Proporcionava

Proporcionava is the imperfect indicative form of the Portuguese verb proporcionar, meaning to provide, furnish, or grant. It expresses a past action that was ongoing or habitual, equivalent in English to “was providing” or “used to provide.” The infinitive form is proporcionar, and the imperfect is used to describe repeated or continuous provision in the past.

Usage and grammar

Proporcionar is a transitive verb and typically requires a direct object naming what is provided, often accompanied by a recipient expressed with a, para, or a prepositional phrase. Examples include: “O programa proporcionava alimentos aos moradores de rua” (The program was providing food to the street residents) and “A empresa proporcionava aos funcionários melhores condições de trabalho” (The company provided better working conditions to its employees). The form proporcionava can refer to a single subject in the past (ele/ela) or to any plural subject depending on the sentence structure.

Etymology and related terms

The verb originates from the concept of providing in proper proportion or allocation, built from the prefix pro- and the notion of portion or proportion. Related verbs include fornecer (to supply), oferecer (to offer), and conceder (to grant). In usage, proporcionar conveys creating opportunities, access, or favorable conditions, often with a nuance of enabling positive outcomes.

See also

Proporcionar as the infinitive form, and its other tenses (proporcionava, proporcionou, proporcionará) for different past or future references. The term is common in formal and written Portuguese, including journalism, policy discussions, and descriptive prose.