Eu fiz isso rapidamente.

I did this quickly.

Breakdown of Eu fiz isso rapidamente.

• eu: I
• fazer: to do
• rapidamente: quickly

Questions & Answers about Eu fiz isso rapidamente.

Why is the verb fiz used here instead of fazia?

In Brazilian Portuguese, fiz is the past simple (pretérito perfeito) form of the verb fazer, indicating a completed action in the past. Fazia (pretérito imperfeito) would convey an ongoing or habitual action in the past. Since the sentence refers to something you did once and completely in the past, fiz is the correct form.

Why do we place rapidamente after isso? Can it go somewhere else in the sentence?

Adverbs like rapidamente can usually appear in different positions in a Portuguese sentence. For example, you could say Eu fiz rapidamente isso or Rapidamente, eu fiz isso. However, Eu fiz isso rapidamente sounds natural and emphasizes how you did the action. Moving the adverb around might change the emphasis slightly, but it would still be grammatically correct.

What does isso refer to generally?

Isso translates roughly to this or that in English, depending on context. It's a demonstrative pronoun used when referring to something that is not very close to the speaker (somewhat more abstract or already mentioned). If you specifically named an action or object previously, isso would represent that action or object.

Could I use the word depressa instead of rapidamente?

Yes, you can use depressa which also means quickly. However, rapidamente is slightly more formal and common in written language, whereas depressa is more informal and often used in spoken Portuguese. Both convey that you did something in a fast manner.

Is it necessary to use the pronoun Eu in this sentence?

In Portuguese, pronouns can often be omitted because verb conjugations indicate the subject. So you could just say Fiz isso rapidamente and still be understood. However, using Eu can add clarity or emphasis on the fact that you were the person who performed the action.