How to Use Que to Connect Ideas in Portuguese — Practice

Use que to attach information to a noun

Que can connect a person or thing with a clause that tells you more about it. In English, the same link may use ‘that,’ ‘which,’ or ‘who’: a pessoa que me ajudou (the person who helped me), o filme que vimos (the movie that we watched). Que does not change for masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.

A relative clause can make a sentence more specific without starting a new sentence. First name the person or object; then use que to add the relevant detail.

Keep a required preposition before que

When the verb or phrase in the relative clause needs a preposition, keep it before que: a cidade em que nasci (the city where I was born), o assunto sobre que conversamos is possible but sounds more formal than sobre o qual conversamos in many contexts. Brazilian speakers often choose a natural alternative such as a cidade onde nasci.

For a beginner, start with common structures where que is the direct object and no preposition is needed. As you encounter verbs such as gostar de or precisar de, learn the complete pattern and keep the preposition when the sentence requires it.

Remember: Use que to link a noun with a describing clause. When the clause requires a preposition, preserve it or choose a natural relative phrase such as onde or com quem.

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 met the teacher who wrote the book.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Conheci a professora que escreveu o livro.

2. This is the restaurant you recommended.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Este é o restaurante que você recomendou.

3. The songs they chose are great.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   As músicas que eles escolheram são ótimas.

4. The series I started is very good.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A série que comecei é muito boa.

5. The café I like is near work.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O café de que gosto fica perto do trabalho.

6. The person I spoke with was very kind.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A pessoa com quem falei foi muito gentil.

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 que to link a noun with a describing clause. When the clause requires a preposition, preserve it or choose a natural relative phrase such as onde or com quem.

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 How to Use Que to Connect Ideas 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.