Unit 1 — Lesson 4
Nationality & Countries
Nacionalidade e Países
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Key Concept
Nationality adjectives must agree with the subject in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). You already learned the verb ser — now apply it to express where you are from.
Portuguese has gendered adjectives. The masculine form is the 'default' listed in dictionaries. To form the feminine, you apply specific rules based on the ending of the masculine form.
Key Phrase — Try saying it!
Eu sou português.
Nationality Gender Rules
| # | Rule | Masculine | Feminine | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ending in -o (masc.) → change to -a (fem.) | Russo | Russa | Russian |
| 2 | Ending in -ês (masc.) → change to -esa (fem.) | Português | Portuguesa | Portuguese |
| 3 | Ending in -ês (masc.) → change to -esa (fem.) | Chinês | Chinesa | Chinese |
| 4 | Ending in -ão (masc.) → change to -ã (fem.) | Alemão | Alemã | German |
| 5 | Ending in -l: add -a (exception) | Espanhol | Espanhola | Spanish |
| 6 | Ending in -a or -e: no change (both genders same) | Belga | Belga | Belgian |
| 7 | Ending in -ense: no change | Guineense | Guineense | Guinean |
Examples
Eu sou português.
I am Portuguese. (male)Ela é portuguesa.
She is Portuguese.Nós somos chineses.
We are Chinese.Você é alemão?
Are you German? (male)Elas são brasileiras.
They are Brazilian. (female)Practice Time