Ao, À, Aos, and Às: Portuguese Contractions for Places and Destinations — Practice

Combine a with the masculine articles o and os

The preposition a combines with the masculine definite articles: a + o becomes ao, and a + os becomes aos. You will see ao in phrases such as vou ao mercado (I’m going to the market) and aos in plural phrases such as vou aos mercados (I’m going to the markets). Learn the contraction with the destination noun.

These forms commonly appear with verbs of movement, including ir and chegar in some expressions. Whether a place takes a, em, or another preposition can depend on the place name and local usage, so learn common destination phrases as complete chunks.

Combine a with the feminine articles a and as

With feminine articles, a + a is written à, and a + as is written às. The grave accent marks this contraction: vou à praia (I’m going to the beach), chegamos à estação (we arrived at the station), and às lojas (to the stores). The accent is part of the standard spelling.

The feminine noun helps you choose the form, but the preposition still depends on the expression. Practice familiar combinations with a destination phrase rather than attaching à to every feminine place name without checking.

Tell the contraction apart from a plain article

Compare a praia (the beach, feminine article a + noun) with à praia (to the beach, preposition a + article a + noun). The grave accent shows the contraction in writing. In speech, the phrase flows naturally, so learners often find the written distinction harder at first.

A useful check is to ask whether the sentence needs a preposition such as “to” or “at” before the noun. If the verb or expression calls for a, the feminine article can contract to à. This is a spelling and grammar clue, not a universal translation rule.

Practice the contractions with real destinations

Choose four places you visit often and label each noun with its article. Make one destination phrase with ao or à and one plural phrase with aos or às. Then compare the written form with an audio recording so the accent mark does not distract you from the spoken rhythm.

Connect this lesson to Real Life Portuguese guides on de/da/do and em/no/na. Together, they show how Portuguese prepositions combine with articles. I Speak Portuguese teacher sessions can help you practice which preposition sounds natural with a particular place name.

Remember: Remember the contractions: a + o = ao, a + os = aos, a + a = à, and a + as = às. Learn each with a destination phrase.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. I’m going to the bank after lunch.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vou ao banco depois do almoço.

2. We arrived at the hotel in the morning.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Chegamos ao hotel de manhã.

3. They’re going to the restaurants in the square.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Eles vão aos restaurantes da praça.

4. We’re going to the beach on Saturday.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vamos à praia no sábado.

5. What time do you arrive at the station?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A que horas você chega à estação?

6. After the meeting, I went to the downtown shops.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Depois da reunião, fui às lojas do centro.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Remember the contractions: a + o = ao, a + os = aos, a + a = à, and a + as = às. Learn each with a destination phrase.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Ao, À, Aos, and Às: Portuguese Contractions for Places and Destinations lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.