Online, I saw someone ask the question recently about the differences between three words in Brazilian Portuguese, all of them carry the meaning of “only” in English. The words are só, somente and apenas. Let’s take a look at the meanings and the examples I’ve created.
Só
As an adverb, só means “only” and as an adjective, it means “alone”. Be careful because the meaning of a sentence can change depending on where só is placed (when used as “only”), as you’ll see directly below.
- Ela só trouxe uma mala para o aeroporto.
= She only brought one bag to the airport (she didn’t bring more).
- Só ela trouxe uma mala para o aeroporto.
= Only she brought one bag to the airport (no one else brought one).
- O homem estava só quando eu o vi na praça.
= The man was alone when I saw him in the plaza.
In the picture above, the note reads: “Just for today” or “Only for today”.
Somente
- Ela queria conversar, mas ele falava somente português.
= She wanted to converse but he only spoke Portuguese.
In this sense, I can also use só with the same meaning:
- Ela queria conversar, mas ele só falava português.
= She wanted to converse but he only spoke Portuguese.
Apenas
This one is slightly different in that while it can mean “only”, it also means “just” and “merely” which aren’t all that different from “only”.
- Viver é a coisa mais rara do mundo. A maioria das pessoas apenas existe.
= Living is the strangest thing in the world. The majority of people merely exist.
Other Brazilian Portuguese Lessons:
Tirar do sério – Learn Colloquial Portuguese
Pedir vs. Perguntar: Get It Right with Street Smart Brazil – with Video
Portuguese Lesson: Verb Ter, Present Tense & Pronunciation Tips
——————
Schedule your Portuguese Demo Lesson.
Street Smart Brazil offers one-on-one and group classes online via webcam. We have a fantastic team of tutors, exclusive class materials, and complete programs from absolute beginner to fluent. See what our customers are saying.
Bolches yarboclos
Other use:
Only she is in the airport.
Só ela está no aeroporto.