How to Pronounce António Costa

Meaning and Context

António Costa is a prominent Portuguese politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from November 26, 2015, until his resignation on November 7, 2023, with his term officially ending in 2024. A central figure in the Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), Costa's political career spans decades, including roles as Mayor of Lisbon and Minister of Justice. His tenure as Prime Minister of Portugal was marked by the geringonça political arrangement, a unique coalition with left-wing parties that stabilized the government and oversaw economic recovery post-bailout. His leadership navigated significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal and the country's EU presidency in 2021. Costa's legacy is deeply tied to Portuguese politics, fiscal consolidation, and social policies, culminating in a period of sustained governance that ended amid an investigation into alleged corruption in his administration, though he was not formally charged.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary spelling of the name is António Costa, which includes the acute accent on the 'o' in the first name, a standard in Portuguese orthography. Common misspellings and variations arise from omitting this diacritical mark, resulting in Antonio Costa. In English-language contexts, this anglicized version is frequently encountered and is generally considered acceptable, though the accented form is more precise. Another frequent error is the misspelling of the surname as Costas or Costa's, often due to grammatical confusion. Typographical mistakes like António Costo or Antonio Costo also occur. It is important to note that his full name may sometimes be formally written with his maternal surname as António Luís Santos da Costa, but the simplified António Costa is universally recognized.

Example Sentences

Following a period of political instability, António Costa formed a surprising majority through a series of agreements with parties to his left, an alliance colloquially known as the geringonça.

During his time in office, Prime Minister António Costa was praised for his pragmatic approach to economic policy, which helped Portugal exit its period of international financial supervision.

Critics often questioned how António Costa managed to maintain a cohesive government with such ideologically diverse support.

After allegations emerged concerning his chief of staff, António Costa announced his resignation from the premiership in late 2023.

Historians will likely analyze the Costa era as a defining chapter in modern Portuguese social democracy.

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