What is “with” in Portuguese?
The English preposition “with” joins a person or thing to another: “coffee with milk”, “come with me”, “write with a pen”. Portuguese says com: café com leite; vens comigo?; escrevo com uma caneta. Com comes straight from Latin cum, “with”, the same word that gave Spanish con and Italian con, and that survives in English as the prefix co-, com-, con- (co-operate, compose, connect).
The first thing to learn is that com does most of the jobs of English “with”. It means company (vou com ela, “I’m going with her”), the tool used (com uma faca, “with a knife”), the manner (com cuidado, “with care, carefully”), what something has or contains (um quarto com vista para o mar, “a room with a sea view”), and the circumstances (com esta chuva, “with this rain”).
The second thing is that com joins some pronouns in one word. You met comigo, “with me”, in Lesson 8 and contigo, “with you”, in Lesson 9. The full set is comigo, contigo, consigo, connosco, convosco. With the other pronouns com stays separate: com ele, com ela, com você, com eles (Lesson 16).
The third thing is that Portuguese uses com in places where English uses another word, or none at all: falar com, “talk to”; sonhar com, “dream about”; contar com, “count on”; casar com, “marry”; estar com fome, “be hungry”. And English “with” is sometimes not com: cheio de água, “filled with water”; a rapariga de olhos verdes, “the girl with green eyes”. Section D sets these out.
Unlike a, de, em and por, com does not join the article in standard writing: com o, com a, com um, com uma, always two words.
This lesson uses European Portuguese, as Lesson 5 declared for this course. Section E describes Brazilian usage.
FAQ: How do you say “with” in Portuguese?
Q: How do I say “with me”, “with you”, “with us”? A: Comigo, contigo, connosco: one word each. ✗ com mim, ✗ com ti and ✗ com nós are mistakes.
Q: How do I say “I’m hungry”? A: Estou com fome, “I am with hunger”, or tenho fome, “I have hunger”. Both are correct; English uses “be” + adjective.
Q: How do I say “Who are you going with?” A: Com quem vais? The preposition always comes before quem. Portuguese never leaves a preposition at the end, as English does.
Q: How do I say “She married João”? A: Ela casou com o João. Portuguese needs com where English has no preposition.
Q: How do I say “Excuse me” when I want to get past? A: Com licença, “with permission”.
Key Takeaways: -
Com means “with”: company, tool, manner, contents, circumstances: café com leite, com uma caneta, com cuidado -
Com joins the pronouns: comigo, contigo, consigo, connosco, convosco; but com ele, com ela, com você, com eles -
Com does not join the article: com o, com a, com um, com uma -
Many verbs take com where English has another word: falar com, sonhar com, contar com, casar com, acabar com -
“With” is sometimes de: cheio de, coberto de neve, o homem de chapéu
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Com /kõ/ — one syllable with a nasal o: say the o of “more” through the nose, without closing the lips at the end. The m is not pronounced as an m; it only shows that the vowel is nasal, as in bom /bõ/ and som /sõ/.
Comigo /kuˈmiɡu/ — the stress falls on mi, and the first o is unstressed and is not nasal: it is reduced to a short “oo”: “koo-MEE-goo”.
Contigo /kõˈtiɡu/, consigo /kõˈsiɡu/ — here the n closes the syllable, and the first vowel keeps its nasal sound: “kõ-TEE-goo”, “kõ-SEE-goo”.
Connosco /kõˈnoʃku/, convosco /kõˈvoʃku/ — stress on the closed o of nos, vos; the s before c is “sh”, as always before a consonant in Lisbon: “kõ-NOSH-koo”.
In connected speech com runs into the next word: com o sounds almost like one syllable, “kõu”.
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Duplex Method: line a gives each Portuguese word with its meaning; line b gives the same words with IPA and grammatical glosses.
