remember the distinction from há and por. Pay attention to structures like desde que + clause and avoid incorrect forms like desde de. With these guidelines and examples, you will recognize and use desde naturally in conversation and writing.
