Negation & Questions
Negation & Questions 🇵🇹
Negation
Place não immediately before the conjugated verb. For emphasis, a second não (or another negative word) can follow the verb:
- Eu não como carne. – I don't eat meat.
- Eu não quero nada. – I don't want anything.
- Ela não vem nunca. – She never comes.
Question Words
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| quem | who |
| o quê / que | what |
| onde | where |
| quando | when |
| como | how |
| porquê / por que | why |
| qual / quais | which |
| quanto / quantos | how much / how many |
Forming Questions
Yes/no questions typically keep statement word order, marked only by rising intonation (in speech) or a question mark (in writing). Information questions place the question word first:
- Onde está a estação? – Where is the station?
- Quando chegas? – When are you arriving?
Tip: Unlike English, Portuguese doesn't need a helper verb like "do/does" to form questions — the word order barely changes.