Na minha opinião
Chapter Overview
In Chapters 16 through 18, you narrated completed past events and described background conditions and habits with the preterite and the imperfect. This chapter moves from narration to argumentation: you will learn to state opinions with acho que, compare people, places, and things using comparatives and superlatives, connect ideas with the relative pronoun que, and link reasons and contrasts with connectors such as porque, mas, então, and porém. You will also begin to recognize a small set of fixed subjunctive expressions, such as espero que and talvez, as formulaic recognition items rather than as a productive grammar system. By the end of the chapter, you will be able to give a simple opinion, defend it briefly, and compare two options in connected Portuguese sentences.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- State an opinion using acho que and related formulas.
- Form and use comparatives of superiority, inferiority, and equality.
- Form and use regular and irregular superlatives.
- Connect two clauses with the relative pronoun que.
- Use connectors such as porque, mas, então, and porém to build a short connected argument.
- Recognize a small set of fixed subjunctive expressions without producing the subjunctive independently.
- Disagree respectfully and invite another person's opinion.
Communication Scenario
You are discussing preferences with a friend: which city is better to live in, which streaming show is more interesting, which restaurant has the best food. Giving and supporting an opinion requires new tools beyond narration — you need to state a view, compare two or more things, and give a reason, and you need to do this while sounding like a reasonable person who is open to disagreement.
- This chapter activates comparatives and superlatives, acho que, relative que, and connectors for reason and contrast.
- The chapter's productive target is a short opinion with one comparison and one connected reason.
- Fixed subjunctive expressions such as espero que and talvez appear only as recognition formulas; the productive subjunctive is not assessed in this chapter.
- You may express real preferences or invented ones.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter's vocabulary supports stating opinions, comparing options, and discussing media and preferences: opinion formulas, comparison words, and connectors that link reasons and contrasts.
| Portuguese | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| a opinião | the opinion | feminine noun |
| acho que... | I think that... | formulaic opinion opener |
| na minha opinião | in my opinion | formulaic opinion opener |
| concordo, discordo | I agree, I disagree | present tense, regular -ar |
| melhor, pior | better, worse | irregular comparatives |
| mais...(do) que, menos...(do) que | more...than, less...than | comparatives of superiority/inferiority |
| tão...quanto | as...as | comparative of equality |
| o/a melhor, o/a pior | the best, the worst | irregular superlatives |
| -íssimo/-íssima | very / extremely | absolute superlative suffix |
| talvez | maybe, perhaps | formulaic, followed by subjunctive; recognition only |
| Portuguese | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| o filme, a série | the movie, the show/series | masculine / feminine |
| o livro, a música | the book, the music/song | masculine / feminine |
| interessante, chato | interesting, boring | invariant / regular adjective |
| caro, barato | expensive, cheap | regular adjectives |
| porque, mas, então, porém | because, but, so, however | connectors: reason, contrast, consequence, formal contrast |
All entries preserve required diacritics, including opinião, é, and comparative and superlative endings introduced below.
Mas and porém both mean "but" or "however," but mas is the everyday, all-purpose contrast word, while porém is somewhat more formal and often appears in writing or careful speech: Eu gosto do filme, mas ele é muito longo versus O filme tem uma boa história; a atuação, porém, é fraca.
Pronunciation Focus
The absolute superlative suffix -íssimo/-íssima always carries a written accent and always takes the stress. Compare caro (stress on the first syllable) with caríssimo (stress on the syllable with the accent mark, immediately before the final -mo).
Listen also for the reduced, unstressed quality of que in the connector mais...do que and in the relative pronoun que: both are typically pronounced quickly and without stress within the sentence, unlike the question word o que, which carries more prominence.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This section introduces comparatives and superlatives, the opinion formula acho que, the relative pronoun que, and connectors for building a short, connected opinion.
Stating an Opinion
Use acho que or na minha opinião to open an opinion. Both are followed by a normal statement, not by any special verb form.
- Acho que o livro é melhor do que o filme. I think the book is better than the movie.
- Na minha opinião, essa série é chata. In my opinion, that show is boring.
Comparatives
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mais + adjective + (do) que | more...than | O carrinho é mais caro do que a boneca. |
| menos + adjective + (do) que | less...than | Esse bairro é menos barulhento do que o centro. |
| tão + adjective + quanto | as...as | A série é tão interessante quanto o livro. |
| melhor (do) que / pior (do) que | better than / worse than | Este restaurante é melhor do que aquele. |
Melhor and pior already mean "better" and "worse"; they do not combine with mais or menos.
Superlatives
- Este é o melhor restaurante da cidade. This is the best restaurant in the city. definite article + melhor/pior + de
- Aquele filme é péssimo — é o pior filme do ano. That movie is terrible — it's the worst movie of the year.
- O bolo estava caríssimo! The cake was extremely expensive! absolute superlative, no comparison implied
Connecting with Relative que
The relative pronoun que joins two ideas about the same noun into one sentence, avoiding two short, choppy sentences.
