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How to Say ‘It was a present from my sister.’ in Portuguese

Foi um presente da minha irmã.

foy oom prez-en-teh dah MEE-nyah eer-MAHN

[foy oom prez-en-teh dah MEE-nyah eer-MAHN]

Phrase Breakdown

Foi um presente

foy oom prez-en-teh

It was a gift

'Foi' is the past tense of 'ser' (to be). The middle 'e' in 'presente' is stressed: 'pre-ZEN-t'.

Example

Foi um presente de anos.

It was a birthday gift.

Words in this phrase

Foi

[foy]

it was / was

Past tense of 'ser,' often used in polite follow-up phrases like 'foi um prazer.'

Example

Foi ótimo conhecê-lo no evento.

It was great to meet you at the event.

[oom]

a; one

Indefinite article or number used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

No seguimento do evento, foi um prazer e Um gosto falar consigo.

Following the event, it was a pleasure and a delight to speak with you.

presente

[prez-en-teh]

gift

Something bestowed voluntarily and without expectation of return.

Example

Ele trouxe um pequeno presente.

He brought a small gift.

da minha irmã.

dah MEE-nyah eer-MAHN

from my sister.

'Minha' means 'my' (feminine), pronounced 'MEE-nya'. 'Irmã' means 'sister'.

Example

Este é o carro da minha irmã.

This is my sister's car.

Words in this phrase

[dah]

from the

Indicating the source or beginning.

Example

Da vossa parte, tudo está bem?

On your part, is everything well?

minha

[MEE-nyah]

Possessive adjective showing something belongs to the speaker.

Example

A minha experiência no evento foi positiva.

My experience at the event was positive.

irmã

[eer-MAHN]

sister

Feminine noun; the masculine is 'irmão'.

Example

A minha irmã vive em Lisboa.

My sister lives in Lisbon.

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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