Who is this? Whose is this…? Is this…?
1. In the previous video João shows a picture of his family. Marta asks these questions:
| Quem é esta? | Who is this (feminine thing/person next to the speaker)? |
| Quem é este? | Who is this (masculine thing/person next to the speaker)? |
In a different setting, Marta may have asked: Listen
| Quem é essa? | Who is that (feminine thing/person next to the listener)? |
| Quem é esse? | Who is that (masculine thing/person next to the listener)? |
Alternatively, Marta could have asked:
Quem é ela? = Who is she?
Quem é ele? = Who is he?
2. In the same video, Marta asks this question:
De quem é este cão? = Whose is this dog?
De quem… = Whose…
If there were a house in the picture, Marta may have asked:
De quem é esta casa? = Whose is this house?
Therefore, this is how the syntax above works :
| De quem é este cão? | Whose is this dog (masculine thing/person next to the speaker)? |
| De quem é esta casa? | Whose is this house (feminine thing/person next to the speaker)? |
| De quem é esse cão? | Whose is that dog (masculine thing/person next to the listener)? |
| De quem é essa casa? | Whose is that house (feminine thing/person next to the listener)? |
3. If we look into previous content, we’ll see that some statements just need a question mark to be a question. They are questions that can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Você é brasileira. = You are brazilian.
Você é brasileira? = Are you brazilian?
Your intonation will help make it sound like a statement or a question.
More examples here:
Esta é a sua irmã. = This is your sister.
Esta é a sua irmã? = Is this your sister?
Este é o seu celular. = This is your mobile phone.
Este é o seu celular? = Is this your mobile phone?
Note: The articles (a/o) in the questions above are optional.
4. Role play. Let us practice this kind of question. In one of the quizzes in Week 1, we had a look at this vocabulary.
| Listen | |
| 1. a caneta | 2. o livro |
| 3. o computador | 4. o lápis |
| 5. o caderno | 6. a tesoura |
| 7. o telemóvel | 8. o celular |
Choose one object and ask a question in the comments: Is this your mobile / pen etc.? Then wait for someone to reply. Write and/or use Vocaroo. Follow the examples on the table below.
| Possible questions from Learner 1 | Possible answers from Learner 2 |
 Este é o seu celular? |
Sim, é meu. Yes, it is mine.Não, não é meu. No, it is not mine. |
 Esta é a sua caneta? |
Sim, é minha. Yes, it is mine.Não, não é minha. No, it is not mine. |
Note that both question and answer need to take the gender of the object into account.
Foundations of Portuguese for Global Communication
Foundations of Portuguese for Global Communication
Reach your personal and professional goals
Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.
Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.
