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Coming, going, bringing and taking

When you move from one place to another, or when you transport an object, the words you choose depend heavily on your current location. English is quite flexible with directional words. You might say that you will bring the dessert to a friend's house, or tell someone that you are coming over to see them.

In Portuguese, the direction of movement is strictly measured from where the speaker is standing at the moment of speaking. If you or an object are moving toward your current location, you use one set of verbs. If you or an object are moving away from your current location, you use another. Learning to separate these directions will help you master the verbs ir, vir, levar, and trazer.

Word list
irA1 to go ir = go (away from speaker's location) levarA1 to take levar = take (away from speaker's location) trazerA1 to bring trazer = bring (toward speaker's location) virA1 to come vir = come (toward speaker's location) ir para casaA2 to go home já vou para casa = I'm coming home (away from speaker's location) levarA2 to carry levar = carry (away from speaker's location)
Moving yourself

The verb vir means to move toward the place where the speaker is right now. You use it when someone or something is approaching you.

Os meus amigos vêm à minha casa hoje.
(My friends are coming to my house today.)
A que horas vens para o escritório?
(What time are you coming to the office?)

Conversely, the verb ir means to move away from your current location to anywhere else. If you are going to a place where you currently are not, this is the verb you need.

Nós vamos ao cinema logo à noite.
(We are going to the cinema later tonight.)
Ele vai para o Brasil no próximo mês.
(He is going to Brazil next month.)
Moving objects

When you transport an object or a person, the exact same logic applies. Use trazer when the object is moving toward you.

Eu trouxe um presente para ti.
(I brought you a present.)
Podes trazer água, por favor?
(Can you bring water, please?)

Use levar when you are taking or carrying an object away from your current location to another place.

Eu levo o bolo para a festa.
(I am taking the cake to the party.)
Não te esqueças de levar o guarda-chuva.
(Do not forget to take the umbrella.)
Ela leva as malas para o carro.
(She carries the bags to the car.)
Watch out for the communication trap

English lets you adopt the perspective of the person you are talking to. If a friend calls you from across the street, you can say "I am coming". In Portuguese, this is a very common trap. Because you are leaving your current spot to go to them, you are moving away from your location. Therefore, you must use ir.

Já vou!
(I am coming!)

The same applies to objects. If you are taking drinks to a party, you cannot use trazer just because your friend is already there. From your starting point, the drinks are moving away.

Vou levar as bebidas para a tua casa.
(I will bring the drinks to your house.)
Summary

To choose the correct directional verb, always ask yourself where you are right now. If the movement is toward your current spot, use vir or trazer. If the movement is away from your current spot, use ir or levar.