This is the 11th most frequent Portuguese word.
as
The Portuguese word "as" is the plural form of the feminine definite article "a," meaning "the" in English.
Here, 'as' is again a definite article (feminine plural) consistent with the noun it accompanies or with the relative clause 'quais' (meaning 'which').
Eu agradeço pelas gentilezas, as quais são um exemplo de bondade.
I express gratitude for the kindnesses, which are an example of kindness.
In this example, 'as' is part of the phrase 'às vezes,' which translates to 'sometimes,' and depicts frequency or intermittence in actions.
As vezes, é importante refletir antes de agir.
Sometimes, it is important to think before acting.
In this sentence, 'as' is used as a definite article in Portuguese (feminine plural) to indicate specific items being referred to: 'the flowers'.