When I first started learning European Portuguese, I naively thought, “I speak English, and I took a few years of Spanish—I’ve got this.” Then I started learning about the Portuguese verb estar, ser, and ter. So, I had to eat my famous last words. What I didn’t expect was to be thrown into a whirlwind of expressions that all seem to include estar or ter, and yet mean totally different things depending on what comes after.

Today, I want to talk about four tiny expressions that caused me major headaches: ter de, estar a, estar com, and estar de.

1. Ter de – The “I Have To” That Stressed Me Out

The first time I heard “Tens de estudar mais”, I panicked. I thought I was being told you have from studying more, which made zero sense. Eventually, I learned that ter de simply means “to have to” or “must.”

• Tenho de trabalhar amanhã. → I have to work tomorrow.
• Tens de ouvir isto! → You have to hear this!

The kicker? In Brazilian Portuguese, they often say “ter que”, so of course my YouTube rabbit holes confused me even more.

2. Estar a – The Ongoing Action That Tricked My Brain

The Portuguese verb estar a one got me. As an English speaker, I’m used to saying, “I’m eating” or “She’s reading.” So when I heard “Estou a comer”, it felt like someone had deleted a word. “You’re… to eat?” However, it is a similar thought in Spanish.

But that’s how it works in European Portuguese!

• Estou a aprender português. → I’m learning Portuguese.
• Ela está a ler um livro. → She’s reading a book.

It’s like the Portuguese version of the present continuous, but it still sounds odd in my head sometimes. I’m slowly getting used to it, though—I think I’m finally a habituar-me!

Deep Dive: Estar a vs. Estar + Adjective

This tripped me up so much at first. I’d hear someone say “Ela está a trabalhar” and then “Ela está cansada”, and I kept wondering: why does one have an a and the other doesn’t?

Here’s the deal:

• “Estar a” + verb describes an action currently happening — it’s the Portuguese version of the English present continuous (I’m doing, she’s working, etc.).
  • Estou a estudar. → I’m studying.
  • Estás a cozinhar? → Are you cooking?
• “Estar” + adjective describes a state or condition, not an action.
  • Ela está cansada. → She’s tired.
  • Estamos felizes. → We’re happy.

💡 Think of it this way:

• If someone is doing something, it’s probably estar a + verb.
• If it’s something someone is (a condition or emotion), it’s just estar + adjective.

3. Estar com – The Secret to Talking About Feelings (and Random States)

Okay, now we’re getting emotional. I kept hearing phrases like “Estou com fome” or “Ele está com sono.” At first I thought it was just “being with” something—which made me wonder, why are Portuguese people constantly with hunger and sleep?

Turns out, the Portuguese verb + com is how they express temporary feelings or states:

• Estou com fome. → I’m hungry.
• Ela está com medo. → She’s scared.
• Estamos com pressa. → We’re in a hurry.

It’s like you’re momentarily “with” that feeling. Weird at first, but now I think it’s kind of poetic.

4. Estar de – The One I Still Don’t Fully Get

Now this one… estar de… it’s the mysterious cousin I still don’t understand. It pops up in all sorts of contexts:

• Estou de férias. → I’m on vacation.
• Ela está de serviço. → She’s on duty.
• Estamos de saída. → We’re about to leave.

It feels like a way of describing temporary roles, states, or situations—kind of like saying, “I’m in [a certain mode/state] right now.” But there’s no perfect translation, so I just keep learning by exposure.

European Portuguese Cheat Sheet: “Ter de”, “Estar a”, “Estar com”, “Estar de”

Atypical Last Thoughts

If you’re learning European Portuguese and you’ve felt confused by all these tiny expressions, trust me—you’re not alone. The key (at least for me) has been hearing them used naturally, over and over again. Podcasts, shows, conversations, anything.

Sometimes I still freeze mid-sentence thinking, “Wait, is it estar com sono or estar de sono?” (Spoiler: it’s com). But I’m getting there—one expression at a time.

Boa sorte to all my fellow learners out there! Let’s keep stumbling our way toward fluency together.

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