Traz vs. Trás in Portuguese: Bring or Behind — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use traz as a form of trazer
Traz is the present-tense form of trazer for ele, ela, and você: ela traz, ele traz, você traz. The verb means to bring or carry something toward the place or person being discussed. It has z at the end because it is a verb form.
A quick check is to replace the word with leva? No: ask whether the sentence names someone bringing an object or person. If so, traz may be the form you need. The related infinitive is trazer.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Você traz seu caderno amanhã? | Will you bring your notebook tomorrow? |
| A loja traz produtos de várias regiões. | The store carries products from several regions. |
| Ele sempre traz boas notícias. | He always brings good news. |
Use trás for the back or behind
Trás is a noun or part of expressions that refer to the back or a position behind something. It appears in por trás de (behind), de trás (from the back), and para trás (backward). For the common standalone adverb meaning ‘behind,’ Portuguese usually writes atrás.
When you can substitute a verb form of trazer, write traz. When the phrase is por trás, para trás, or de trás, keep the accent. The location words atrás and detrás are also written with an accent.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Há uma rua estreita por trás do mercado. | There is a narrow street behind the market. |
| O banco de trás está vazio. | The back seat is empty. |
| Ele deu dois passos para trás. | He took two steps backward. |
Remember: Write traz for the verb trazer. Write trás in expressions about the back, such as por trás and para trás; use atrás for the usual standalone ‘behind.’
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.
Will you bring your notebook tomorrow?
Show a Portuguese answer
Você traz seu caderno amanhã?
The store carries products from several regions.
Show a Portuguese answer
A loja traz produtos de várias regiões.
He always brings good news.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ele sempre traz boas notícias.
There is a narrow street behind the market.
Show a Portuguese answer
Há uma rua estreita por trás do mercado.
The back seat is empty.
Show a Portuguese answer
O banco de trás está vazio.
He took two steps backward.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ele deu dois passos para trás.
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.
Write traz for the verb trazer. Write trás in expressions about the back, such as por trás and para trás; use atrás for the usual standalone ‘behind.’
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 Traz vs. Trás in Portuguese: Bring or Behind? 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.
Browse all learning guides
