Intensifiers and Qualifiers in Portuguese Grammar

Introduction

Intensifiers and qualifiers are essential elements of Portuguese grammar that add depth, emotion, and precision to your communication. These small but powerful words help you express exactly how much, how little, or to what degree something occurs. Mastering intensifiers and qualifiers will transform your Portuguese from basic to expressive, allowing you to sound more natural and convey subtle nuances in meaning.

What Are Intensifiers and Qualifiers?

In Portuguese grammar, intensifiers and qualifiers are words or phrases that modify the intensity or quality of adjectives, adverbs, or verbs. They answer questions like how much, to what extent, or in what manner. While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they serve distinct purposes in Portuguese communication.

Intensificadores (intensifiers) strengthen or emphasize the meaning of the word they modify. They make statements more forceful and expressive. For example, when you say someone is muito intelligent, you’re not just saying they’re smart—you’re emphasizing that their intelligence is remarkable.

Qualificadores (qualifiers) modify the degree or extent of meaning but often in a more measured way. They can strengthen, weaken, or specify the quality being described. These words help you be more precise about what you mean, allowing you to express partial agreement, doubt, or varying degrees of certainty.

Common Intensifiers in Portuguese

Portuguese offers a rich variety of intensifiers that native speakers use constantly in everyday conversation. Understanding these words and when to use them is crucial for achieving fluency.

Muito: The Most Versatile Intensifier

Muito is perhaps the most common intensifier in Portuguese, equivalent to very or a lot in English. It can modify adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, making it incredibly versatile.

When modifying adjectives, muito must agree in gender and number with the noun:

Ela é muito inteligente.
(She is very intelligent.)

Eles são muito altos.
(They are very tall.)

As casas são muito bonitas.
(The houses are very beautiful.)

When modifying verbs or adverbs, muito remains invariable:

Eu trabalho muito.
(I work a lot.)

Ele corre muito rápido.
(He runs very fast.)

Bem: Adding Positive Emphasis

Bem functions as an intensifier meaning quite, really, or well. It often carries a positive connotation and is particularly common in Brazilian Portuguese.

O filme foi bem interessante.
(The movie was quite interesting.)

Ela mora bem longe daqui.
(She lives really far from here.)

Estou bem cansado hoje.
(I’m really tired today.)

Bastante: Expressing Sufficiency and Abundance

Bastante means quite, enough, or plenty. It can function as both an intensifier and a quantifier, depending on context.

Tenho bastante trabalho esta semana.
(I have quite a lot of work this week.)

A comida está bastante quente.
(The food is quite hot.)

Há bastantes pessoas na festa.
(There are quite a few people at the party.)

Note that when bastante functions as an adjective or pronoun, it can take a plural form (bastantes), but when used as an adverb, it remains invariable.

Demais: Excessive Intensity

Demais means too much or excessively. It typically comes after the word it modifies and often implies that something exceeds a desirable limit.

Você trabalha demais.
(You work too much.)

Ele é inteligente demais para esse trabalho.
(He’s too intelligent for this job.)

In colloquial Brazilian Portuguese, demais can also mean awesome or great when used as an adjective:

Esse show foi demais!
(That show was awesome!)

Extremamente, Extraordinariamente, and Incrivelmente

These longer intensifiers add dramatic emphasis and are equivalent to extremely, extraordinarily, and incredibly in English.

Extremamente:

O projeto é extremamente complexo.
(The project is extremely complex.)

Extraordinariamente:

Ela é extraordinariamente talentosa.
(She is extraordinarily talented.)

Incrivelmente:

O resultado foi incrivelmente positivo.
(The result was incredibly positive.)

Diminishing Qualifiers

Not all qualifiers intensify meaning—some reduce or soften it. These words help you express moderation, partial agreement, or uncertainty.

Pouco: Expressing Scarcity

Pouco means little or not very. It’s the opposite of muito and helps express that something occurs to a small degree.

Ele é pouco comunicativo.
(He is not very communicative.)

Tenho pouco tempo hoje.
(I have little time today.)

Like muito, when pouco modifies nouns, it must agree in gender and number:

Há poucas pessoas na sala.
(There are few people in the room.)

