Introduction
Desde is a small Portuguese preposition that packs a lot of meaning for expressing starting points in time and space. This article explains how and when to use desde in Brazilian Portuguese, with clear grammar rules, natural example sentences, and helpful usage notes for English-speaking learners from beginner to intermediate level.
- What does desde mean?
- Using desde with time expressions
- Using desde with places and directions
- Differences between desde, de, and há
- Using desde with verbs and tenses
- Common phrases and collocations with desde
- Common mistakes and tips to avoid them
- Regional and cultural usage notes
- Practical examples in context
- Short checklist for correct use
- Further learning suggestions
- Conclusion
What does desde mean?
Desde generally means from, since, or starting from. It indicates the point in time or place when an action, situation, or condition begins and often continues to the present. Think of it as marking a starting line: what happened before that line is outside the timeframe or area, and what happens after is included.
Two main uses
Use desde for two core functions:
– Starting point in time: For example, to say Since 2015 or From last Monday.
– Starting point in space: For example, From the corner or From São Paulo.
Using desde with time expressions
When talking about time, desde marks when something began. In English you often translate it as since or from. With desde, the action usually continues into the present or is still relevant.
Structure with time
The basic structure is:
Desde + time expression + comma(optional) + main clause
Examples:
Desde 2010, eu moro no Rio de Janeiro.
Desde segunda-feira, ela está de férias.
Desde ontem à noite, não consigo dormir.
Common time expressions used with desde
Examples of expressions that commonly follow desde:
anos (2010), meses (março), dias (segunda-feira), horas (às 9h), datas (1º de janeiro), períodos (a infância), momentos (sempre que eu me mudei)
Present relevance
When you use desde with the present perfect or present tense in Portuguese, it signals continuity from that starting point to now. Portuguese often pairs desde with present perfect periphrasis like tenho morado or with simple present when appropriate.
Examples:
Eu trabalho aqui desde 2018. (I have worked here since 2018 / I work here since 2018.)
Nós estamos juntos desde a faculdade. (We have been together since college.)
Using desde with places and directions
For places, desde indicates the origin or starting location. In this use, it often answers the question de onde? (from where?).
Structure with places
Desde + place + main clause
Examples:
Ele viajou desde São Paulo até o Norte do país.
Desde a esquina, eu consegui ver o palco.
O trem sai desde a estação central.
Nuances with movement verbs
When used with motion verbs like ir, sair, voltar, chegar, and viajar, desde focuses on the point of departure. Many learners use de + place instead, but desde adds emphasis to the origin and duration of a journey.
Examples:
Voltamos desde Minas Gerais depois de uma semana.
Ele saiu desde cedo. (Here desde cedo means starting early.)
Differences between desde, de, and há
Understanding when to use desde instead of de or há is important.
Desde vs de
De simply means of, from, or about and is more general. Use desde when you want to mark a starting point in time or space and imply continuity from that point.
Examples:
Eu venho de São Paulo. (I come from São Paulo — general origin.)
Eu moro aqui desde 2019. (I have lived here since 2019 — starting point and continuity.)
Desde vs há
Há is used to express elapsed time and is equivalent to ago or for in English when indicating duration. Use desde to indicate the starting point; use há to indicate how long something has lasted.
Examples:
Eu moro aqui desde 2019. (Starting point: since 2019.)
Eu moro aqui há três anos. (Duration: for three years.)
Two-way comparison
Put simply:
– Use desde to say since or from a starting point.
– Use há to say for or ago when focusing on duration.
Using desde with verbs and tenses
Desde commonly appears with present tense, present perfect-like constructions, and past perfect in contexts that highlight the origin point.
Present tense
Use the present tense when the situation started in the past and continues now.
Examples:
Eu estudo português desde o ano passado.
Ela trabalha na mesma empresa desde 2012.
Perfect constructions
Portuguese often uses present perfect ideas without a distinct perfect form like English. The present tense frequently carries the present-perfect meaning when paired with desde.
Examples:
Tenho estudado desde janeiro. (I have been studying since January.)
