Portuguese: "no" doesn't mean "no"

[terrencechan]

One common question I've been getting asked is how my Portuguese is coming along. As most people know, I spent four years in Costa Rica, so my Spanish is fairly solid. Spanish as a base for Portuguese is better than nothing, but once in a while it does get in the way. Reading and writing are definitely the easiest parts. A great deal of

Comments

[mathew5000]

So what does "no" mean?

[terrencechan]

Contraction of "em" and "o", therefore, "in the". This can frequently be confusing because you'll see signs that say "no ___" and it does not express that this thing is not allowed or not present, but rather, that it is (in this place, or time, or whatever).

"No", the word expressing negativity, is "não".