Portuguese speakers often arrive at English through a sentence that is already complete in Portuguese. The translation is logical; the English is not. That gap is useful: it shows exactly what to practise.
These are common patterns, not rules about every Portuguese speaker. Use the ones you recognise from your own writing.
The patterns that repeat
| What may feel natural | Natural English | What is happening |
|---|---|---|
| I have 25 years. | I’m 25 years old. | Age uses be; use have for experience: “I have five years of experience.” |
| I am agree. | I agree. | Agree is a verb, so it does not need am. |
| People is friendly. | People are friendly. | People is plural. |
| It depends of the client. | It depends on the client. | Depend takes on. |
| Explain me the plan. | Explain the plan to me. | Use to before the person. |
| I didn’t went. | I didn’t go. | Did carries the past; the main verb stays in the base form. |
| We meet in the weekend. | We meet on the weekend. | US English uses on the weekend; UK English often uses at the weekend. |
| I need to make a question. | I need to ask a question. | English uses ask a question. |
False friends worth catching
- Actually means “in fact.” For “atualmente,” use currently or these days.
- Pretend means “fingir,” not “pretender.” For intend, use intend or plan.
- Parents means “pais.” For “parentes,” use relatives.
- Push is physical; for a button, use press. “Press the button” is more natural.
Why literal translation fails
Portuguese and English handle articles, prepositions and auxiliaries differently. A sentence can use correct vocabulary and still carry the rhythm of Portuguese. That is why a general grammar checker may underline a word while missing the pattern behind it.
The useful question is not “is this word correct?” but “why did I choose this structure?” That is the question a learning-first tool should help you answer.
How to practise without a generic course
- Choose one pattern from the table and write three work sentences with it.
- Use VerbaClara to fix them and read the explanation in Portuguese.
- Rewrite one sentence from memory and use it in a real message.
The first explanation works offline with Harper. A model is optional for deeper, context-specific explanations and Practice Lab lessons.
What VerbaClara does — and does not — do
Harper is an English checker, not a Portuguese-to-English translator. It catches many spelling and grammar patterns but will miss some tense and meaning issues. Deeper explanations and lessons can use a local model or your own key.
The point is the loop: fix the real sentence, understand the pattern in your language, and practise the mistake you actually make.
FAQ
Are these mistakes unique to Portuguese speakers?
No, but several are especially common because of direct translation from Portuguese — age with ter, depend of, explain me, and false friends such as actually and pretend.
Can VerbaClara explain the mistake in Portuguese?
Yes. The first explanation is generated offline in Portuguese using the built-in pack. Deeper explanations and Practice Lab need an optional model.
Do I need to study every pattern?
No. Pick the two or three that appear in your own writing and practise those. The table is a map, not a checklist.
Fix one real sentence today.
Install VerbaClara, select something you actually wrote, and see the first explanation in your language — no model or key needed.
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