Portuguese Year 2: Accents, tilde and cedilla
Portuguese, Year 2 (Portugal): Know the acute and circumflex accents, the tilde and the cedilla, and see how one mark can change a word.
Four marks on the letters
Some marks are written above or below letters: they are called diacritics. The acute accent (´): «pé» (foot), «avó» (grandmother). The circumflex accent (^): «avô» (grandfather), «três» (three). The tilde (~) sends the sound through the nose: «mão» (hand), «irmã» (sister). The cedilla (¸) only appears with «c»: «caça» (game), «maçã» (apple). The acute and the circumflex show the vowel where the word sounds strongest.
The mark tells you how to read
These marks tell you how to read. The acute and the circumflex mark the strong vowel and how it sounds: open in «avó» (grandmother), closed in «avô» (grandfather). The tilde says the sound goes through the nose, as in «mão» (hand). Without the marks, the reader would have to guess. And in some pairs of words the mark is the only difference.
The missing mark in «avo»
A mark is missing in this sentence: «A minha avo faz bolos.» (My grandmother bakes cakes.) Step 1: «A minha» is feminine, so it is the grandmother, not the grandfather. Step 2: The «ó» sounds open, as in «pó» (dust): it takes the acute accent. Step 3: In «o meu avô», the «ô» sounds closed: it takes the circumflex. Step 4: Write «A minha avó faz bolos.» and check that the mark is on the strong vowel.
Thinking the accent is decoration
Many people think the accent is decoration and can be forgotten. But look: «Ele está em casa» (He is at home) and «Esta casa é grande» (This house is big). Without the accent, «está» (from the verb «estar») looks like «esta» (this), and the sentence makes no sense. The same happens with «é» (from the verb «ser») and «e» (the word that joins): «O gato é preto e branco.» (The cat is black and white.)
Where you see these marks
You see these marks in books, on street signs, on packaging and in messages. When you read aloud, an accent above a vowel warns you: the word sounds strongest here, as in «café» (coffee). And when you write, remember that «avó» (grandmother) and «avô» (grandfather) are different people!
Test what you learned
Which mark is above the «a» of «irmã» (sister)?
- a) The acute accent
- b) The cedilla
- c) The circumflex accent
- d) The tilde
Correct answer: d) The tilde — Yes: the tilde (~) is the wavy mark of «irmã» and «mão». It sends the sound through the nose.
«O meu avo lê o jornal.» (My … reads the newspaper.) A mark is missing in «avo». What is the right word?
- a) avó (grandmother)
- b) avô (grandfather)
- c) avõ
- d) ávo
Correct answer: b) avô (grandfather) — Yes: «o meu» is masculine, so it is the grandfather. The «ô» sounds closed, so it takes the circumflex.
«Esta menina esta cansada.» (This girl is tired.) This sentence has a mistake. What is it?
- a) None: accents are only decoration
- b) Both «esta» should have an accent
- c) The second «esta» should be «está», from the verb «estar»
- d) The second word should have a tilde: «estã»
Correct answer: c) The second «esta» should be «está», from the verb «estar» — Yes: the sentence needs the verb «está» (is). Without the accent it looks like «esta» (this), and the sentence loses its meaning.
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