Portuguese B1: Intermediate

At B1 speech stops being a run of separate sentences. An opinion comes with a reason, a story has a beginning and an end, and a misunderstanding can be cleared up without anyone stepping in to help.

Mistakes still happen, but they no longer get in the way of being understood. This is the level at which a language becomes usable at work.

Tenses and if-sentences7

Verbs: ser, estar, subjunctive21

The imperative

B1The negative imperativeThe polarity changes the form for a friend and leaves it alone for a stranger.

Can, want, must

B1Mustn't and needn'tThe two halves differ by a preposition: não tens de against não podes.B1Guessing with deverDuty or guess is decided by the word after it, not by the verb.B1Advising and recommendingThree weights of advice, and the heaviest is already a reproach.

Reflexive verbs

B1Impersonal se: vende-seThe verb agrees with the thing sold: vende-se casa, vendem-se casas.B1Each other: reciprocal se« Get on well » is dar-se bem — a reflexive where English has none.B1Verbs that change with seThe same verb twice: esquecer takes an object, esquecer-se takes a preposition.

The passive

B1The passive with serThe participle agrees like an adjective, which English participles never do.B1The passive with seThis is the one you will actually hear — and it cannot name who did it.B1estar + participle: the stateAfter estar it is simply an adjective — you can put « very » in front of it.B1Third person plural as passive« I was told » cannot be built here; « they told me » stands in its place.

The subjunctive (conjuntivo)

B1Subjunctive: the formsBuilt from the « I » form, which is why the irregular verbs come out right.B1What triggers the subjunctiveIt is a list of trigger words, not a feeling — and « I don't think » is on it.B1The future subjunctiveThe one form to be learnt from nothing: no English word corresponds to it.B1The conjuntivo in relative clausesWhoever is not yet known goes into the conjuntivo.

Verb + infinitive

B1Verb phrases: voltar a, andar a« Again » and « these days » are not words here — they are verbs.B1Verb + a + infinitive« Going to » is here just going, with nothing in between.B1Verb + de + infinitive« I have just arrived » is a verb here, not an adverb.B1Verbs that take a, de and emOne verb, three continuations — and « to give up » is none of them.B1Adjective + infinitive« Something to drink » picks its own preposition, and « to » does not say which.B1estar a and the gerúndioYou already make this difference; here it is built two different ways.

Articles, nouns and pronouns7

The noun

B1Gender that changes meaning« Capital » is one word in English too — here the article separates the two.B1Compound nounsYour two nouns swap places and a de appears between them — and it is always de.B1Collective nouns: a gentea gente means « we » and takes the verb form of « he ».B1Professions in the feminineThe -ista group behaves like every English job title: only the article moves.

The pronouns

B1Pronoun position: before the verbFour kinds of word pull it forward, and they are in every other sentence.

The prepositions

B1por or paraOne English « for » where Portuguese has a reason and a destination.B1Adjectives + prepositionThree prepositions carry nearly all of them, and yours is no guide.

Sentence structure5

Questions and negation

B1Indirect questionsYou already know to undo the inversion; here there is none — what goes is the é que.

Subordinate clauses

B1The personal infinitive« Before we leave » is one word here — an infinitive with a person on it.B1Conjunctions: embora, porque« Although » takes a subjunctive; « despite » takes an infinitive that carries its own subject.

Reported speech

B1Reported statementsThe listener is hung onto the verb — and one word unhooks it.B1Reported requests« He told us to wait » leaves out who waits. Here the verb says it.

Politeness, style, fine points2

Formal and informal you

B1Address without a pronounThe politest address contains no word for « you » at all.

Fine points and style

B1Portugal vs BrazilYou already live with lift and elevator — same split, same rule: pick one.

Word lists at level B1

Lists: 59 · words: 2198

All word lists →

Reading texts at level B1

Sentences from this level’s topics

Cheguei a casa depois da meia-noite.I got home after midnight.

Trabalha numa rádio local desde 2019.She has worked at a local radio station since 2019.

Esqueci a chave de casa no escritório.I left the house key at the office.

A gente encontra-se às oito na estação.We are meeting at eight at the station.

Practise level B1 only