Meio: Partial Intensity

Meio as an intensifier means somewhat, rather, or kind of. It suggests that something is partially true or applies to a moderate degree.

Estou meio cansado.
(I’m somewhat tired.)

Ela ficou meio confusa com as instruções.
(She was rather confused by the instructions.)

In informal Brazilian Portuguese, meio is extremely common and adds a casual, tentative quality to statements. Note that when used as an intensifier, meio is invariable, even when modifying feminine adjectives.

Quase: Approaching but Not Quite

Quase means almost or nearly. It indicates that something came close to happening or being true but didn’t quite reach that point.

Eu quase esqueci minha chave.
(I almost forgot my key.)

O filme está quase terminando.
(The movie is almost over.)

Ela é quase tão alta quanto eu.
(She is almost as tall as I am.)

Comparative and Superlative Qualifiers

Portuguese uses specific structures to compare qualities and express the highest or lowest degree of something. These patterns are essential for making comparisons and expressing extremes.

Mais and Menos: Basic Comparisons

Mais (more) and menos (less) form the basis of comparative structures in Portuguese.

Este livro é mais interessante que aquele.
(This book is more interesting than that one.)

Ele trabalha menos horas que eu.
(He works fewer hours than I do.)

When comparing equal qualities, use tão…quanto or tão…como:

Ela é tão inteligente quanto o irmão.
(She is as intelligent as her brother.)

Superlative Constructions

To express the superlative (the most or the least), Portuguese uses o/a mais or o/a menos before the adjective:

Este é o restaurante mais famoso da cidade.
(This is the most famous restaurant in the city.)

Ela é a aluna mais dedicada da turma.
(She is the most dedicated student in the class.)

Aquele é o caminho menos complicado.
(That is the least complicated path.)

Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms that don’t follow the standard patterns:

Bom (good):
Comparative: melhor (better)
Superlative: o/a melhor (the best)

Este café é melhor que o outro.
(This coffee is better than the other one.)

Mau/ruim (bad):
Comparative: pior (worse)
Superlative: o/a pior (the worst)

Hoje o trânsito está pior que ontem.
(Today the traffic is worse than yesterday.)

Grande (big):
Comparative: maior (bigger)
Superlative: o/a maior (the biggest)

Pequeno (small):
Comparative: menor (smaller)
Superlative: o/a menor (the smallest)

Absolute Superlatives: The -íssimo Form

Portuguese has a unique way of expressing extreme degrees without comparison: the absolute superlative. This is formed by adding -íssimo/-íssima/-íssimos/-íssimas to the root of adjectives.

This construction is equivalent to saying extremely or very in English, but it’s more emphatic and dramatic. It’s particularly common in formal writing and enthusiastic speech.

Bonito (beautiful) becomes bonitíssimo (extremely beautiful):
A paisagem é bonitíssima.
(The landscape is extremely beautiful.)

Fácil (easy) becomes facilíssimo (extremely easy):
O exercício foi facilíssimo.
(The exercise was extremely easy.)

Grande (big) becomes grandíssimo (extremely big):
Ele cometeu um erro grandíssimo.
(He made an extremely big mistake.)

Some adjectives have irregular or Latin-derived superlative forms that are still used, especially in formal contexts:

Amável becomes amabilíssimo
Fiel becomes fidelíssimo
Simples becomes simplíssimo

Colloquial and Regional Intensifiers

Brazilian Portuguese is especially rich in colloquial intensifiers that add color and personality to everyday speech. These expressions are constantly evolving and vary by region and age group.

Pra Caramba: Emphatic Colloquialism

Pra caramba is an extremely common intensifier in Brazilian Portuguese, roughly equivalent to a lot or like crazy in English. It always comes after the word it modifies.

Ele estuda pra caramba.
(He studies like crazy.)

Estava frio pra caramba ontem.
(It was really cold yesterday.)

Demais da Conta: Beyond Measure

Demais da conta is a Brazilian expression meaning excessively or way too much. It’s more emphatic than demais alone.

Ele é engraçado demais da conta.
(He’s funny beyond measure.)

Bagarai, Barbaridade, and Regional Variations

Bagarai is a southern Brazilian expression (particularly in Rio Grande do Sul) used as an intensifier meaning a lot or very much.