17.1a Café coffee com with leite milk
17.1b Café /kɐˈfɛ/ coffee.M.SG com /kõ/ with leite /ˈlɐjtɨ/ milk.M.SG
17.2a Vens you-come comigo with-me
17.2b Vens /vɐ̃j̃ʃ/ come.PRES.2SG comigo /kuˈmiɡu/ with-me.1SG
17.3a Estou I-am com with fome hunger
17.3b Estou /ɨʃˈto/ be.PRES.1SG com /kõ/ with fome /ˈfɔmɨ/ hunger.F.SG
17.4a Vou I-go falar to-speak com with ela her
17.4b Vou /vo/ go.PRES.1SG falar /fɐˈlaɾ/ speak.INF com /kõ/ with ela /ˈɛlɐ/ her.OBL.3SG.F
17.5a Com with licença permission
17.5b Com /kõ/ with licença /liˈsẽsɐ/ permission.F.SG
17.6a Escrevo I-write sempre always com with uma a caneta pen azul blue
17.6b Escrevo /ɨʃˈkɾevu/ write.PRES.1SG sempre /ˈsẽpɾɨ/ always com /kõ/ with.INSTR uma /ˈumɐ/ a.F.SG caneta /kɐˈnetɐ/ pen.F.SG azul /ɐˈzul/ blue.SG
17.7a A the Marta Marta casou married com with um a rapaz young-man de from Braga Braga
17.7b A /ɐ/ the.F.SG Marta /ˈmaɾtɐ/ Marta casou /kɐˈzo/ marry.PRET.3SG com /kõ/ with um /ũ/ a.M.SG rapaz /ʁɐˈpaʃ/ young-man.M.SG de /dɨ/ from Braga /ˈbɾaɡɐ/ Braga
17.8a Podes you-can contar to-count connosco with-us para for a the festa party
17.8b Podes /ˈpɔdɨʃ/ can.PRES.2SG contar /kõˈtaɾ/ count.INF connosco /kõˈnoʃku/ with-us.1PL para /ˈpɐɾɐ/ for.GOAL a /ɐ/ the.F.SG festa /ˈfɛʃtɐ/ party.F.SG
17.9a Ele he abriu opened a the porta door com with cuidado care
17.9b Ele /ˈelɨ/ he.NOM.3SG.M abriu /ɐˈbɾiw/ open.PRET.3SG a /ɐ/ the.F.SG porta /ˈpɔɾtɐ/ door.F.SG com /kõ/ with.MANNER cuidado /kujˈdadu/ care.M.SG
17.10a Quero I-want um a quarto room com with vista view para towards o the mar sea
17.10b Quero /ˈkɛɾu/ want.PRES.1SG um /ũ/ a.M.SG quarto /ˈkwaɾtu/ room.M.SG com /kõ/ with vista /ˈviʃtɐ/ view.F.SG para /ˈpɐɾɐ/ towards o /u/ the.M.SG mar /maɾ/ sea.M.SG
17.11a Com with esta this chuva rain ninguém nobody vai goes sair to-leave de from casa home hoje today
17.11b Com /kõ/ with.CIRC esta /ˈɛʃtɐ/ this.F.SG chuva /ˈʃuvɐ/ rain.F.SG ninguém /nĩˈɡɐ̃j̃/ nobody vai /vaj/ go.PRES.3SG sair /sɐˈiɾ/ leave.INF de /dɨ/ from casa /ˈkazɐ/ home.F.SG hoje /ˈoʒɨ/ today
17.12a Sonhei I-dreamt contigo with-you esta this noite night mas but não not me myself lembro I-remember de of nada nothing
17.12b Sonhei /suˈɲɐj/ dream.PRET.1SG contigo /kõˈtiɡu/ with-you.2SG esta /ˈɛʃtɐ/ this.F.SG noite /ˈnojtɨ/ night.F.SG mas /mɐʃ/ but não /nɐ̃w̃/ not me /mɨ/ myself.REFL.1SG lembro /ˈlẽbɾu/ remember.PRES.1SG de /dɨ/ of nada /ˈnadɐ/ nothing
17.13a Com with tanto so-much trabalho work ainda still não not tive I-had tempo time para for falar to-speak com with o the meu my pai father
17.13b Com /kõ/ with.CIRC tanto /ˈtɐ̃tu/ so-much.M.SG trabalho /tɾɐˈbaʎu/ work.M.SG ainda /ɐˈĩdɐ/ still não /nɐ̃w̃/ not tive /ˈtivɨ/ have.PRET.1SG tempo /ˈtẽpu/ time.M.SG para /ˈpɐɾɐ/ for.GOAL falar /fɐˈlaɾ/ speak.INF com /kõ/ with o /u/ the.M.SG meu /mew/ my.M.SG pai /paj/ father.M.SG
17.14a Está it-is a at chover to-rain muito much o the senhor gentleman pode can levar to-take o the meu my guarda-chuva umbrella consigo with-you
17.14b Está /ɨʃˈta/ be.PRES.3SG a /ɐ/ at.PROG chover /ʃuˈveɾ/ rain.INF muito /ˈmũjtu/ much o /u/ the.M.SG senhor /sɨˈɲoɾ/ gentleman.M.SG.POLITE pode /ˈpɔdɨ/ can.PRES.3SG levar /lɨˈvaɾ/ take.INF o /u/ the.M.SG meu /mew/ my.M.SG guarda-chuva /ˌɡwaɾdɐˈʃuvɐ/ umbrella.M.SG consigo /kõˈsiɡu/ with-you.3SG.POLITE
17.15a Ela she acabou finished com with o the namorado boyfriend por by mensagem message sem without lhe to-him explicar to-explain porquê why
17.15b Ela /ˈɛlɐ/ she.NOM.3SG.F acabou /ɐkɐˈbo/ finish.PRET.3SG com /kõ/ with o /u/ the.M.SG namorado /nɐmuˈɾadu/ boyfriend.M.SG por /puɾ/ by.MEANS mensagem /mẽˈsaʒɐ̃j̃/ message.F.SG sem /sɐ̃j̃/ without lhe /ʎɨ/ him.DAT.3SG explicar /ɐjʃpliˈkaɾ/ explain.INF porquê /puɾˈke/ why
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17.1 Café com leite. → “Coffee with milk.”
