Demonstrar

Demonstrar is a Portuguese verb with several related meanings centered on making something evident or visible. It can mean to prove a fact, to show or illustrate a point, or to express a feeling or attitude through action. In mathematics and logic, demonstrar is commonly used in the sense of proving a theorem or proposition; in everyday language, it is used more broadly to indicate that something is being shown or explained.

Etymology and sense development: Demonstrar comes from Latin demonstrāre, from de- plus monstrare, meaning to point out or indicate. The term has been part of Portuguese since the medieval period and remains standard in both European and Brazilian Portuguese, though preferences for synonyms can vary by context.

Usage and nuances:

- Proving or establishing: Ela demonstrou que a hipótese era verdadeira.

- Showing or illustrating: O gráfico demonstra a variação da temperatura.

- Expressing: Demonstrar afeto é importante em relacionamentos.

- Demonstration as a public display is usually expressed with other words (por exemplo, manifestação, protesto), though demonstrar can appear in phrases like demonstrar apoio.

Grammar: Demonstrar is a regular -ar verb. Examples of present tense: eu demonstro, tu demontras, ele demonstra, nós demonstramos, eles demonstram. The pretérito perfeito is demonstrei, demonstraste, demonstrou, demonstramos, demonstraram. The participle is demonstrado. Dialectal variation may affect forms such as the second-person plural.

See also: provar, mostrar, demonstração (proof or demonstration), demonstrativo (grammatical term for demonstratives such as este/essa/aquel).