Barbaridade, also from southern Brazil, expresses surprise and intensity, similar to wow or incredibly.

Different regions have their own intensifiers. In northeastern Brazil, you might hear arretado (awesome, intense) or oxente (an exclamation of surprise that can intensify statements).

Super and Mega: Modern Intensifiers

Super and mega are borrowed prefixes that function as intensifiers in informal Brazilian Portuguese, especially among younger speakers.

Estou super feliz hoje.
(I’m super happy today.)

O show foi mega legal.
(The show was mega cool.)

Qualifiers That Express Approximation

Portuguese has several words that help you express approximate quantities or qualities, adding nuance when you’re not being completely precise.

Cerca de, Aproximadamente, and Por Volta de

Cerca de and aproximadamente both mean approximately or about. Por volta de is used specifically for time.

Há cerca de cinquenta pessoas aqui.
(There are approximately fifty people here.)

Cheguei por volta de meio-dia.
(I arrived around noon.)

Mais ou Menos: The Versatile Approximator

Mais ou menos literally means more or less but functions as an extremely common qualifier meaning approximately, kind of, or so-so.

Quanto custa? Mais ou menos cinquenta reais.
(How much does it cost? Approximately fifty reais.)

Como você está? Mais ou menos.
(How are you? So-so.)

Adverbial Qualifiers of Frequency and Certainty

Qualifiers also help express how often something happens or how certain you are about a statement.

Frequency Qualifiers

Sempre (always), frequentemente (frequently), às vezes (sometimes), raramente (rarely), and nunca (never) modify verbs to indicate how regularly something occurs.

Eu sempre acordo cedo.
(I always wake up early.)

Às vezes vou ao cinema.
(Sometimes I go to the movies.)

Ela nunca chega atrasada.
(She never arrives late.)

Certainty and Doubt Qualifiers

Certamente (certainly), provavelmente (probably), talvez (perhaps), and possivelmente (possibly) express varying degrees of certainty.

Certamente vou à festa.
(I’ll certainly go to the party.)

Talvez eu viaje no próximo mês.
(Perhaps I’ll travel next month.)

Note that talvez when placed before the verb typically requires the subjunctive mood:

Talvez ele venha amanhã.
(Perhaps he will come tomorrow.)

Placement and Agreement Rules

Understanding where to place intensifiers and qualifiers in a sentence is crucial for sounding natural in Portuguese.

Position with Adjectives

Most intensifiers come directly before the adjective they modify:

Uma casa muito bonita
(A very beautiful house)

Um filme extremamente interessante
(An extremely interesting movie)

However, demais always comes after the adjective:

Ele é inteligente demais.
(He’s too intelligent.)

Position with Verbs

When modifying verbs, intensifiers typically come after the verb:

Ela trabalha muito.
(She works a lot.)

Eu gosto bastante de música.
(I like music quite a lot.)

Agreement Considerations

Some intensifiers and qualifiers must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, while others remain invariable.

Variable qualifiers (agree with nouns):

Muito, pouco, tanto, bastante (when functioning as adjectives)

Muitas pessoas (many people)
Poucos livros (few books)
Tantas opções (so many options)

Invariable intensifiers (never change):

Muito, pouco, bastante (when functioning as adverbs), meio, bem, demais

Elas são muito inteligentes.
(They are very intelligent.)

Ele está meio cansado.
(He is somewhat tired.)

Cultural and Contextual Usage

Understanding when and how to use intensifiers and qualifiers goes beyond grammar—it involves cultural awareness and sensitivity to context.

Formality Levels

Some intensifiers are more formal than others. In professional or academic contexts, opt for extremamente, significativamente, or consideravelmente rather than colloquial expressions like pra caramba or super.

Formal: O projeto apresenta resultados extremamente positivos.
(The project presents extremely positive results.)

Informal: O projeto deu super certo.
(The project worked out super well.)

Regional Preferences

Brazilian Portuguese tends to use more intensifiers and be more emphatic than European Portuguese. Brazilians often use multiple intensifiers in the same sentence for emphasis, while European Portuguese tends to be more restrained.

