Post Service

Do you go to the post office? Or is it unnecessary now? Do you like to receive unexpected letters, postcards from your travel friends? Do you go to the post office to receive parcels with your online orders? Do you even know where the post office is in your city? Let’s learn how to answer these questions in Portuguese.

Vocabulary

In absolutely every topic you can find its own special vocabulary. Post Service isn’t an exception:

• correios – post office
• correio – mail
• carta – letter
• postal – postcard
• encomenda – package
• entrega – delivery
• selo – stamp
• envelope – envelope

Unfortunately, now the function of mail has been taken over by the Internet, mobile phones and courier delivery services. However, getting a letter or a postcard has ceased to be commonplace. Now it might come as a real surprise. The letter can be saved as an episode from life and re-read it many times. And collect postcards and stamps is interesting. In addition, it is more pleasant to hold a physical thing in your hands than to receive a message or a picture on your phone.

New verbs

In this article, we will look at two new verbs – “seguir” (to follow) and “pedir” (to ask). Both verbs are irregular, but only for the pronoun “eu“. The rest of the conjugation forms are obtained according to the rule for conjugating verbs with the ending “-ir”.

Let’s start with the verb “seguir” and see its conjugation forms:

Pode seguir a sua encomenda através da aplicação. (You can follow your package via app.)

Eu sigo o seu trabalho nas redes sociais. (I follow your work in social media.)

Elas seguem uma dieta à base de comida não processada. (They follow a not processed food based diet.)

Now let’s move on to the verb “pedir” and see its conjugation forms.

So that you don’t rack your brains, we will give you ideas on how you can use this verb.

Peço ajuda ao meu irmão quando preciso. (I ask my brother for help when I need it.)

Quando viajamos, pedimos conselhos aos locais. When we travel, we ask locals for advice.)

Despite the verb “pedir” means “to ask”, it only means to ask something. It’s not possible to use this verb with the meaning “to ask a question”. In this case, we should use the verb “perguntar”. The opposite is the same: we cannot use the verb “perguntar” for “to ask a favor”:

Peço-te um favor: pergunta ao Pedro se ele ainda está interessado na minha oferta.

(I ask you a favor: ask Pedro if he is still interested in my offer.)

Imperative and letters

How does the imperative help us in real life? First, we can distribute tasks, describe a recipe, or give instructions in a letter. Moreover, if a passer-by asks where the post office is, we will be able to correctly describe the path and give him directions.

Os correios ficam a 10 minutos daqui. Vá pela rua, vire à esquerda e siga em frente. (The post office is 10 minutes from here. Walk down the street, turn left and continue forward.)

Vá até a um teatro e lá peça ajuda a alguém. (Go to the theater and ask someone for help there.)

Now you will not get lost and give good advice to someone who needs it.

Explanations

In order to provide an explanation, there are several suitable words: “por causa de” (for a reason), “porque” (because) and “por isso” (therefore). Their meaning is almost identical, so it is best to look at examples and determine for yourself that barely noticeable difference:

A Maria não vai receber a encomenda com a minha prenda no dia do seu aniversário por causa do trabalho lento dos correios. (Maria will not receive the package on her birthday due to the slow work of the post office.)

Não envio postais aos amigos porque não gosto de fazer isto. (I don’t send postcards to my friends because I don’t like to do it.)

O Pedro tem uma coleção dos selos, por isso fica feliz quando lhe envio uma carta num envelope com um selo novo. (Pedro has a collection of stamps, so he is happy when I send him a letter in an envelope with a new stamp.)

We can say that these words are interchangeable. It is enough to change the structure of the sentence without changing its meaning in order to use any of the three options.

Interesting verbs

We would also like to draw your attention to such verbs as: “descobrir” (to make a discovery), “servir” (to serve) and “sentir” (to feel). They are incorrect only for the pronoun “eu“. We advise you to remember this form, because otherwise they are conjugated, like all verbs with the ending “-ir“.

Carta após carta descubro que não sabes gramática. (Letter by letterI understand more that you do not know grammar.)

Eu sirvo os convidados o melhor que consigo! (I serve the guests the best as I can.)

Sinto-me feliz porque tu me mandas fotografias em todas as cartas. (I feel happy because you send me photos in every letter.)

There are quite a few such verbs, but remembering just one special form is not so difficult, and your possibilities in Portuguese are greatly expanded.

Conclusion

Not sure who you can write a letter to or send a postcard to? We have one idea. People from all over the world study in our school. This is a great way not only to learn Portuguese, but also to make foreign acquaintances. And then you can delight each other with postcards with views of your city and country.