Articles

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Definite Article

These are used to refer to one particular object or group of objects. In English, there is one definite article: the. Portuguese has four different definite articles used to match the number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine or feminine) of the noun.

Notes:

The definite article is usually used before possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns.
a minha casa; os meus amigos; o livro é o meu

It is used before a title whether or not followed by a personal name.
O Senhor Ferreira tem razão; Como está A Sra.?

It is used before abstract nouns, as well as before some country and city names.
a generosidade; a Rússia; o Porto

It is used to make infinitives into nouns.
o escrever - writing

Indefinite Article

These are used when referring to a noun in a more general sense. In English they are: a, an, and some. Portuguese has four indefinite articles depending on the number and gender of the noun.

Notes:

The noun after the indefinite article may be omitted, in which case the article is equivalent to English "one" or "ones".
quero um também - I want one too
quero uns frescos - I want fresh ones