enquanto

Enquanto is a Portuguese conjunction and adverb meaning "while" or "as long as." It introduces subordinate clauses that express simultaneity, duration, or contrast between actions or states in relation to the main clause.

In temporal use, enquanto marks actions that occur at the same time or within the same time frame as another event. Examples: "Enquanto eu estudava, ele ouvia música." The subordinate clause typically uses present or imperfect tenses to reflect ongoing actions in the past or present.

Enquanto can also function in a contrastive sense, equivalent to "whereas" in English. For instance: "Ela gosta de música clássica, enquanto o irmão prefere rock." It appears in common phrases such as "enquanto isso" (meanwhile) and "enquanto não" (until).

Grammatical notes: while is a subordinating conjunction. The two clauses usually share the same subject, but different subjects can appear in more complex sentences. The verb in the subordinate clause follows standard Portuguese conjugation rules, with tense and aspect determined by the temporal or contrastive relation being expressed. While is versatile in both spoken and written Portuguese, and its use helps to express simultaneity, duration, and comparisons between different actions or states.