Additionally, certain intensifiers are distinctly Brazilian (pra caramba, demais da conta) and might sound unusual or be unfamiliar to European Portuguese speakers.

Avoiding Overuse

While intensifiers add expressiveness, overusing them can make your speech sound melodramatic or insincere. Native speakers vary their choice of intensifiers and know when restraint is more effective than emphasis.

Instead of saying everything is muito bom (very good), vary your vocabulary with ótimo (great), excelente (excellent), maravilhoso (wonderful), or other strong adjectives that don’t require intensification.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learners often make predictable errors when using intensifiers and qualifiers. Being aware of these mistakes will help you sound more natural.

Double Agreement Errors

One common mistake is making muito or pouco agree with adjectives when they function as adverbs.

Incorrect: Elas são muitas inteligentes.
Correct: Elas são muito inteligentes.
(They are very intelligent.)

Remember: when modifying adjectives or verbs, these words remain invariable.

Misplacing Demais

English speakers often want to place demais before the word it modifies, following English word order with too.

Incorrect: Demais caro
Correct: Caro demais
(Too expensive)

Confusing Meio with Metade

Meio as an intensifier (somewhat) is invariable, but learners sometimes confuse it with meio meaning half (which does vary) or metade (noun meaning half).

As intensifier: Ela está meio cansada. (She’s somewhat tired.)
As fraction: Comi meia pizza. (I ate half a pizza.)
As noun: Comi a metade da pizza. (I ate half of the pizza.)

Subjunctive with Talvez

When talvez precedes the verb, it triggers the subjunctive mood—a frequent source of errors for learners.

Incorrect: Talvez ele vai à festa.
Correct: Talvez ele vá à festa.
(Perhaps he will go to the party.)

Practical Exercises for Mastery

To truly master intensifiers and qualifiers, you need practice incorporating them naturally into your speech and writing.

Listening Practice

Pay attention to how native speakers use intensifiers in conversation. Watch Brazilian shows, listen to podcasts, or follow Brazilian content creators. Notice which intensifiers they prefer and in what contexts.

Create a personal list of intensifiers you hear frequently and practice using them yourself. You’ll find that certain intensifiers pair naturally with specific adjectives or contexts.

Speaking Practice

When practicing Portuguese conversation, consciously incorporate different intensifiers. Instead of always using muito, challenge yourself to use bastante, extremamente, bem, or colloquial options like pra caramba.

Practice expressing the same idea with different intensifiers to understand the subtle differences in meaning and register.

Writing Practice

When writing in Portuguese, review your work and identify opportunities to add intensifiers and qualifiers that make your meaning more precise or your tone more appropriate.

Try rewriting sentences using different intensifiers to see how the emphasis and feeling change. This will help you develop intuition about which intensifier best fits each situation.

Building Your Intensifier Vocabulary

Expanding your repertoire of intensifiers and qualifiers will make your Portuguese more varied and expressive.

Synonyms for Muito

While muito is versatile, having alternatives prevents repetition and adds sophistication to your language.

Demasiado (too much, excessively)
Assaz (quite, rather—formal and somewhat archaic)
Deveras (truly, indeed—formal)
Sobremodo (exceedingly—formal)
Sobremaneira (extremely—formal)

Emphatic Adverbs

Realmente (really, truly)
Verdadeiramente (truly, genuinely)
Absolutamente (absolutely)
Completamente (completely)
Totalmente (totally)
Inteiramente (entirely)

These adverbs work slightly differently than pure intensifiers—they emphasize the completeness or authenticity of a quality rather than just its degree.

Diminutive Qualifiers

Levemente (slightly)
Ligeiramente (slightly)
Um pouco (a little)
Um tanto (somewhat)
Relativamente (relatively)

These help you express subtle degrees and avoid overstatement.

Conclusion

Mastering intensifiers and qualifiers in Portuguese transforms your ability to communicate with precision and feeling. These seemingly small words carry significant weight, allowing you to express enthusiasm, restraint, approximation, and emphasis. From the versatile muito to colloquial favorites like pra caramba, each intensifier adds its own flavor to your speech. Practice incorporating them naturally, pay attention to context and formality, and your Portuguese will become more nuanced and authentic.