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Let's take a closer look at the conversation.
Do you remember how Ben asks,
"How much does this cost?"
Quanto custa isto?
Let's start with the word, isto, "this." Isto. Isto.
You can use this word while pointing at something near you. It's useful when you want to refer to something you don't know the word for in Portuguese.
Isto is singular - a fact which will determine the form of other words in the sentence. Isto is also an invariable demonstrative pronoun, therefore you can use it when referring to any item.
Next is custa, "costs" as in "this costs." Custa.Custa.
Custa is from the verb custar, "to cost." Custar.
Last is quanto, "how much," in this context. Quanto. Quanto.
All together, it's Quanto custa isto? This literally translates as, "How much costs this?" But translates as "How much does this cost?"
Quanto custa isto?
Let's take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember how the shop clerk says,
"It costs two reais."
Custa dois reais.
First is custa, "[it] costs." Custa.
Note, the word "it" is omitted as it is understood from context.
Next is dois reais, "two reais." Dois reais.
Let's start with reais. "Reais," the name of the Brazilian currency in the plural form. Reais. Reais.
The singular form is real, "real," as in um real, "one real." Real. Real.
In Portuguese, all nouns have grammatical gender and are either singular or plural. Reais is masculine and plural — a fact which will determine the form of other words in the sentence.
Before this is dois, "two." Dois. Dois.
Dois is in the masculine form to agree with reais.
All together, it's Custa dois reais. Literally, this means "Costs two reais," but it translates as "It costs two reais."
Custa dois reais.
The pattern is
Quanto custa ITEM?
"How much does ITEM cost?"
Quanto custa ITEM?
To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you'd like to know the price of.
Note: This pattern requires a noun phrase.
For example, imagine you'd like to know the price of a coffee, um café.
Café, "coffee." Café. Café.
Café is masculine and singular.
The corresponding article, um, is also masculine and singular to agree with café.
Um, think of this like "a," or "an" in English. Um. Um.
Ask, "How much does a coffee cost?"
Ready?
Quanto custa um café?
"How much does a coffee cost?"
Quanto custa um café?
In Portuguese, there are two sets of articles.
Definite articles are like "the" in English, and indefinite articles are like "a" or "an."
While the pattern in this lesson works with both kinds of articles, this lesson will focus on indefinite articles like the English "a" or "an."
When introducing a general item, such as when asking for the price of "a coffee," use an indefinite article. In Portuguese, the indefinite article will depend on the gender of the item.
The indefinite article for singular masculine nouns is um, and for singular feminine nouns is uma.
For example:
um café, "a coffee," um café;
uma garrafa d'água, "a bottle of water," uma garrafa d'água.
masculine
feminine
Indefinite article
um
uma

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