- O filme que eu vi ontem foi ótimo. The movie that I saw yesterday was great. que = "that," links "o filme" to "eu vi ontem"
- A série que todo mundo assiste é muito longa. The show that everyone watches is very long.
Connectors for Reason and Contrast
| Portuguese | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| porque | reason | Gosto do livro porque a história é interessante. |
| mas | everyday contrast | O filme é bom, mas é muito longo. |
| então | consequence | O filme é caro, então prefiro assistir em casa. |
| porém | formal contrast | A comida é ótima; o serviço, porém, é lento. |
A handful of common expressions, such as espero que ("I hope that") and talvez ("maybe"), are normally followed by the subjunctive in Portuguese: Espero que você goste do filme ("I hope you like the movie"); Talvez eu vá ao cinema amanhã ("Maybe I'll go to the movies tomorrow"). At this stage, treat these as whole formulaic expressions to recognize in reading and listening. You are not expected to conjugate the subjunctive productively; that system is developed beginning in Volume II.
Prática guiada — Guided practice: Complete each sentence with a comparative or superlative form.
- O livro é ______ (more interesting) do que o filme.
- Esta cidade é ______ (the best) cidade do país, na minha opinião.
- A série nova é ______ (as boring as) a série antiga.
- Esse restaurante é ______ (worse than) aquele.
- O bolo estava ______ (extremely expensive)!
Model Dialogue
- What is Diego's opinion about the book compared to the movie?
- Find one sentence with relative que and explain what two ideas it connects.
- Find one example of porém and one example of talvez, and explain their function.
Guided Practice
Exercício A — Complete with the correct comparative or superlative.
- Este café é ______ (more expensive) do que aquele.
- Minha irmã é ______ (younger than) eu.
- Esta é ______ (the worst) música do álbum.
- O segundo livro é ______ (as good as) o primeiro.
- O exame foi ______ (extremely difficult).
Exercício B — Combine the two sentences using relative que.
- Eu li um livro. O livro é muito interessante.
- Nós vimos um filme. O filme ganhou um prêmio.
- Ela conhece um restaurante. O restaurante é barato e bom.
Exercício C — Build a short opinion. Combine the elements using a connector.
- acho / a série nova / ser / interessante / porque...
- o filme / ser / bom / mas...
- o livro / ser / caro / então...
Listening Practice
If no audio recording is available, ask a partner, instructor, or text-to-speech tool to read the script below aloud, or read it aloud to yourself slowly.
- What does the speaker say about the restaurant's prices, compared to other places?
- What does the speaker say about the service?
- Find one superlative phrase in the script.
Speaking Practice
Prática controlada — Controlled practice: three opinions
Say aloud three opinions about media, food, or places, using acho que or na minha opinião at least once and a comparative at least once.
Tarefa comunicativa — Communicative task: compare and disagree respectfully
With a partner, compare two movies, books, or restaurants you both know. Use at least one comparative, one superlative, and one connector. If you disagree, practice saying Entendo, mas acho que... ("I understand, but I think that...") instead of simply contradicting your partner.
Prática individual — Solo alternative
Record yourself giving an opinion about a book, movie, or show for one minute, using at least one comparative, one superlative, relative que at least once, and at least two connectors.
Reading Practice
Duas cidades, duas opiniões
Marina mora em São Paulo e acha que é a melhor cidade do Brasil para trabalhar, porque tem mais oportunidades do que outras cidades. Ela diz que o trânsito é pior do que em cidades menores, mas, para ela, isso não é um problema tão grande quanto as pessoas pensam. Já o irmão dela, Tiago, mora numa cidade pequena e prefere a vida lá. Ele acha que a cidade pequena é mais tranquila do que São Paulo, e que a qualidade de vida é melhor. Os dois concordam em uma coisa: a cidade que a gente escolhe depende do que cada pessoa valoriza mais.
Notice a melhor, mais...do que, pior do que, tão...quanto, and mais tranquila do que — comparatives and superlatives — alongside que used both as a connector for reason (porque) and as a relative pronoun (a cidade que a gente escolhe).
Tarefa de leitura — Reading task:
- What is Marina's opinion about São Paulo, and why?
- What does Tiago think about life in a small city?
- Find the sentence with relative que at the end of the passage and explain what it connects.
Writing Workshop
Write a short paragraph of six to eight sentences giving your opinion about two things you can compare (two cities, two shows, two restaurants, two books), following the model of Duas cidades, duas opiniões above.
- Choose your two options. Decide what you are comparing.
- State your opinion. Use acho que or na minha opinião at least once.
- Compare the two options. Use at least one comparative and one superlative.
- Give a reason. Use porque to connect your opinion to a reason.
- Add a contrast or consequence. Use mas, então, or porém at least once.
- Connect one idea with relative que.
- Check diacritics and spelling throughout, including opinião, melhor, and any -íssimo/-íssima forms.
Lista de revisão — Editing checklist:
- The paragraph states a clear opinion using acho que or na minha opinião.
- At least one comparative and one superlative appear correctly formed.
- Relative que connects two ideas at least once.
- At least two connectors (porque, mas, então, or porém) appear.
- Any subjunctive expression used, such as talvez or espero que, is a fixed formula, not an invented conjugation.