17.2 Vens comigo? → “Are you coming with me?”
17.3 Estou com fome. → “I’m hungry.”
17.4 Vou falar com ela. → “I’m going to talk to her.”
17.5 Com licença! → “Excuse me!”
17.6 Escrevo sempre com uma caneta azul. → “I always write with a blue pen.”
17.7 A Marta casou com um rapaz de Braga. → “Marta married a young man from Braga.”
17.8 Podes contar connosco para a festa. → “You can count on us for the party.”
17.9 Ele abriu a porta com cuidado. → “He opened the door carefully.”
17.10 Quero um quarto com vista para o mar. → “I’d like a room with a sea view.”
17.11 Com esta chuva, ninguém vai sair de casa hoje. → “With this rain, nobody is going to leave the house today.”
17.12 Sonhei contigo esta noite, mas não me lembro de nada. → “I dreamt about you last night, but I don’t remember anything.”
17.13 Com tanto trabalho, ainda não tive tempo para falar com o meu pai. → “With so much work, I still haven’t had time to talk to my father.”
17.14 Está a chover muito; o senhor pode levar o meu guarda-chuva consigo. → “It’s pouring with rain; you can take my umbrella with you, sir.”
17.15 Ela acabou com o namorado por mensagem, sem lhe explicar porquê. → “She broke up with her boyfriend by text message, without telling him why.”
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17.1 Café com leite.
17.2 Vens comigo?
17.3 Estou com fome.
17.4 Vou falar com ela.
17.5 Com licença!
17.6 Escrevo sempre com uma caneta azul.
17.7 A Marta casou com um rapaz de Braga.
17.8 Podes contar connosco para a festa.
17.9 Ele abriu a porta com cuidado.
17.10 Quero um quarto com vista para o mar.
17.11 Com esta chuva, ninguém vai sair de casa hoje.
17.12 Sonhei contigo esta noite, mas não me lembro de nada.
17.13 Com tanto trabalho, ainda não tive tempo para falar com o meu pai.
17.14 Está a chover muito; o senhor pode levar o meu guarda-chuva consigo.
17.15 Ela acabou com o namorado por mensagem, sem lhe explicar porquê.
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These are the grammar rules for “with” (com) in Portuguese:
1. What com means
Company: vens comigo? (17.2); vou falar com ela (17.4).
The tool or means: escrevo com uma caneta azul (17.6); penso com os olhos (Section F).
The manner: com cuidado (17.9), “with care, carefully”. Com + a noun often does the work of an English adverb in -ly: com calma, “calmly”; com atenção, “attentively”; com prazer, “with pleasure, gladly”.
What something has or contains: café com leite (17.1); um quarto com vista para o mar (17.10).
The circumstances or cause: com esta chuva (17.11); com tanto trabalho (17.13).
A passing state, with estar: estou com fome (17.3), “I’m hungry”; estar com sede, frio, sono, pressa, medo: “be thirsty, cold, sleepy, in a hurry, afraid”. Ter fome, ter sede and so on are equally correct.
2. Com and the pronouns
Com joins five pronouns in one word:
com + mim = comigo (with me) (17.2)
com + ti = contigo (with you, informal) (17.12)
com + si = consigo (with himself, herself, themselves; and in Portugal “with you” to someone addressed as o senhor, a senhora or você) (17.14)
com + nós = connosco (with us) (17.8)
com + vós = convosco (with you, plural)
With every other pronoun, com stays separate: com ele, com ela, com eles, com elas (Lesson 16), com você, com vocês, com a gente.
Com nós is used only when nós has a word after it that counts or reinforces it, as Ciberdúvidas da Língua Portuguesa explains: com nós dois, “with the two of us”; com nós todos, “with all of us”; com nós próprios, “with ourselves”. Otherwise the form is connosco.
For the plural “you”, convosco is the older form; com vocês is also correct when the people are addressed as vocês.
3. Com and the article
Com does not join the article in writing: com o meu pai (17.13), com o namorado (17.15), com uma caneta (17.6), com as mãos (Section F). This sets it apart from a (ao), de (do), em (no) and por (pelo).
4. Verbs that take com
Many verbs need com where English has another preposition or none. Learn them with com:
falar com, “talk to, speak to” (17.4, 17.13)
casar com, “marry” (17.7)
sonhar com, “dream about, dream of” (17.12)
contar com, “count on, rely on” (17.8)
acabar com, “break up with; put an end to” (17.15)
parecer-se com, “look like” (Lesson 16, 16.24)
preocupar-se com, “worry about”; zangar-se com, “get angry with”; ter cuidado com, “be careful with”
5. No preposition at the end
English can end a question with “with”: “Who are you going with?” Portuguese cannot. The preposition goes in front: com quem vais?, “with whom are you going?”; a pessoa com quem falei, “the person I spoke to”.
