Punctuation & paragraphing (the comma)

What it is

In Portuguese the comma follows syntax, not breathing. The norma-padrão has a few absolute prohibitions and a list of places where a comma is required; everything else is style. This is the punctuation expected in reports, journalism, exams (the ENEM essay is marked partly on it) and any text a client or editor will read. This topic also covers how to build a formal paragraph.

Never put a comma…

• between the subject and its verb, however long the subject: Os candidatos aprovados na primeira fase farão a prova oral (no comma after fase);
• between a verb and its object: Eles compraram um apartamento em Niterói;
• before que when the clause completes the verb: Acho que vai chover;
• before e in a simple list: pão, queijo e café (no serial comma);
• around a restrictive relative: Os alunos que faltaram vão refazer a prova (only those who missed it).

Always use a comma with…

Short fronted adverbials can go without: Hoje vou ao cinema. Long ones, or ones that could confuse the reader, take the comma.

Restrictive or explanatory? Commas change the meaning

• Os funcionários que trabalham à noite recebem adicional. — only the night-shift staff get the bonus.
• Os funcionários, que trabalham à noite, recebem adicional. — all the staff work at night, and all get it.

Before you add commas around a relative clause, ask: am I selecting some of them, or describing all of them?

Other marks

• Semicolon (;): separates long items or clauses that already contain commas, and balanced pairs: Ana prefere praia; Carlos, montanha.
• Colon (:): before an explanation, a list or a quotation.
• Dash (travessão) for dialogue in fiction: — Não vou — disse ela.
• Unlike French, Portuguese has no space before : ; ! ?; unlike Spanish, it has no opening ¿ or ¡.

Paragraphing in formal texts

A formal paragraph has three parts: a topic sentence (tópico frasal) that states the idea, a development with arguments, data or examples, and a closing sentence that concludes or links to the next paragraph. The ENEM essay usually has four or five: an introduction with the thesis, two development paragraphs, and a conclusion with a proposal for intervention. Start paragraphs with clear connectors: Em primeiro lugar, Além disso, Por outro lado, Diante do exposto.

In context

Prezada Dra. Helena, os resultados, que chegaram ontem, confirmam a hipótese. No entanto, faltam dados de dois municípios; por isso, sugerimos adiar a publicação.

Vocative (Prezada Dra. Helena,), explanatory relative (que chegaram ontem), connector at the start (No entanto,), semicolon between two clauses and a framed connector (por isso,). And no comma between os resultados and confirmam, despite the interruption.

Contrasts and traps

• The interrupted subject: when an explanatory clause interrupts, close it with a second comma: Os resultados, que chegaram ontem, confirmam… — not Os resultados, que chegaram ontem confirmam…
• Vocatives after greetings: Oi, Ana, Bom dia, pessoal, Obrigada, Júlia. In chat people skip them; in a work email, don't.
• Connectors at the start vs inside: Portanto, … at the start; Os dados são, portanto, insuficientes inside.
• mas takes a comma before it; e usually doesn't, unless the subjects differ and the sentence is long.

If you speak Spanish

Your Spanish rules transfer almost one to one: no comma between subject and verb, commas for vocatives, appositives, explanatory relatives and displaced connectors (sin embargo → no entanto), no comma before y/e in lists. The visible difference is that Portuguese has no opening question or exclamation marks: write Você vem amanhã?, never ¿Você vem amanhã?