📍🏙️

How to Say ‘Next to the square’ in Portuguese

Ao pé da praça

ow PEH dah PRA-suh

[ow PEH dah PRA-suh]

💬 Usage Tip: Ao pé de literally means "at the foot of", but it's everyday Portuguese for "right by". De plus a merges into da here.

Phrase Breakdown

Ao pé

ow PEH

Near / next to

'Ao pé de' is a very European Portuguese way to say 'near' (literally 'at the foot of'). 'Ao' sounds like 'ow', and 'pé' has an open 'e': 'ow PEH'.

Example

Moro ao pé da escola.

I live near the school.

Words in this phrase

[ow]

to the

A + o: to the (masculine).

Example

Vou ao escritório.

I'm going to the office.

pé

[PEH]

next to (in 'ao pé de')

Literally 'foot'; 'ao pé de' means near or next to.

Example

Moro ao pé do rio.

I live near the river.

da praça

dah PRA-suh

the square

'da' = de + a (of the). In 'praça' the 'ç' sounds like 's', and the final 'a' is soft: 'PRA-suh'.

Example

O café fica no centro da praça.

The café is in the middle of the square.

Words in this phrase

[dah]

of the

Contraction of de + a, used before a feminine singular noun.

Example

Em «Da» nossa conversa, a contração soa natural em português.

In “of our conversation,” the contraction sounds natural in Portuguese.

praça

[PRA-suh]

square

A town or city public square, often a landmark for meeting.

Example

A praça está cheia de gente.

The square is full of people.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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