6. Com and sem
Sem, “without”, is the opposite of com, and is built the same way: café com açúcar, café sem açúcar; sem lhe explicar porquê (17.15). Before an infinitive, sem means “without …-ing”.
Common mistakes for English speakers:
Mistake: Com and the pronoun as two words. ✗ com mim → ✓ comigo; ✗ com ti → ✓ contigo; ✗ com nós → ✓ connosco.
Mistake: Leaving out com after casar. ✗ a Marta casou um rapaz → ✓ a Marta casou com um rapaz (17.7).
Mistake: “Dream of” with de. ✗ sonhei de ti → ✓ sonhei contigo (17.12).
Mistake: “Talk to” with a or para. ✗ vou falar a ela → ✓ vou falar com ela (17.4).
Mistake: Com for “filled with”, “covered with”. ✗ cheio com água → ✓ cheio de água; a serra coberta de neve, “the mountains covered with snow”.
Mistake: Com for a lasting feature of a person. “The man with the hat”, “the girl with green eyes” are usually o homem de chapéu, a rapariga de olhos verdes.
Mistake: The preposition at the end. ✗ quem vais com? → ✓ com quem vais?
Mistake: Joining com to the article. ✗ co meu pai → ✓ com o meu pai, even though the two words run together in speech.
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Frequency
Com is one of the commonest prepositions in Portuguese, and it is in many set phrases of everyday life.
Everyday phrases
Com licença (17.5), “excuse me”: said when passing someone, entering a room or leaving the table.
Com certeza, “certainly, of course”: one of the most frequent replies in Portugal. — Pode ajudar-me? — Com certeza!
Com todo o gosto, “with great pleasure”, and com prazer, “gladly”: polite answers to a request.
The proverb: Diz-me com quem andas, dir-te-ei quem és, “tell me who you go about with, and I’ll tell you who you are.”
Food
Com names many Portuguese dishes and drinks: café com leite; pão com manteiga, “bread and butter”; bacalhau com natas, “salt cod with cream” (the Genre Section). At Christmas Eve supper, the Consoada, many families eat bacalhau com todos, “cod with everything”: boiled salt cod with potatoes, cabbage and eggs.
Consigo
In Portugal consigo is the usual polite “with you” to someone addressed as o senhor, a senhora or você: posso falar consigo?, “may I speak with you?” (17.14). Consigo is also the 1st person of conseguir, “I manage” (não consigo, Lesson 16, 16.14): same spelling and sound, a different word. The context always shows which is meant.
Brazil
Brazil writes conosco, with one n; Portugal writes connosco. In Brazil consigo is felt above all as reflexive (“with himself, herself”), and “with you” is normally com você. Colloquial Brazilian speech often reduces com to a short /ku/. Com a gente, “with us”, is very common in Brazil, and Ciberdúvidas accepts it as correct in Portugal too.
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Source: Fernando Pessoa, writing as Alberto Caeiro, O Guardador de Rebanhos (“The Keeper of Sheep”), poem IX, “Sou um guardador de rebanhos”, lines 1–6. Text from Alberto Caeiro, Poesia, ed. Fernando Cabral Martins and Richard Zenith (Lisbon: Assírio & Alvim, 2001), p. 42, as reproduced by the Casa Fernando Pessoa; the blog Defender o Quadrado (SAPO) gives the same six lines.
Context: Caeiro is Pessoa’s heteronym of plain seeing (Lesson 16): a country poet who wants no philosophy, only the world as the senses give it. Poem IX states his whole method in its first lines: his thoughts are his flock, and he thinks with his body. Com, said four times, names the tools of thought.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Sou I-am um a guardador keeper de of rebanhos flocks
F.1b Sou /so/ be.PRES.1SG um /ũ/ a.M.SG guardador /ɡwɐɾdɐˈdoɾ/ keeper.M.SG de /dɨ/ of rebanhos /ʁɨˈbɐɲuʃ/ flock.M.PL
F.2a O the rebanho flock é is os the meus my pensamentos thoughts E and os the meus my pensamentos thoughts são are todos all sensações sensations
F.2b O /u/ the.M.SG rebanho /ʁɨˈbɐɲu/ flock.M.SG é /ɛ/ be.PRES.3SG os /uʃ/ the.M.PL meus /mewʃ/ my.M.PL pensamentos /pẽsɐˈmẽtuʃ/ thought.M.PL E /i/ and os /uʃ/ the.M.PL meus /mewʃ/ my.M.PL pensamentos /pẽsɐˈmẽtuʃ/ thought.M.PL são /sɐ̃w̃/ be.PRES.3PL todos /ˈtoduʃ/ all.M.PL sensações /sẽsɐˈsõjʃ/ sensation.F.PL
F.3a Penso I-think com with os the olhos eyes e and com with os the ouvidos ears
F.3b Penso /ˈpẽsu/ think.PRES.1SG com /kõ/ with.INSTR os /uʃ/ the.M.PL olhos /ˈɔʎuʃ/ eye.M.PL e /i/ and com /kõ/ with.INSTR os /uʃ/ the.M.PL ouvidos /oˈviduʃ/ ear.M.PL
F.4a E and com with as the mãos hands e and os the pés feet E and com with o the nariz nose e and a the boca mouth
F.4b E /i/ and com /kõ/ with.INSTR as /ɐʃ/ the.F.PL mãos /mɐ̃w̃ʃ/ hand.F.PL e /i/ and os /uʃ/ the.M.PL pés /pɛʃ/ foot.M.PL E /i/ and com /kõ/ with.INSTR o /u/ the.M.SG nariz /nɐˈɾiʃ/ nose.M.SG e /i/ and a /ɐ/ the.F.SG boca /ˈbokɐ/ mouth.F.SG
F-B: Authentic Text with Idiomatic English Translation
Sou um guardador de rebanhos. O rebanho é os meus pensamentos E os meus pensamentos são todos sensações. Penso com os olhos e com os ouvidos E com as mãos e os pés E com o nariz e a boca.
