This topic is not given much attention. However, with its help, you can significantly expand your vocabulary. That is, if you add a suffix to one part of speech, you can get another part of speech.
It makes learning Portuguese easier. Why memorize many new words when you can memorize just a few suffixes?
Today we will look at those suffixes that turn verbs into nouns. There are only six of them!
Suffix “-ante”.
Having a verb, we can create a noun that characterizes a person. For example, his occupation, hobbies or status. To do this, we need the suffix “-ante” and the root of the verb. That is, we remove the end of the verb “-ar, –er, –ir” and add the suffix: estudar (to study) -> estud + ante = estudante (student).
Let’s see more examples: emigrar (to emigrate) – emigrante (emigrant); visitar (visit) – visitante (visitor).
A few phrases will help you see the words in context:
Uma pessoa que viaja é um viajante. (A person who travels is a traveller).
Se precisas de ajuda, podes pedir ao meu ajudante. Ele é tão bom como eu. (If you need help, you can ask my assistant. He is as good as me.)
Such a noun is not declined by gender, that is, it always has a masculine gender. However, it declines in numbers. It is enough to add the ending “-s” to get the plural: visitantes (visitors), ajudantes (assistant).
Suffix “-ador”
Another suffix that often helps to create a noun from a verb is the “-ador” suffix. We can find such a noun among the names of electrical appliances, for example, but also among nouns that describe the characteristics of a person. In this case, we remove the end of the verb and put the suffix “-ador“.
That is, the verb “jogar” (to play) becomes the noun “jogador” (player). Or, the verb “secar” (to dry) becomes the noun “secador” in the same way.
Let’s look at the examples in context:
Se ele fumou só uma vez, ainda não é um fumador. (If he smoked just once, then he is not yet a smoker.)
Para carregar o telemóvel, usem o carregador. (To charge your phone, use the charger.)
If the thing or person is feminine, then simply add the ending “-a”: falar (to speak) – falador (speaker, male) – faladora (speaker, female). And if we want to create a plural, then add the ending “-es” to the masculine gender of the noun, and add the ending “-s” to the feminine gender.
That is: jogadores (players, male) and fumadoras (smokers, female).
Suffix “-gem”
Similar in functionality is the “-gem” suffix. Please note that it helps to form a feminine noun from a verb, which means that now we know what kind of article to put before a word with the suffix “-gem“. So, let’s show the transformation schematically: passar (to pass) – passagem (the passage), lavar (to wash) – lavagem (the washing).
The text will be clearer:
A Maria vai viajar no próximo mês. Ela vai fazer uma viagem longa. (Mary will travel next month. She will make a long journey.)
O autocarro para na próxima paragem. (The bus stops at the next stop.)
The gender rule for words with the “-gem” suffix applies to all nouns, even those that do not come from a verb. For example, a word such as: margem (embankment), bagagem (luggage).In the plural “-gem” we convert to “-gens“: paragens (stops), viagens (travels).
Suffix “-ão”
We add to the piggy bank of suffixes one that also makes a noun out of a verb. Meet the suffix “-ão”. We remove the last three letters of the verb, add the letter “s”, “ss” or “ç” + the suffix “-ão” and we get: discutir (to argue, too discuss) – discussão (dispute, discussion); decorar (to decorate) – decoração (decoration).
Sometimes, in order to speak, we will have to use both parts of speech, for example:
Podemos traduzir o documento hoje? Preciso de enviar a tradução completa amanhã de manhã. (Can we translate this document today? I need to send the completed translation tomorrow morning.)
Tens de compreender isto. A compreensão vai ajudar-te na vida. (You must understand this. Understanding will help you in life.)
There is no specific rule to decide which letter to add (s, ss or ç). However, they sound the same to the ear, so in oral speech it doesn’t matter at all. And, probably, you have already noticed, but only feminine nouns have such a suffix.
To change the number from singular to plural, the “-ão” suffix would have to be changed to “-ões”: discussões (disputes, discussions) or traduções (translations).
Suffix “-ança/-ença”
This suffix is no exception and, just like the previous ones, it helps us create a feminine noun from a verb. The rule is simple: remove the ending and add “-ança/-ença”: lembrar (to remind) – lembrança (reminder), doer (to be sick) – doença (illness).
Temos de mudar de trabalho e habituarmo-nos às mudanças. (We have to change jobs and get used to the changes.)
Devem esperar mais tempo, porque a esperança é a última a morrer. (You must hope for more time, because hope dies last.)
The same suffix turns adjectives into nouns in the same way, but we’ll talk about that another time.
Suffix “-mento”.
The “-mento” suffix completes today’s list of suffixes. We remove the end of the verb “-ar, –er, –ir” and add a suffix to get a noun: nascer (to be born) – nascimento (birth); casar (to marry) – casamento (wedding).
Não posso tratar de ti, avô. No hospital vão dar-te o melhor tratamento. (I can’t treat you, grandpa. The hospital will give you better treatment.)
Se alguma vez sentires um ataca de pânico, nunca te esqueças deste sentimento. (If you feel a panic attack once, you will never forget the feeling.)
Yes, this suffix is used to create masculine nouns only. The last letter “-o” cannot be replaced by the letter “-a” to change the gender of a noun. But you can increase the number – sentimentos (feelings), casamentos (weddings), for example.
Conclusion
Sometimes the topic of word formation seems boring. Much more interesting to conjugate verbs! Moreover, you never know which suffix in which verb can be attached, and which cases are impossible. However, with the time of communication in Portuguese, many options will be heard. You can easily distinguish parts of speech from each other and form them yourself!
Among other things, by remembering this simple information about suffixes, you will always know what kind of article to put before a noun. Now you do not need to memorize the gender of each noun separately!
This is great!