mudar

Mudar is a widely used Portuguese verb that denotes making something different or moving from one state or place to another. It can refer to changing a quality or condition (to alter), switching from one option to another (to change one’s mind), or relocating (to move house or change residence). The exact sense depends on the object and the prepositions used with the verb.

Origin and related terms: The verb comes from Latin mutare, meaning to change or exchange, and entered Portuguese with a similar meaning. Related forms include mudança (change), mutável (mutable), and mutação (mutation), all deriving from the same root.

Grammar and conjugation: Mudar is a regular -ar verb. In the present indicative: eu mudo, tu mudas, ele muda, nós mudamos, vós mudais, eles mudam. The imperfect and other tenses follow the regular -ar conjugation patterns; examples: eu mudei (preterite), eu mudava (imperfect). Reflexive use: mudar-se indicates a change of place for the subject, as in eu mudei-me de casa. The preposition de is common in many idioms: mudar de ideia (to change one’s mind), mudar de casa, mudar de hábitos. For movement to a destination, the preposition para or a is used: mudar-se para Lisboa.

Usage notes: Mudar is generally more common than trocar when referring to changing a state that is internal or personal, while trocar emphasizes exchanging one thing for another. In everyday speech, mudar de ideia and mudar de casa are among the most frequent collocations. The noun mudança denotes the act or result of changing.