How to use 'a gente' vs 'nós' correctly?
I'm always unsure when I'm writing for college. My friends use 'a gente' all the time, but the professor always marks it as informal. What's the difference again and when should I use each one?
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Actually, "a gente" is quite correct, it's just way more colloquial and that's why the professor marks it when it's in an academic paper! "A gente" is how we talk day-to-day (a gente goes to the movies, a gente does everything together), while "nós" is more formal and proper for writing papers, reports, and professional contexts. In a nutshell: with friends and informally? Use "a gente" all you want. At university and in serious stuff? Switch to "nós" and the professor will be happy!
It's not that "a gente" is incorrect, but rather that it has a different register. "Nós" is the formal, written standard, while "a gente" is how we actually speak in everyday life - but grammatically it functions as third person singular (a gente vai, not "a gente vamos"). In college your professor wants formal language, so use "nós" in papers and reports. Beyond that, "a gente" is totally valid and natural; people who complain about it just have a bias against colloquial language.
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