This is the 15th most frequent Portuguese word.
à
The Portuguese word "à" means "to the" or "at the" (feminine singular), formed by the contraction of "a" (to/at) and "a" (the).
In this sentence, 'à' is a contraction of the preposition 'a' (to) and the feminine definite article 'a' (the), forming 'à' to indicate direction or destination towards a specific place.
Fui à praia ontem.
I went to the beach yesterday.
Here, 'à' is again a contraction of 'a' (to) and 'a' (the), indicating possession or association with a specific feminine noun.
Esse livro pertence à biblioteca.
This book belongs to the library.
In this context, 'à' represents direction or the figurative destination of an action towards a feminine noun, formed by the contraction of 'a' (to) and 'a' (the).