comprovais

Comprovais is the second-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb comprovar, meaning to prove, verify, or demonstrate. It is used with the pronoun vós, which is largely confined to European Portuguese and to older or literary texts. In modern Brazilian Portuguese, the corresponding form for you all is vocês comprovam, while tu comprovas is used for the informal singular.

Etymology and form

The verb comprovar comes from prov er, with the prefix com- added to form a sense of verifying or confirming. The present indicative form for vós is comprováis in many orthographies, with the accent indicating stress on the final syllable in European Portuguese; in practice, spelling can vary slightly by region and style guide.

Usage and context

Comprovais appears mainly in historical, formal, or literary contexts and is rarely used in contemporary everyday speech in Portugal or Brazil. In standard modern usage, speakers who employ the second-person plural generally use vocês comprovam (Brazil) or, less commonly, vós comprovais (Portugal) in more formal or archaic registers. The infinitive form is comprovar, and related nouns include comprovante (proof, receipt) and comprovadamente (provably).

See also

Comprovar, comprovante, comprovadamente.