NSSCO Portuguese Foreign Language 6113 key terms

Past tense used for completed actions at a definite moment in the past, e.g. «ontem cheguei tarde». Formed with stressed endings such as -ei, -aste, -ou, -ámos, -aram for the -ar verbs.

Past tense describing habitual actions, ongoing background situations or descriptions in the past, e.g. «quando era criança brincava na rua». Contrasts with the perfect tense for single finished events.

The set of endings a verb takes according to person, number, tense and mood. Portuguese has three conjugations, identified by the infinitive ending -ar, -er and -ir, each with its own pattern.

Verb mood expressing doubt, wish, emotion or hypothesis, often after expressions like «espero que» or «talvez». Its present forms are built from the first-person singular of the present indicative, e.g. «fale», «coma», «parta».

Verb whose action falls back on the subject, used with a reflexive pronoun such as me, te, se, nos. Common examples are «levantar-se», «vestir-se» and «lembrar-se de», frequent in routines and daily-life texts.

Word replacing a noun referring to people or things, such as eu, tu, ele, nós, eles. Object forms differ: «me, te, o/a, nos» in European Portuguese, and placement rules affect where they appear in the sentence.

Rules for placing object pronouns before, after or inside the verb. European Portuguese favours enclisis after the verb («disse-me»), while Brazilian usage often prefers proclisis («me disse»), a difference worth noticing in listening texts.

Words and phrases that signal when an action happens, such as «ontem», «agora», «na semana passada», «daqui a pouco». They help candidates choose the correct tense and follow the sequence of events in a listening passage.

A clause dependent on a main clause, introduced by connectors like «que», «porque», «quando», «se». Recognising these structures helps candidates separate main ideas from supporting detail in longer reading and listening texts.

Linking words that organise ideas: addition («além disso»), contrast («no entanto»), cause («porque»), consequence («portanto») and conclusion («em suma»). They are essential for cohesion in written production tasks.

Grammatical categories showing who performs the action (first, second or third person) and whether it is singular or plural. Correct agreement between subject and verb is a basic accuracy point in writing tasks.

Agreement in gender and number between nouns, articles and adjectives, e.g. «as casas grandes». Errors here are common in free writing and reduce clarity, so checking noun phrases before submitting is worthwhile.

Whether a noun is masculine or feminine, shown by articles and adjectives («o problema», «a viagem»). Some endings mislead learners, so nouns ending in -agem or -ção are usually feminine, while -ema and -or are often masculine.

The definite article «o, a, os, as», used for specific or already mentioned referents. Its presence or absence changes meaning in some phrases, and contractions with prepositions («do», «na», «pelos») appear constantly in texts.

Small linking words such as «de», «em», «a», «por», which combine with articles into forms like «do», «no», «à», «pelo». Choosing the right preposition is a frequent accuracy point in controlled writing exercises.

A letter written to an institution or unknown recipient, opening with «Exmo. Senhor» and closing with «Com os melhores cumprimentos». It uses the formal «você» or impersonal forms and follows a fixed layout of place, date, body and signature.

Ways of addressing people politely, using «o senhor», «a senhora», titles like «Doutor» or «Professor», and third-person verb forms. Mixing formal and informal address is a common error in letters and oral role plays.

Relaxed language used with friends and family, with «tu», contractions, colloquial vocabulary and shorter sentences. Candidates must switch between this and formal register depending on the task and the relationship between speakers.

A short email or digital message, often assessed in controlled writing. It needs an appropriate greeting, a clear purpose in the first line, brief organised paragraphs and a closing formula suited to the recipient.

A piece of writing that tells a story with characters, setting and a sequence of events, usually in past tenses. A clear beginning, complication and ending, plus time markers, help the reader follow it.

Writing that states a position and supports it with reasons and examples, often required in free production. It needs a clear thesis, organised arguments with connectors, and a short conclusion restating the main point.

A statement of what the speaker or writer thinks, introduced by phrases like «na minha opinião», «acho que» or «parece-me que». In speaking tasks it should be justified with at least one reason or example.

The central point a text or recording conveys, as opposed to supporting details. Identifying it quickly is the core skill in reading and listening tasks, where distractors often repeat details rather than the main message.

Working out meaning that is not stated directly, using context, tone and background knowledge. Exam tasks often ask what a speaker implies, so candidates must read beyond literal wording rather than matching single words.

A significant word in a question or text that guides searching for the answer. Underlining key words before reading or listening helps candidates locate relevant passages and avoid being misled by similar-sounding options.

Understanding spoken Portuguese from recordings played in the exam. Candidates should preview questions, note key words, listen for gist first, and accept that they may not understand every word without losing the main message.

Pronunciation features that vary between speakers and regions, including vowel reduction in European Portuguese and different rhythms in Brazilian speech. Familiarity with both helps candidates understand authentic recordings in listening tasks.

Regional forms of the language, chiefly European and Brazilian Portuguese, differing in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, e.g. «autocarro» versus «ônibus». Exam texts may come from Portugal, Brazil or African Portuguese-speaking countries.

Countries where Portuguese is an official language: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Guiné-Bissau, São Tomé e Príncipe and Timor-Leste, plus Equatorial Guinea. Cultural questions may ask about their flags, capitals or national figures.

The Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa, founded in 1996, which promotes cooperation among Portuguese-speaking states in culture, education, health and politics. It is a frequent topic in cultural knowledge questions.

The community of people and cultures linked by the Portuguese language worldwide, including literature, music and traditions. Questions may refer to writers such as Camões, Pessoa or Mia Couto, or to musical forms like fado and samba.

A traditional Portuguese song genre, melancholic in tone, associated with Lisbon and recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. It is often mentioned alongside Amália Rodrigues in cultural reading passages.

The role a candidate plays in a speaking task, such as asking for information, complaining or making a suggestion. Recognising the role determines the register, the functions needed and the questions to ask.

A two-way spoken exchange in which candidates ask, answer, react and keep the conversation going. Useful strategies include asking for clarification, paraphrasing when a word is unknown and using fillers naturally.

An oral task requiring candidates to describe what is visible and speculate about it, using present tenses, position words («à esquerda», «ao fundo») and phrases like «parece que» for interpretation.

Word sets grouped by topic such as family, school, health, transport, environment and holidays. Building lists with example sentences helps candidates recall items quickly in both reading tasks and free writing.