- All diacritics are preserved, including opinião and accented superlatives.
Culture and Communication
Brazilian conversation often allows fairly direct disagreement among friends, but softening expressions such as entendo, mas... ("I understand, but...") or concordo em parte... ("I partly agree...") remain common and useful, especially with people one does not know well. Directness varies by relationship, region, and personal style, so avoid assuming that all speakers express disagreement the same way.
The comparative patterns in this chapter are shared across the Portuguese-speaking world, but some everyday opinion expressions differ. European Portuguese speakers, for example, may favor slightly different discourse markers in casual conversation than Brazilian speakers do. These differences are recognition items only at this level.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: Saying mais melhor or mais pior.
Correction: Melhor and pior already carry comparative meaning: Este filme é melhor do que aquele, never mais melhor.
Error: Writing Gosto do livro que a história é boa when giving a reason.
Correction: Use porque for reasons and que only to link a clause back to a noun: Gosto do livro porque a história é boa, but O livro que eu li é bom.
Error: Trying to conjugate new verbs after talvez or espero que from first principles.
Correction: At this level, use only the fixed subjunctive expressions you have seen as whole formulas, such as talvez eu vá or espero que você goste. Full subjunctive conjugation is not assessed until Volume II.
Chapter Summary
O que você aprendeu — What you learned
This chapter introduced comparatives and superlatives, the opinion formulas acho que and na minha opinião, the relative pronoun que, and connectors for reason and contrast. You practiced stating an opinion, comparing two options, and connecting your ideas into short, coherent arguments, while recognizing a small set of fixed subjunctive expressions.
Chapter Review
Parte A — Compreensão (Comprehension)
1. Return to Duas cidades, duas opiniões, and answer these short questions.
- Why does Marina prefer São Paulo?
- What do Marina and Tiago agree about at the end?
Parte B — Escrita (Writing)
1. Write one sentence with a comparative and one sentence with a superlative about two restaurants or two cities.
Parte C — Leitura (Reading)
1. Return to the Listening Task script, and describe the speaker's opinion about the restaurant's food and service.
Parte D — Fala (Speaking)
1. Tell a partner your opinion about a movie or book, using acho que and one comparative.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 19 Practical Check
Na minha opinião — Stating and Supporting an Opinion
Complete the following connected tasks, in order, as one integrated performance.
- Read Duas cidades, duas opiniões. Answer the comprehension questions above before continuing.
- State an opinion about two things you can compare. Use acho que or na minha opinião at least once.
- Compare the two options. Use at least one comparative and one superlative.
- Give a reason and a contrast. Use porque and at least one of mas, então, or porém.
- Combine all steps into one spoken and written account, applying the editing checklist from the Writing Workshop.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Opinion formula | The learner uses acho que or na minha opinião to open an opinion. |
| Comparatives and superlatives | The learner correctly forms at least one comparative and one superlative. |
| Relative que | The learner connects two ideas about the same noun with relative que at least once. |
| Connectors | The learner uses porque and at least one contrast or consequence connector. |
| Subjunctive recognition boundary | Any subjunctive expression used is a fixed formula; no independent subjunctive conjugation is required or expected. |
| Diacritics and spelling | The learner preserves diacritics throughout, including opinião and accented superlatives. |
This chapter activates comparatives, superlatives, relative que, and reason/contrast connectors for the first time; only the systems introduced above and in Chapters 1–18 are assessed.
Answer Key
Grammar — Guided Practice
- mais interessante
- a melhor
- tão chata quanto
- pior do que
- caríssimo
Exercício A
- mais caro
- mais jovem do que
- a pior
- tão bom quanto
- dificílimo (or: muito difícil)
Exercício B — Sample sentences
- O livro que eu li é muito interessante.
- O filme que nós vimos ganhou um prêmio.
- Ela conhece um restaurante que é barato e bom.
Exercício C — Sample sentences
Acho que a série nova é interessante porque a história é original. O filme é bom, mas é muito longo. O livro é caro, então prefiro pegar na biblioteca.
Listening Task — Comprehension
- The speaker says the prices are cheaper than at other places downtown.
- The speaker says the service is slower than at other restaurants.
- Sample superlative: o melhor lugar da cidade / o restaurante que eu mais gosto na cidade inteira.
Reading Task
- Marina thinks São Paulo is the best city to work in because it has more opportunities than other cities.
- Tiago thinks small-city life is calmer than São Paulo and that the quality of life is better.
- a cidade que a gente escolhe connects "a cidade" to the idea "a gente escolhe [a cidade]," meaning the specific city each person chooses.
Chapter Review
- Marina prefers São Paulo because it has more job opportunities; Marina and Tiago agree that the right city depends on what each person values most.
- Sample: Este restaurante é melhor do que aquele. Este é o melhor restaurante da cidade.
Looking Ahead
O que você já sabe fazer — What you can do now
You can state an opinion, compare two or more things using comparatives and superlatives, connect ideas with relative que, and build a short, connected argument using reason and contrast connectors, while recognizing a small set of fixed subjunctive expressions.