A criança gosta de caminhar perto de casa.

The child likes to walk near home.

Breakdown of A criança gosta de caminhar perto de casa.

• gostar de: to like
• caminhar: to walk
• perto de: near
• a criança: the child
• a casa: the house/home

Questions & Answers about A criança gosta de caminhar perto de casa.

Why do we say gosta de caminhar instead of gosta caminhar?

In Portuguese, the verb gostar is almost always followed by the preposition de when referring to something you like doing or having. So you say gostar de + [infinitive] or + [noun]. For example, gostar de música, gostar de ler, and so on.

Could we use menino or menina instead of criança?

Yes, you could say O menino or A menina if you know the child’s gender. A criança is more general and does not specify gender; it just means the child.

Why is it perto de casa and not perto da casa?

Perto de casa means near home in a more general sense, without specifying whose home it is. If you say perto da casa, you might be referring to a particular house (like saying near the house). However, in everyday Portuguese, perto de casa is a very common way to say near (one’s) home without specifying ownership.

Is there a difference between caminhar and andar in Portuguese?

Both can mean to walk, but caminhar often emphasizes the act of walking for leisure or exercise, whereas andar can simply mean to walk or to go on foot. They can overlap in meaning, so you can use A criança gosta de andar perto de casa as well, but caminhar can sound more deliberate or purpose-driven.

Can we omit A and just say Criança gosta de caminhar perto de casa?

In Portuguese, using the definite article A before criança is the more natural and grammatically common way to refer to the child. Omitting it might sound incomplete or slightly off, as Portuguese generally includes articles before nouns in these contexts.