Iguais

Iguais is the plural form of the Portuguese adjective igual, meaning “the same” or “equal.” The term is used to indicate that two or more items share identical properties, value, or status. Its origin lies in the Latin aequalis, through the development of Portuguese vocabulary for comparison and comparison-based statements.

In Portuguese grammar, igual is invariable with respect to gender in its plural form: the singular form igual is used for both masculine and feminine nouns, and the plural form iguais is used for both genders. Therefore, for example, “duas peças são iguais” and “os direitos são iguais” are both correct, depending on the subject.

Iguais appears in various contexts, including everyday language, law, mathematics, and philosophy. In law, a common usage is “serem iguais perante a lei,” meaning that all citizens are treated equally before the law. In mathematics and science, “dois números são iguais” states equality between values. In general discourse, it can describe similarities, such as “os dois projetos são iguais” or “o resultado é quase igual ao esperado,” though the latter uses a related adverbial form.

Related terms include igualdade (equality), igualar (to equalize), and equivalente (equivalent). Iguais emphasizes sameness in quantity, quality, or status, and remains a central word in discussions of fairness, measurement, and comparison in Portuguese.