Breakdown of Eles foram passear na cidade ontem e viram um filme à noite.
um
a
na
in
a cidade
the city
o filme
the movie
Questions & Answers about Eles foram passear na cidade ontem e viram um filme à noite.
Why is foram used here instead of eram?
Foram is the past tense (pretérito perfeito) of the verb ir, meaning they went. In Portuguese, foram indicates a completed action in the past (they went for a stroll). On the other hand, eram is the imperfect form of ser, meaning they were, which refers to a state of being or a repeated action in the past, so it wouldn't match the meaning of going somewhere at a specific time.
Why do we say foram passear rather than foram para passear?
In Portuguese, using ir + infinitive (foram passear) is a common and natural way to say they went (to) do something. You can say foram para passear, but it generally sounds more formal or might add a slight nuance of purpose. Most often, Brazilians would simply say foram passear to convey the same idea in a more concise way.
What does passear na cidade imply?
The expression passear na cidade implies going for a stroll or wandering around in a leisurely way. It suggests they went out with the intention of enjoying the city or looking around casually, rather than going for a specific errand or appointment.
Why is the definite article a used with an accent in à noite?