→ “I am a keeper of flocks. The flock is my thoughts, and my thoughts are all sensations. I think with my eyes and with my ears, and with my hands and feet, and with my nose and mouth.” (Latinum Institute translation.)
F-C: Authentic Text Only
Sou um guardador de rebanhos. O rebanho é os meus pensamentos E os meus pensamentos são todos sensações. Penso com os olhos e com os ouvidos E com as mãos e os pés E com o nariz e a boca.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Penso com os olhos (F.3) — com of the instrument, as in escrevo com uma caneta (17.6). The surprise is in what Caeiro calls the instrument: not the mind, but the eyes.
Com … com … com (F.3–F.4) — com is said four times. In e com os ouvidos it is repeated before the second noun; in e com as mãos e os pés it is not. Both are correct. Repeating the preposition gives each noun its own weight; the poem moves between the two.
Os olhos, as mãos (F.3–F.4) — Portuguese uses the article with parts of the body where English uses “my”: penso com os olhos, “I think with my eyes”. Os meus olhos would add stress that the line does not need.
O rebanho é os meus pensamentos (F.2) — a grammar book would expect são, agreeing with the plural pensamentos: o rebanho são os meus pensamentos. Caeiro keeps é, agreeing with o rebanho: the flock is one thing.
Guardador de rebanhos (F.1) — guardador, “keeper”, from guardar, “keep, guard”, with the agent ending -dor, “one who does”. Rebanho is a flock of sheep or goats.
Sensações (F.2) — the plural of sensação: nouns in -ção make their plural in -ções.
The six lines are the poem’s whole programme: thought is not separate from the body, and com, the plainest of prepositions, is the word that ties them.
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A recipe written for this lesson, in the form a Portuguese cookery book uses: each step a short command, addressed politely (the forms of você: coza, junte, sirva). Bacalhau com natas is a baked dish of salt cod, fried potatoes, onion and cream. The text uses com for ingredients, tools and manner.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
17.16a Este this é is um a prato dish simples simple que that se itself faz makes com with bacalhau salt-cod batatas potatoes cebola onion e and natas cream
17.16b Este /ˈeʃtɨ/ this.M.SG é /ɛ/ be.PRES.3SG um /ũ/ a.M.SG prato /ˈpɾatu/ dish.M.SG simples /ˈsĩplɨʃ/ simple.SG que /kɨ/ that.REL se /sɨ/ itself.PASS faz /faʃ/ make.PRES.3SG com /kõ/ with bacalhau /bɐkɐˈʎaw/ salt-cod.M.SG batatas /bɐˈtatɐʃ/ potato.F.PL cebola /sɨˈbolɐ/ onion.F.SG e /i/ and natas /ˈnatɐʃ/ cream.F.PL
17.17a Coza boil o the bacalhau salt-cod com with uma a folha leaf de of louro bay durante during dez ten minutos minutes
17.17b Coza /ˈkozɐ/ boil.IMP.3SG.POLITE o /u/ the.M.SG bacalhau /bɐkɐˈʎaw/ salt-cod.M.SG com /kõ/ with uma /ˈumɐ/ a.F.SG folha /ˈfoʎɐ/ leaf.F.SG de /dɨ/ of louro /ˈloɾu/ bay-laurel.M.SG durante /duˈɾɐ̃tɨ/ during dez /dɛʃ/ ten minutos /miˈnutuʃ/ minute.M.PL
17.18a Depois afterwards desfie-o flake-it com with as the mãos hands e and tire-lhe remove-from-it as the espinhas bones com with cuidado care
