Adverb of Intensity vs Indefinite Pronoun

‘Muito’ as an Adverb of Intensity

When we use the word 'muito' to indicate intensity, it is invariable, meaning it does not vary in gender or number. In this case, the word 'muito' is an adverb of intensity and applies to adjectives or verbs. It’s equivalent to the words 'very' and 'a lot' in English.

• 🌷 A flor é muito bonita. (The flower is very pretty)
• 🍫 Ele gosta muito de chocolate. (He likes chocolate a lot.)

‘Muito’ (And Its Variations) as an Indefinite Pronoun

When we use the word 'muito' to indicate quantity, it is a variable word and applies to nouns, matching the noun’s gender and number. The singular forms 'muito' (masculine) and 'muita' (feminine) are equivalent to 'a lot of' and apply to uncountable nouns.

• 🍷 O Ivo bebeu muito vinho. (Ivo drank a lot of wine.)
• 👩👦 Ela tem muita paciência com as crianças. (She has a lot of patience with children.)

The plural forms 'muitos' (masculine) and 'muitas' (feminine) are equivalent to 'many' and apply to countable nouns.

• 🌻 Há muitas flores no jardim. (There are many flowers in the garden.)
• 🧑🌾 Vivo em Portugal há muitos anos. (I've lived in Portugal for many years.)