Portuguese Phrase
O que você defende?
Meaning
The sentence asks someone to state the cause, principle, or position they are defending or supporting. It can refer to a political stance, a personal value, or any argument the speaker is championing.
When to use
Use this question in debates, interviews, or casual conversations when you want to know a person’s point of view or the cause they stand behind. It works well in both formal and informal settings, though a softer phrasing may be preferred in very polite contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Oquevocêdefende?
Interrogative pronoun "O que"
"O que" is used to ask "what"; it functions as a single interrogative phrase and is placed at the beginning of the question.
Pronoun "você"
"Você" is the informal second‑person singular pronoun in Brazilian Portuguese; it triggers third‑person verb conjugation.
Verb "defender" – present indicative
"Defende" is the 3rd‑person singular form of the verb "defender" in the present indicative, used with "você" to mean "you defend/you support".
Question mark placement
In Portuguese, the question ends with a single question mark; the opening inverted question mark (¿) is not used.
🗨In Conversation
O que você defende?
What do you defend?
Eu defendo a igualdade de direitos para todas as pessoas.
I defend equal rights for everyone.
✕Common Mistakes
O que tu defende?
When using the pronoun "tu" (common in Portugal), the verb must be "defendes"; "defende" only matches "você" or third‑person subjects.
O que você defende?
In very formal written Portuguese you might use "o senhor/a senhora"; using "você" in a formal interview can sound too casual.
↔Alternatives
Qual é a sua posição?
What is your position?
O que você apoia?
What do you support?
Qual causa você defende?
Which cause do you defend?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, directly asking "O que você defende?" can feel a bit confrontational, especially in a heated debate. To soften it, you can preface the question with "Me diz" ("Tell me") or use "Qual é a sua opinião sobre…?". Also, note that in Portugal the pronoun "tu" is common, and the verb would be conjugated as "defendes" ("O que tu defendes?").