17.18b Depois /dɨˈpojʃ/ afterwards desfie-o /dɨʃˈfiɐu/ flake.IMP.3SG.POLITE-it.ACC.3SG.M com /kõ/ with.INSTR as /ɐʃ/ the.F.PL mãos /mɐ̃w̃ʃ/ hand.F.PL e /i/ and tire-lhe /ˈtiɾɨʎɨ/ remove.IMP.3SG.POLITE-it.DAT.3SG as /ɐʃ/ the.F.PL espinhas /ɨʃˈpiɲɐʃ/ fishbone.F.PL com /kõ/ with.MANNER cuidado /kujˈdadu/ care.M.SG
17.19a Numa in-a frigideira frying-pan aloure brown a the cebola onion com with o the alho garlic e and um a fio thread de of azeite olive-oil
17.19b Numa /ˈnumɐ/ in-a.F.SG frigideira /fɾiʒiˈdɐjɾɐ/ frying-pan.F.SG aloure /ɐˈloɾɨ/ brown.IMP.3SG.POLITE a /ɐ/ the.F.SG cebola /sɨˈbolɐ/ onion.F.SG com /kõ/ with o /u/ the.M.SG alho /ˈaʎu/ garlic.M.SG e /i/ and um /ũ/ a.M.SG fio /ˈfiu/ thread.M.SG de /dɨ/ of azeite /ɐˈzɐjtɨ/ olive-oil.M.SG
17.20a Junte add o the bacalhau salt-cod e and mexa stir com with uma a colher spoon de of pau wood
17.20b Junte /ˈʒũtɨ/ add.IMP.3SG.POLITE o /u/ the.M.SG bacalhau /bɐkɐˈʎaw/ salt-cod.M.SG e /i/ and mexa /ˈmɛʃɐ/ stir.IMP.3SG.POLITE com /kõ/ with.INSTR uma /ˈumɐ/ a.F.SG colher /kuˈʎɛɾ/ spoon.F.SG de /dɨ/ of pau /paw/ wood.M.SG
17.21a Misture mix tudo everything com with as the batatas potatoes fritas fried aos in-the cubos cubes
17.21b Misture /miʃˈtuɾɨ/ mix.IMP.3SG.POLITE tudo /ˈtudu/ everything com /kõ/ with as /ɐʃ/ the.F.PL batatas /bɐˈtatɐʃ/ potato.F.PL fritas /ˈfɾitɐʃ/ fried.F.PL aos /awʃ/ in-the.M.PL cubos /ˈkubuʃ/ cube.M.PL
17.22a À at-the parte side faça make um a molho sauce branco white com with leite milk farinha flour e and manteiga butter
17.22b À /a/ at-the.F.SG parte /ˈpaɾtɨ/ side.F.SG faça /ˈfasɐ/ make.IMP.3SG.POLITE um /ũ/ a.M.SG molho /ˈmoʎu/ sauce.M.SG branco /ˈbɾɐ̃ku/ white.M.SG com /kõ/ with leite /ˈlɐjtɨ/ milk.M.SG farinha /fɐˈɾiɲɐ/ flour.F.SG e /i/ and manteiga /mɐ̃ˈtɐjɡɐ/ butter.F.SG
17.23a Quando when o the molho sauce engrossar thickens tempere-o season-it com with sal salt pimenta pepper e and noz-moscada nutmeg
17.23b Quando /ˈkwɐ̃du/ when o /u/ the.M.SG molho /ˈmoʎu/ sauce.M.SG engrossar /ẽɡɾuˈsaɾ/ thicken.FUT.SUBJ.3SG tempere-o /tẽˈpɛɾɨu/ season.IMP.3SG.POLITE-it.ACC.3SG.M com /kõ/ with sal /sal/ salt.M.SG pimenta /piˈmẽtɐ/ pepper.F.SG e /i/ and noz-moscada /ˌnɔʒmuʃˈkadɐ/ nutmeg.F.SG
17.24a Junte add as the natas cream ao to-the molho sauce e and envolva-o fold-it com with o the bacalhau salt-cod
17.24b Junte /ˈʒũtɨ/ add.IMP.3SG.POLITE as /ɐʃ/ the.F.PL natas /ˈnatɐʃ/ cream.F.PL ao /aw/ to-the.M.SG molho /ˈmoʎu/ sauce.M.SG e /i/ and envolva-o /ẽˈvolvɐu/ fold.IMP.3SG.POLITE-it.ACC.3SG.M com /kõ/ with o /u/ the.M.SG bacalhau /bɐkɐˈʎaw/ salt-cod.M.SG
17.25a Unte grease um a tabuleiro oven-dish com with manteiga butter e and deite pour lá there dentro inside o the preparado mixture
17.25b Unte /ˈũtɨ/ grease.IMP.3SG.POLITE um /ũ/ a.M.SG tabuleiro /tɐbuˈlɐjɾu/ oven-dish.M.SG com /kõ/ with manteiga /mɐ̃ˈtɐjɡɐ/ butter.F.SG e /i/ and deite /ˈdɐjtɨ/ pour.IMP.3SG.POLITE lá /la/ there dentro /ˈdẽtɾu/ inside o /u/ the.M.SG preparado /pɾɨpɐˈɾadu/ mixture.M.SG
17.26a Polvilhe sprinkle com with queijo cheese ralado grated e and leve take ao to-the forno oven durante during vinte twenty minutos minutes
