Entre vs. No Meio de: Say ‘Between’ and ‘In the Middle of’ in Portuguese — Practice

Use entre for a position or choice between things

Entre often means between and can introduce two locations, people, or options. In a group context, it can also describe something that happens among people. The preposition stays the same while the nouns after it change.

Use no meio de for the center of a place or activity

No meio de means in the middle of. Use it for the physical center of a room or street, and informally for being in the middle of an activity or situation. The contraction no combines em + o.

Avoid translating ‘among’ word for word

Entre can translate “among” when the sentence describes a relationship within a group. No meio de focuses more on being surrounded by or located in the center of something. Choose the phrase that matches the picture you want the listener to imagine.

Remember: Use entre for a relationship or position between/among; choose no meio de when you mean the middle of a place or event.

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. The pharmacy is between the bank and the market.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A farmácia fica entre o banco e o mercado.

2. We’re deciding between traveling by bus and traveling by car.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Estamos decidindo entre viajar de ônibus e viajar de carro.

3. The table ended up in the middle of the room.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A mesa ficou no meio da sala.

4. He called me in the middle of the meeting.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ele me ligou no meio da reunião.

5. That expression is common among young people.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Essa expressão é comum entre os jovens.

6. The child was in the middle of the adults.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A criança estava no meio dos adultos.

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.

Use entre for a relationship or position between/among; choose no meio de when you mean the middle of a place or event.

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 Entre vs. No Meio de: Say ‘Between’ and ‘In the Middle of’ in Portuguese 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.