Morphology Patterns
Understand how Portuguese words are built from prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Learn the meaning of common word parts and expand your vocabulary.
Prefixes
Word parts added before the root
Latin origin, reversal/negation
Latin origin, meaning 'against' or 'in opposition to'.
Latin origin, meaning 'with, together'. Verbal prefix.
Latin origin, intensifying or changing meaning.
Latin origin, potentially intensifying, function unclear in this context.
Latin origin, intensifying prefix.
Latin origin, meaning 'with, together'. Prefixes modify the verb's meaning.
Latin *super-* meaning 'over, above'. Intensifier.
Latin origin, intensifier.
Latin origin, negative prefix.
Latin origin, meaning 'between' or 'among'.
Latin origin, meaning 'across, beyond'.
Showing 12 of 50 patterns
Roots
Core meaning-bearing word parts
From Latin 'responsabilis', meaning 'answerable, responsible'. Core meaning of the verb.
Latin origin (*nationālis*), meaning 'national'.
Latin origin (*relatio*), meaning 'relation' or 'connection'.
Latin *mentalis* - relating to governance
Latin origin, related to 'constitutio' (establishment)
Latin *instituere* - 'to establish, found'.
Latin *instrumentum* (instrument)
Latin origin, to characterize
From 'minerale' (Latin) + '-izar' (suffix indicating verb formation).
Latin *alimentum*, core meaning of nourishment.
Forms the verb stem.
Latin origin, core meaning
Showing 12 of 50 patterns
Suffixes
Word parts added after the root
Latin origin (*-izāre*), verbalizing suffix.
Latin origin, infinitive marker.
Combination of infinitive marker, indirect object pronoun, and conditional ending.
Portuguese, indirect object pronoun + future conditional ending
'-nos' is a 1st person plural pronoun clitic. '-íamos' is the conditional ending.
Combination of verbal infinitive marker, pronoun clitic, and conditional mood ending.
Pronoun enclitic and conditional ending.
Combination of infinitive marker (-ar), clitic pronoun (-lhes), and future subjunctive ending (-emos).
Clitic pronoun + conditional ending
Clitic pronoun 'lhe' (dative/indirect object) + verbal ending '-íamos' (future conditional, 1st person plural). Indicates recipient and tense/mood/person.
Combination of infinitive marker (-ar), object pronoun clitic (-vos), and conditional ending (-íamos).
Combination of infinitive ending (-ar), indirect object pronoun (-lhe), and future conditional ending (-íamos).
Showing 12 of 50 patterns