Estamos juntos desde 2015. (We have been together since 2015.)
Past and future contexts
You can use desde with the past tense when the starting point is also in the past but you speak from a later past perspective.
Example:
Ela morava lá desde 1999, quando conheceu o marido. (She had been living there since 1999, when she met her husband.)
With future references, desde is uncommon because it marks a starting point already in effect or in the past. For planned future starts, use a phrase like a partir de.
Example:
O evento começa a partir de segunda-feira. (The event starts from Monday.)
Common phrases and collocations with desde
Learning fixed phrases helps internalize usage. Here are frequent collocations:
Desde cedo — since early / early on
Desde então — since then
Desde sempre — since always / forever
Desde que — since / provided that (introduces a clause)
Examples:
Desde cedo, ela mostrava interesse pela música.
Ele saiu e desde então não voltou.
Eu te conheço desde sempre.
Desde que você chegou, a casa ficou mais alegre.
Note on desde que
Desde que often introduces a subordinate clause and can mean since or provided that depending on context. When it means since, it functions temporally; when it means provided that, it is conditional.
Examples:
Tem sido mais feliz desde que mudou de cidade. (Temporal: since he moved.)
Você pode sair, desde que volte cedo. (Conditional: provided that you return early.)
Common mistakes and tips to avoid them
Here are typical learner errors and how to fix them.
1. Confusing desde and há: Remember desde = starting point; há = duration or ago.
Wrong: Eu moro aqui desde três anos. (Incorrect)
Right: Eu moro aqui há três anos. / Eu moro aqui desde 2019.
2. Using desde for future starts: Use a partir de for things that start in the future.
Wrong: O curso começa desde segunda-feira. (Incorrect)
Right: O curso começa a partir de segunda-feira.
3. Omitting context that shows continuity: If the action does not continue to the present, choose a different structure.
Wrong: Eu trabalhei lá desde 2015. (Ambiguous — implies continuity but may be finished)
Better: Eu trabalhei lá entre 2015 e 2019. (If finished)
Regional and cultural usage notes
In Brazilian Portuguese, desde is widely used in both formal and informal registers. You will hear it in everyday conversation, news, and writing. Certain fixed expressions such as desde sempre and desde então are very common in spoken Portuguese and carry nuanced emotional tone: desde sempre often emphasizes deep familiarity or permanence, while desde então signals a clear turning point in a story.
Also note that while Portuguese from Portugal uses desde similarly, Brazilians may prefer simpler constructions or colloquial alternatives in casual speech, such as usando apenas de in some contexts, but these patterns should be learned through exposure to natural speech.
Practical examples in context
Here are natural sentences a learner might need, grouped by situation.
Work and study:
Desde 2020, trabalho em uma startup de tecnologia.
Tenho estudado medicina desde o ensino médio.
Relationships and life events:
Conhecemo-nos desde a faculdade.
Estamos casados desde 2018.
Travel and location:
Saí desde a rodoviária às cinco da manhã.
Vim desde a Bahia para visitar a família.
Stories and narration:
Ele decidiu mudar de carreira e, desde então, a vida dele mudou.
Desde pequeno, João adorava desenhar.
Short checklist for correct use
Before using desde, quickly ask yourself:
– Am I indicating the starting point of a time or place?
– Is the action continuing to the present or relevant now?
– If I want to express duration, would há or a date range be better?
– For future starts, should I use a partir de instead?
Further learning suggestions
To internalize desde, listen to Brazilian Portuguese podcasts, watch news reports and telenovelas, and read articles or books that include time markers. Pay attention to how native speakers contrast desde with há and de, and practice by shadowing sentences aloud. Over time, recognizing and producing the correct pattern will become natural.
Conclusion
Desde is a compact but essential preposition for indicating starting points in time and place in Brazilian Portuguese. Use it to mark when or where something began and usually continues to the present. Remember the contrasts with há for duration and a partir de for future starts. With exposure and focused practice, using desde correctly will become intuitive and will help your Portuguese sound more natural.
