The phrase “dado à” is a common part of Brazilian Portuguese, and though it might seem simple at first, it can be tricky for learners. If you’re trying to understand its meaning and use, this article will help you. We’ll explore its definition, when to use it, and provide some helpful examples.
What Does “Dado à” Mean?
“Dado à” combines two parts: dado and à.
- Dado comes from the verb dar (to give), which in this case means “given.”
- À is a preposition that combines a (to) with a (the feminine article), so it translates to “to the.”
Together, dado à translates roughly to “given to” in English, showing who or what receives something, such as an assignment, prize, or responsibility.
When Should You Use “Dado à”?
Use dado à when something is assigned, granted, or offered to a specific person, group, or entity. It’s particularly useful when you’re talking about actions that are delegated or assigned, especially in formal or official contexts.
Here are a few examples of how it works in sentences:
- “O prêmio foi dado à melhor equipe.”
Translation: “The prize was given to the best team.” - “A decisão foi dada à comissão.”
Translation: “The decision was given to the committee.”
Both examples highlight how dado à shows who receives the action.
Practical Uses of “Dado à”
“Dado à” appears often in contexts where something is being granted, delegated, or assigned. It’s especially common in professional, academic, and legal contexts. Here’s how to use it in different situations:
- Professional settings:
In business, you might say “A responsabilidade foi dada à nova gerente.”
Translation: “The responsibility was given to the new manager.” - Legal settings:
Legal documents might include “A sentença foi dada à parte envolvida.”
Translation: “The sentence was given to the involved party.” - Academic contexts:
“A pesquisa foi dada à universidade para análise.”
Translation: “The research was given to the university for analysis.”
Gender Agreement with “Dado à”
When using dado à, pay attention to the gender of the noun that follows. Although dado itself is masculine, the preposition à adjusts to match the gender of the noun.
- For feminine nouns:
“Dado à situação” – “Given the situation.” - For masculine nouns:
“Dado ao projeto” – “Given to the project.”
This ensures your sentences follow proper grammar rules.
Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
While dado à commonly appears in passive voice, you can make your writing more dynamic and engaging by using active voice when possible. For instance:
- Passive voice:
“O prêmio foi dado à melhor aluna.”
Translation: “The award was given to the best student.” - Active voice:
“Eu dei o prêmio à melhor aluna.”
Translation: “I gave the award to the best student.”
Active voice puts the focus on the subject (the person or group doing the action), which makes the sentence clearer and more direct.
Reducing Passive Voice
To keep your language fresh, it’s a good idea to avoid overusing passive voice. Here’s how you can turn passive sentences into active ones:
- Instead of “O prêmio foi dado à equipe,” you could say “A equipe recebeu o prêmio.”
Translation: “The team received the prize.” - Instead of “A decisão foi dada à comissão,” you could say “A comissão tomou a decisão.”
Translation: “The committee made the decision.”
Switching to active voice keeps sentences more lively and easier to understand.
Common Mistakes with “Dado à”
Native speakers sometimes make mistakes with dado à when they fail to follow gender agreement or misuse it in the wrong context. For example, using “ao” instead of “à” in a feminine noun phrase would be incorrect. Here’s an example:
- Incorrect: “Dado o prêmio à equipe.”
- Correct: “Dado o prêmio à equipe.”
The phrase “à equipe” is correct because “equipe” is feminine. Always double-check the gender of the noun to avoid mistakes.
When to Avoid “Dado à”
In casual conversation, “dado à” might sound too formal or complicated. In everyday speech, it’s often simpler to just say “dar a” (to give to) instead of using the full phrase “dado à.”
For example:
- Instead of:
“O prêmio foi dado à melhor aluna.”
Translation: “The award was given to the best student.” - You can say:
“Eu dei o prêmio à melhor aluna.”
Translation: “I gave the award to the best student.”
Using “dar a” keeps things simple and natural for informal contexts.
Conclusion
Mastering the use of “dado à” will help you communicate effectively in Brazilian Portuguese, especially in formal contexts. Whether you’re writing a business email, a legal document, or an academic paper, understanding how to use dado à will make your writing sound more polished.
To summarize:
- “Dado à” means “given to” in English.
- It’s used to show who or what receives something in formal, professional, or academic contexts.
- Watch out for gender agreement between dado à and the noun.
- Try using active voice to make your sentences more engaging and clear.
By following these tips and practicing, you’ll use dado à with ease, making your Portuguese sound fluent and natural!
