Destinations and origins with a, para and de

In brief

To talk about going somewhere, use a or para before the destination. Use de for where someone comes from or leaves. Both a and para can mean ‘to’; para often puts more emphasis on the destination or a planned stay.

Form

ir/voltar + a or para + destination; vir/sair/voltar + de + origin. Before o or a, combine a + o = ao, a + a = à, de + o = do, and de + a = da.

Usage

• Use a for a trip to a place: Vou ao mercado.
• Use para when the destination or intended stay is in focus: Vamos para a praia.
• Use de for the starting point: Ela saiu da escola.

Examples

• Vou ao mercado agora. — I’m going to the market now.
• Vamos para a praia amanhã. — We’re going to the beach tomorrow.
• Ela saiu da escola cedo. — She left school early.
• Voltei do trabalho às seis. — I came back from work at six.

Common mistake

❌ Voltei de o trabalho.

✅ Voltei do trabalho.

Unlike English ‘from the’, Portuguese combines de and o into do.

Remember

For destinations, a + a becomes à; for origins, de + a becomes da.