A person who is just starting to learn Portuguese knows that he can learn a lot of grammar rules. However, what to do with these formulas if there is a lack of vocabulary?
It is impossible to manage with one verb and conjugate only it. But it is even more difficult with nouns, the meaning of which cannot be conveyed by any other words. That is why we continue the topic of the formation of words and various parts of speech.
Purpose
We already know that a noun can be made from a verb by adding a suffix to it. However, such nouns can always be explained differently.
For example:
Vou esperar por ti na paragem. (I’ll be waiting for you at the bus stop.) = Vou esperar por ti lá onde param os autocarros. (I’ll be waiting for you where the buses stop.)
The meaning is not only clear, it is not even distorted!
Similarly, a noun can be made from an adjective. However, avoiding this rule and explaining the noun with the adjective from which we get it is quite difficult!
Now we will move on to consider different options, and as you read, think about whether you could do without knowing these rules. That is, could you convey the meaning without a noun.
The suffix “-idade”
To make a noun out of an adjective, we need the first suffix – “-idade”. It is difficult to say what kind of metamorphoses the words are subject to in this case, besides adding the suffix “-idade”, because each case is individual. However, if you see such a suffix, you will know for sure that it is a noun. For example: novo (new) – novidade (news), feliz (happy) – felicidade (happiness), social (public) – sociedade (society).
Well, as usual, let’s look at the context.
Ele é muito sincero. A sinceridade é o traço de caráter que mais valorizo. (He is very sincere. Sincerity is the character trait I value most.)
Nós precisamos duma economia estável, porque a estabilidade faz a população calma e feliz. (We need a stable economy because stability keeps the population calm and happy.)
Tens de saber se é possível. Qualquer possibilidade é a tua chance. (You should know if it’s possible. Every opportunity is your chance.)
We are sure that you have seen many such nouns. Because it’s probably the most popular suffix! And nouns with this suffix are always feminine.
Suffix “-eza”
Some adjectives can be reshaped into a noun by removing the ending and adding the suffix “-eza“. Surely, you have already seen similar examples: triste (sad) – tristeza (sadness), limpo (clean) – limpeza (purity).
Some philosophical examples:
Ela é muito rica. A riqueza estraga as pessoas. (She is very rich. Wealth corrupts people.)
Só quando és pobre é que compreendes o que sentem as pessoas na pobreza, certo? (Only when you’re poor you do understand how poor people feel, right?)
Tens a certeza sobre as palavras acima? (Are you sure about the words above?)
These nouns are also feminine.
Suffix “-ista”
Next in line to learn is the suffix “professions”. That is, adding it to another noun, we get the profession of a person. This is the suffix “-ista“.
The most familiar words to us are: taxi (taxi) – taxista (taxi driver), dente (tooth) – dentista (dentist), jornal (newspaper) – journalista (journalist).
O camionista conduz o camião. (The truck driver drives the truck.)
Vai à receção do hotel e fala com a rececionista para esclarecer as questões da limpeza. (Go to the hotel reception and talk to the entertainer to clear up cleaning questions.)
Só os fadistas profissionais sabem cantar fado. Os outros cantores não sabem. (Only professional fadists can sing fado. The singers can’t.)
It would be logical to think that such nouns are also feminine, since they end with the letter “-a”. However, we cannot say, for example, “a dentista” if we know that this person is a man. Therefore, the kind of person who is hidden behind the name of the profession, we denote by the article. That is, nouns with the suffix “-ista” can be both feminine and masculine, and only the article changes.
Suffix “-ura”
There is another interesting suffix – “-ura“. If we add it to some adjectives, we get a noun. In fact, we meet such nouns very often, but do not notice that they are united by a common suffix. Namely: aberto (open) – abertura (opening), fechado (closed) – fechadura (castle).
See the use of the rule in context:
Ele é gordo, mas não consume muita gordura. Ele consume muitos hidratos de carbono. (He’s fat, but he doesn’t eat much fat. He eats a lot of carbs.)
Esta montanha é alta. Quem sabe a altura dela? (This mountain is high. Who knows its height?)
De vez em quando ela parecia louca e agora no final da vida ela tem loucura constante. (At times she seemed crazy, and now, towards the end of her life, she is totally insane.)
Have you noticed that all similar nouns are feminine? Quite right!
Suffix “-ança/-ença”
This suffix, as read, helps us create a feminine noun from an adjective. The rule is simple: we remove the ending and add “-ança/-ença”: presencial (present) – presença (presence), semelhante (similar) – semelhança (similarity).
Estas duas coisas são diferentes. É impossível não reparares na diferença! (These two things are different. It’s impossible that you don’t notice the difference!)
There is another suffix that sounds similar to the suffix in this paragraph, and it will complete our list today. See below.
Suffix “-ância/-ência”
You can meet nouns with the following suffix no less often than the rest. We add it to the adjective and get a noun: frequente (frequent) – frequência (frequency), paciente (patient) – paciência (patience).Para seres residente de um país, tens de receber primeiro a autorização de residência. (To become a resident of a country, you must first obtain residence permission.)
O chefe diz que esta questão dos impostos é urgente. Diga à nossa contabilista que tem de resolver isto com urgência. (Chief says the tax issue is urgent. Tell our accountant she needs to resolve this as a matter of urgency.)And again, nouns are feminine!
Conclusion
The topic is easy, isn’t it? It includes the question of not only word formation, but also the definition of the gender of nouns. To learn about education, such as adverbs, you need to visit our school for classes!