Por vs. Pôr in Portuguese: When the Accent Changes the Verb — Practice

Use por as a preposition

Por is a preposition with several meanings, including ‘for,’ ‘by,’ ‘through,’ and ‘because of.’ Its translation depends on the relationship in the sentence, so learn it in a phrase rather than matching it to one English word.

Common combinations include por causa de (because of), por aqui (around here), and trocar uma coisa por outra (exchange one thing for another). The spelling por does not carry an accent in these uses.

Use pôr for the action ‘to put’

Pôr is an irregular verb meaning ‘to put’ or ‘to place.’ The accent distinguishes this infinitive from the preposition por: pôr a mesa (set the table), pôr o livro na mochila (put the book in the backpack). Conjugated forms such as ponho, põe, and pôs follow their own spellings.

A useful check is to replace the word with colocar. If the sentence still works, you probably need the verb pôr. If the word introduces a cause, route, or exchange, it is usually the preposition por.

Remember: Por is the preposition; pôr is the infinitive verb meaning ‘to put.’ Try replacing the word with colocar to check whether you need the accented verb.

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 walked along a quiet street.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Passei por uma rua tranquila.

2. I did this for you.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Fiz isso por você.

3. The game was cancelled because of the rain.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O jogo foi cancelado por causa da chuva.

4. I’m going to put the keys in the drawer.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vou pôr as chaves na gaveta.

5. She puts music on while she cooks.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela põe música enquanto cozinha.

6. He put the coat on the chair.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Pôs o casaco na cadeira.

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.

Por is the preposition; pôr is the infinitive verb meaning ‘to put.’ Try replacing the word with colocar to check whether you need the accented verb.

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 Por vs. Pôr in Portuguese: When the Accent Changes the Verb 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.