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Amy
Difference between à frente de and em frente de?
Can you use either? Or are there certain instances that you would use each one?
Jun 11, 2015 9:40 AM
Answers · 5
7
Hi Amy, how's it going?
Basically, you can think of 'à frente' as an abstract thing. It's not about physically in front of.
e.g. 'Ele era um empresário à frente do seu tempo'. It means that the businessman used to thinking and acting in a different way in comparison to other contemporary entrepreneurs.
Another example: 'Na sétima rodada, o Cruzeiro já estava à frente na tabela de classificação'.
It means that Cruzeiro (football team) was on top of the qualifying table of the championship since the seventh round. ^^
'Em frente' is more physical. e.g. 'O restaurante fica/é em frente a minha casa'.
I hope I was helpful.
Best
June 11, 2015
5
Hello Amy! They are a litle bit different.
When you use "À FRENTE", you give the idea of sequence/disposition/order. For example, in a line at the supermarket: who is before me is "À FRENTE" (or "À MINHA FRENTE"). If there is someone after me, I can say "ESTOU À FRENTE DE UMA PESSOA (QUE ESTÁ ATRÁS DE MIM)."
When you use 'EM FRENTE", you give the idea of a simple relationship in space, without associating the notion of order/sequence. For example, I can say that museum is right in front of the garden, so I use "O MUSEU FICA EM FRENTE DO JARDIM".
June 11, 2015
2
Hi Amy!!
"Em frente de" is just like in front of
"À frente de" is just like ahead of
June 11, 2015
1
Once more about my experience Amy. EM frente is more general: (…EM frente da casa), and À frente is more precise: (… à fente da porta da casa ...).
But keep in mind my friend that I am not neither a native speaker, not a professor de língua.
June 11, 2015
em frente em - in front of
á frente - facing
June 11, 2015
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Amy
Language Skills
English, Portuguese
Learning Language
Portuguese
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