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às is a Portuguese contraction formed from the preposition a and the feminine plural definite article as. It serves to indicate a relationship of direction, location, or time with feminine plural nouns and is used in a variety of common constructions.

In spatial or temporal phrases, às marks “to the” or “at the” before feminine plural nouns. Examples include vou às lojas (I am going to the stores), chegamos às portas (we arrived at the doors), and às vezes (sometimes), a fixed expression meaning occasionally. In time expressions, às introduces hours or times of day, as in às três da tarde (at three o’clock in the afternoon) or às oito (at eight).

The use of às follows the broader system of contractions with a. For feminine singular nouns, the contraction is à (a + a). For masculine singular nouns, the contraction is ao (a + o). For masculine plural nouns, the contraction is aos (a + os). For feminine plural nouns, as is used (a + as).

Etymology and usage notes: às derives from a combined with as, reflecting standard Portuguese grammar for definite articles when combined with prepositions. It is common in both European and Brazilian Portuguese and appears in formal writing, journalism, and everyday speech.

Summary: às is a versatile, rule-governed contraction essential for indicating location, destination, and time with feminine plural nouns, as well as forming part of common phrases like às vezes.