Breakdown of Eu comprei remédio na farmácia ontem.
eu
I
comprar
to buy
ontem
yesterday
a farmácia
the pharmacy
remédio
medicine
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Questions & Answers about Eu comprei remédio na farmácia ontem.
Why is there no article before remédio in the sentence?
In Portuguese, you can sometimes omit the article before a noun when speaking in a more general sense. Saying comprei remédio (I bought medicine) naturally implies you bought some type of medicine or medication. If you wanted to be more specific, you could say comprei um remédio (I bought a specific medicine).
What is the role of na in na farmácia?
Na is the contraction of em (in/at) + a (the feminine singular article). So, na farmácia means “at the pharmacy.” If it were a masculine noun, you would use no (in/at + the masculine singular article), such as no supermercado (at the supermarket).
Can I say ontem at another position in the sentence?
Yes! Portuguese allows some flexibility in word order. You could say Ontem eu comprei remédio na farmácia or Eu comprei ontem remédio na farmácia, but Eu comprei remédio ontem na farmácia might sound a bit awkward. The most natural options are usually at the beginning or the end of the sentence.
Is it necessary to say Eu at the beginning?
No, Portuguese is a pro-drop language, meaning the subject pronoun can be omitted when it’s clear from the context. Comprei remédio na farmácia ontem is still completely understandable and natural. Using Eu is a bit more explicit, that’s all.
How would I change the sentence if I bought multiple medicines?
You would normally make remédio plural to show quantity, such as Eu comprei remédios na farmácia ontem. If you mean different types of medicine, it’s appropriate to say remédios. If you mean one specific type in multiple units, you can also clarify, for example comprei alguns comprimidos (I bought some pills).