atë

Até is a preposition and conjunction in Portuguese that marks a limit or boundary in space or time, and can also function as an adverb in some constructions. It conveys the sense of “to,” “up to,” or “until,” and is used in a wide range of expressions that describe duration, extent, or inclusion.

Common uses include indicating geographical or temporal endpoints, as in “Vou até a praça” (I’m going as far as the square) or “Até amanhã” (until tomorrow). It also appears in constructions that describe how long something continues, for example “Ele esperou até amanhecer” (He waited until dawn). In questions, it can express extent: “Até onde você sabe?” (To what extent do you know?). The meaning of “até” can be intensified with phrases like “até mesmo” (even), as in “Isso é difícil, até mesmo para os especialistas” (That’s difficult, even for the specialists).

Fixed expressions and subordinate clauses are common. “Até que” introduces a time or condition clause meaning “until/so that,” as in “Vamos esperar até que o ônibus passe” (We’ll wait until the bus passes). “Até agora” means “up to now,” and “até hoje” is a near-synonym. Other combinations include “até onde,” “até quando?”

Pronunciation and orthography: até is written with an acute accent on the e, two syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: a-té. Pronunciation varies slightly by dialect, but the pattern remains stable across Portuguese varieties.

Etymology: a native Romance development; the exact historical origin is uncertain. It is the standard Portuguese form for this broad set of meanings, with cognates and parallel expressions in related languages.