17.26b Polvilhe /polˈviʎɨ/ sprinkle.IMP.3SG.POLITE com /kõ/ with queijo /ˈkɐjʒu/ cheese.M.SG ralado /ʁɐˈladu/ grated.M.SG e /i/ and leve /ˈlɛvɨ/ take.IMP.3SG.POLITE ao /aw/ to-the.M.SG forno /ˈfoɾnu/ oven.M.SG durante /duˈɾɐ̃tɨ/ during vinte /ˈvĩtɨ/ twenty minutos /miˈnutuʃ/ minute.M.PL
17.27a Tire-o take-out-it do from-the forno oven com with luvas gloves porque because o the tabuleiro oven-dish escalda scalds
17.27b Tire-o /ˈtiɾɨu/ remove.IMP.3SG.POLITE-it.ACC.3SG.M do /du/ from-the.M.SG forno /ˈfoɾnu/ oven.M.SG com /kõ/ with.INSTR luvas /ˈluvɐʃ/ glove.F.PL porque /ˈpuɾkɨ/ because o /u/ the.M.SG tabuleiro /tɐbuˈlɐjɾu/ oven-dish.M.SG escalda /ɨʃˈkaldɐ/ scald.PRES.3SG
17.28a Sirva serve com with uma a salada salad verde green e and um a copo glass de of vinho wine branco white
17.28b Sirva /ˈsiɾvɐ/ serve.IMP.3SG.POLITE com /kõ/ with uma /ˈumɐ/ a.F.SG salada /sɐˈladɐ/ salad.F.SG verde /ˈveɾdɨ/ green.SG e /i/ and um /ũ/ a.M.SG copo /ˈkɔpu/ glass.M.SG de /dɨ/ of vinho /ˈviɲu/ wine.M.SG branco /ˈbɾɐ̃ku/ white.M.SG
17.29a Se if sobrar it-remains guarde-o keep-it no in-the frigorífico fridge coberto covered com with película film aderente clinging
17.29b Se /sɨ/ if sobrar /suˈbɾaɾ/ be-left-over.FUT.SUBJ.3SG guarde-o /ˈɡwaɾdɨu/ keep.IMP.3SG.POLITE-it.ACC.3SG.M no /nu/ in-the.M.SG frigorífico /fɾiɡuˈɾifiku/ fridge.M.SG coberto /kuˈbɛɾtu/ cover.PTCP.M.SG com /kõ/ with película /pɨˈlikulɐ/ film.F.SG aderente /ɐdɨˈɾẽtɨ/ clinging.SG
17.30a Bom good apetite appetite e and boa good sorte luck com with o the seu your primeiro first bacalhau salt-cod com with natas cream
17.30b Bom /bõ/ good.M.SG apetite /ɐpɨˈtitɨ/ appetite.M.SG e /i/ and boa /ˈboɐ/ good.F.SG sorte /ˈsɔɾtɨ/ luck.F.SG com /kõ/ with o /u/ the.M.SG seu /sew/ your.M.SG.POLITE primeiro /pɾiˈmɐjɾu/ first.M.SG bacalhau /bɐkɐˈʎaw/ salt-cod.M.SG com /kõ/ with natas /ˈnatɐʃ/ cream.F.PL
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Part B: Natural Text with Idiomatic Translation
17.16 Este é um prato simples, que se faz com bacalhau, batatas, cebola e natas. → “This is a simple dish, made with salt cod, potatoes, onion and cream.”
17.17 Coza o bacalhau com uma folha de louro durante dez minutos. → “Boil the salt cod with a bay leaf for ten minutes.”
17.18 Depois, desfie-o com as mãos e tire-lhe as espinhas com cuidado. → “Then flake it with your hands and carefully remove the bones.”
17.19 Numa frigideira, aloure a cebola com o alho e um fio de azeite. → “In a frying pan, soften the onion with the garlic and a drizzle of olive oil until golden.”
17.20 Junte o bacalhau e mexa com uma colher de pau. → “Add the cod and stir with a wooden spoon.”
17.21 Misture tudo com as batatas fritas aos cubos. → “Mix everything with the diced fried potatoes.”
17.22 À parte, faça um molho branco com leite, farinha e manteiga. → “Separately, make a white sauce with milk, flour and butter.”
17.23 Quando o molho engrossar, tempere-o com sal, pimenta e noz-moscada. → “When the sauce thickens, season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg.”
17.24 Junte as natas ao molho e envolva-o com o bacalhau. → “Stir the cream into the sauce and fold it through the cod.”
17.25 Unte um tabuleiro com manteiga e deite lá dentro o preparado. → “Grease an oven dish with butter and pour the mixture into it.”
