Portuguese Phrase
Ele é um amigo de verdade?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether the person being talked about is a genuine, trustworthy friend. The phrase carries a slight evaluative tone, implying that the speaker is uncertain about the depth of the friendship.
When to use
Use this question when you want to confirm the reliability of a male friend, especially after hearing mixed opinions about his loyalty or after he has acted in a questionable way.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Eleéumamigodeverdade?
Pronome pessoal sujeito
Ele = third‑person singular masculine pronoun, used as the subject of the sentence.
Verbo ser (presente)
É is the third‑person singular present form of ser, used for permanent characteristics.
Artigo indefinido
Um introduces a singular, non‑specific noun; it agrees in gender (masculine) with amigo.
Preposição de + substantivo
De links the noun verdade to amigo, forming the expression ‘amigo de verdade’ (a true friend).
Interrogação direta
The question mark turns the declarative sentence into a yes/no question; intonation rises at the end.
🗨In Conversation
Ele é um amigo de verdade?
Is he a true friend?
Sim, ele sempre está lá quando eu preciso.
Yes, he's always there when I need him.
✕Common Mistakes
É um amigo de verdade?
Missing the subject pronoun ‘Ele’; in Portuguese the subject is usually explicit in questions.
Ele está um amigo de verdade?
Use ser (é) for permanent traits, not estar.
Ele é um amigo verdade?
The noun ‘verdade’ needs the preposition ‘de’ to form the idiom ‘amigo de verdade’.
↔Alternatives
Ele é um verdadeiro amigo?
Is he a genuine friend?
Ele pode ser considerado um amigo de verdade?
Can he be considered a true friend?
Ele é realmente meu amigo?
Is he really my friend?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, friendships are often expressed with warmth and informality. Asking ‘Ele é um amigo de verdade?’ can sound a bit serious, so it’s usually reserved for moments when loyalty is being tested. In more casual settings, Brazilians might simply say ‘Ele é meu brother?’ or ‘Ele é meu parceiro?’ to convey a similar idea without the formal nuance of ‘verdade’.