Portuguese Phrase
Põe isso na mesa de jantar.
Meaning
A direct, informal command telling someone to place the indicated object on the dining table. It’s a practical phrase you’ll hear in everyday household or restaurant settings.
When to use
Use it when you want to give a quick instruction at home, in a family gathering, or in a casual dining environment. It’s appropriate with friends, family, or anyone you address with the informal ‘tu’. For formal situations, switch to ‘ponha’ or ‘coloque’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Põeissonamesadejantar.
Imperative of pôr
‘Põe’ is the affirmative imperative (tu) of the verb ‘pôr’ (to put). It is used for informal commands directed at someone you address as ‘tu’.
Contraction na = em + a
‘na’ combines the preposition ‘em’ (in/on) with the feminine article ‘a’, meaning ‘on the’. It is obligatory before feminine singular nouns.
Demonstrative pronoun isso
‘isso’ points to something near the listener or already mentioned; it functions like ‘this/that’ in English.
Noun phrase mesa de jantar
‘mesa de jantar’ literally ‘table of dinner’, the standard term for a dining table.
🗨In Conversation
Põe isso na mesa de jantar.
Put this on the dining table.
Claro, já coloco.
Sure, I’ll put it there right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Pôe isso na mesa de jantar.
The verb is spelled ‘põe’ with a tilde over the ‘o’; ‘pôe’ is a misspelling.
Põe isso na a mesa de jantar.
Do not add an extra article (e.g., ‘na a mesa’). The contraction already includes the article.
Coloca isso na mesa de jantar.
‘Coloca’ is acceptable but less idiomatic for a direct command; the preferred imperative of ‘pôr’ is ‘põe’ (informal) or ‘ponha’ (formal).
↔Alternatives
Coloque isso na mesa de jantar.
Place this on the dining table.
Ponha isso na mesa de jantar.
Put this on the dining table. (formal)
Deixa isso na mesa de jantar.
Leave this on the dining table. (colloquial)
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘mesa de jantar’ is the standard term for the table used during meals. The informal imperative ‘põe’ is common among friends and family, but in a restaurant or with strangers you’d use the formal ‘ponha’ or the more neutral ‘coloque’. Also, Brazilians often say ‘na mesa’ without specifying ‘de jantar’ if the context is clear.