17.26 Polvilhe com queijo ralado e leve ao forno durante vinte minutos. → “Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for twenty minutes.”
17.27 Tire-o do forno com luvas, porque o tabuleiro escalda. → “Take it out of the oven with oven gloves, because the dish is scalding.”
17.28 Sirva com uma salada verde e um copo de vinho branco. → “Serve with a green salad and a glass of white wine.”
17.29 Se sobrar, guarde-o no frigorífico, coberto com película aderente. → “If there is any left, keep it in the fridge, covered with cling film.”
17.30 Bom apetite, e boa sorte com o seu primeiro bacalhau com natas! → “Enjoy your meal, and good luck with your first bacalhau com natas!”
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Part C: Text in Portuguese Only
Bacalhau com Natas
Este é um prato simples, que se faz com bacalhau, batatas, cebola e natas.
Coza o bacalhau com uma folha de louro durante dez minutos.
Depois, desfie-o com as mãos e tire-lhe as espinhas com cuidado.
Numa frigideira, aloure a cebola com o alho e um fio de azeite.
Junte o bacalhau e mexa com uma colher de pau.
Misture tudo com as batatas fritas aos cubos.
À parte, faça um molho branco com leite, farinha e manteiga.
Quando o molho engrossar, tempere-o com sal, pimenta e noz-moscada.
Junte as natas ao molho e envolva-o com o bacalhau.
Unte um tabuleiro com manteiga e deite lá dentro o preparado.
Polvilhe com queijo ralado e leve ao forno durante vinte minutos.
Tire-o do forno com luvas, porque o tabuleiro escalda.
Sirva com uma salada verde e um copo de vinho branco.
Se sobrar, guarde-o no frigorífico, coberto com película aderente.
Bom apetite, e boa sorte com o seu primeiro bacalhau com natas!
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Part D: Grammar Notes for the Genre Section
The recipe shows com in four of its uses.
Ingredients, what a thing is made with or has: faz-se com bacalhau (17.16); um molho branco com leite (17.22); tempere-o com sal (17.23); sirva com uma salada (17.28); and the name of the dish, bacalhau com natas (17.30).
The tool: com as mãos (17.18); com uma colher de pau (17.20); com luvas (17.27).
Manner: com cuidado (17.18), as in 17.9.
A verb with com: boa sorte com (17.30), “good luck with”; misturar com, envolver com, “mix with, fold into” (17.21, 17.24).
The commands. Portuguese recipes address the cook politely, with the forms of você, which are the present subjunctive: coza, desfie, aloure, junte, mexa, misture, faça, tempere, envolva, unte, deite, polvilhe, leve, tire, sirva, guarde. Cookery books also use the infinitive for the same purpose (cozer o bacalhau …); this recipe keeps to one form.
Object pronouns follow the command with a hyphen: desfie-o, tempere-o, envolva-o, tire-o, guarde-o (Lesson 16, Section D rule 4). Tire-lhe as espinhas (17.18), “remove its bones”: lhe here stands for the cod, “from it”.
Se sobrar, quando o molho engrossar (17.23, 17.29): after se and quando, a future event takes the future subjunctive, which for regular verbs looks like the infinitive.
Coberto com película aderente (17.29): coberto com, for something a person puts on deliberately; coberto de, for something that covers naturally: coberto de neve.
De, not com, in colher de pau, “wooden spoon”, and copo de vinho, “glass of wine”: de gives the material or the contents (Lesson 5).
Batatas fritas aos cubos (17.21): aos cubos, “in cubes, diced”, a fixed phrase in recipes; also às rodelas, “in slices”.
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Com /kõ/: the final m marks a nasal vowel and is not pronounced as a consonant. The same rule holds for um /ũ/, bom /bõ/, sem /sɐ̃j̃/.
Comigo /kuˈmiɡu/ against contigo /kõˈtiɡu/: in comigo the o is unstressed and reduced; in contigo, consigo, connosco and convosco it stays nasal because of the n that closes the syllable.
Connosco: two n’s in European spelling. Brazil writes conosco.
Com o, com a, com um: always two words in writing, though com o is said almost as one syllable.
Consigo has two meanings, “with you, with himself” (com + si) and “I manage” (conseguir); spelling and pronunciation are the same.
Hyphens in the recipe: desfie-o, tire-lhe, tempere-o, envolva-o, tire-o, guarde-o; and in the compound nouns guarda-chuva and noz-moscada.
Accents: café, licença, ninguém, à, película, frigorífico, porquê. Porquê, “why”, takes the circumflex at the end of a sentence or when it stands alone (sem lhe explicar porquê, 17.15); porque, “because”, has none (17.27).
The IPA in this lesson gives the standard of Lisbon, with each word said on its own, as the course does throughout.
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✓ Lesson 17 Portuguese complete — com (with)
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