Ao Encontro de vs. De Encontro a: Moving Toward or Colliding With

Use ao encontro de for movement toward or agreement

Ao encontro de can mean moving toward something or matching an expectation, request, or point of view. Its positive sense often appears in ir ao encontro de: the proposal meets what people need, or a person approaches someone.

Look for the idea of alignment or direction. The phrase can be literal, as when someone walks toward a friend, or figurative, as when a plan is in line with a goal.

Brazilian Portuguese examples with English translations: Use ao encontro de for movement toward or agreement
Brazilian Portuguese	English meaning
A proposta vai ao encontro das necessidades da equipe.	The proposal meets the team’s needs.
Ela caminhou ao encontro dos amigos.	She walked toward her friends.
Essa mudança vem ao encontro do que os alunos pediram.	This change matches what the students asked for.

Use de encontro a for opposition or impact

De encontro a usually signals opposition, conflict, or physical impact. Bater de encontro à parede means hit against the wall; a decision that goes de encontro aos princípios da group conflicts with those principles.

A quick memory image helps: ao encontro moves toward a match; de encontro makes contact or creates a clash. If the sentence describes agreement, do not choose the collision phrase by accident.

Brazilian Portuguese examples with English translations: Use de encontro a for opposition or impact
Brazilian Portuguese	English meaning
A bicicleta foi de encontro ao portão.	The bicycle hit the gate.
A decisão vai de encontro aos nossos valores.	The decision goes against our values.
O comentário foi de encontro ao que ela havia explicado.	The comment contradicted what she had explained.

Remember: Ao encontro de points toward a match or destination. De encontro a suggests a collision, contradiction, or conflict. Check whether the ideas align or clash.

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.

A proposta vai ao encontro das necessidades da equipe.

Context: Use ao encontro de for movement toward or agreement

My relatives come from different parts of Brazil.I spoke with my parents on the phone.The proposal meets the team’s needs.We’re going to watch a movie today.

Ela caminhou ao encontro dos amigos.

Context: Use ao encontro de for movement toward or agreement

The store stays open until nine.Even the neighbor brought a dessert.The app accepts up to five files.She walked toward her friends.

Essa mudança vem ao encontro do que os alunos pediram.

Context: Use ao encontro de for movement toward or agreement

This change matches what the students asked for.That’s all. How much did it come to?Could you repeat the amount more slowly?In the video, Bruno talks about a visit to Los Angeles.

A bicicleta foi de encontro ao portão.

Context: Use de encontro a for opposition or impact

I still don’t feel comfortable speaking in public.The bicycle hit the gate.You can leave your bag here; make yourself comfortable.He felt at ease after a few minutes.

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.

The proposal meets the team’s needs.
Show a Portuguese answer
A proposta vai ao encontro das necessidades da equipe.
She walked toward her friends.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ela caminhou ao encontro dos amigos.
This change matches what the students asked for.
Show a Portuguese answer
Essa mudança vem ao encontro do que os alunos pediram.
The bicycle hit the gate.
Show a Portuguese answer
A bicicleta foi de encontro ao portão.
The decision goes against our values.
Show a Portuguese answer
A decisão vai de encontro aos nossos valores.
The comment contradicted what she had explained.
Show a Portuguese answer
O comentário foi de encontro ao que ela havia explicado.

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.

Ao encontro de points toward a match or destination. De encontro a suggests a collision, contradiction, or conflict. Check whether the ideas align or clash.

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 Encontro de vs. De Encontro a: Moving Toward or Colliding With? 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.

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