Eu vou pagar antes de sair.

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Breakdown of Eu vou pagar antes de sair.

• ir: to go
• sair: to leave
• antes de: before
• pagar: to pay

Questions & Answers about Eu vou pagar antes de sair.

Why do we say antes de sair instead of antes sair?

In Portuguese, certain expressions use a preposition before an infinitive. Antes de is one such expression, so the correct form is antes de sair (“before leaving”). Saying antes sair would be incorrect because you need de to connect the phrase “before (doing something).”

Can we use another tense for vou pagar?

Yes. You could say Eu pagarei antes de sair using the simple future tense (pagarei), but Eu vou pagar is very common in everyday speech to express a future intention. You could also say Eu pago antes de sair, reserved for a more immediate or scheduled action in the present-future sense.

What does sair mean in this context?

Sair generally means “to leave” or “to go out.” In this sentence, it refers to leaving the place where you are (for example, a restaurant or store) after paying.

Could I say antes que eu saia instead of antes de sair?

Yes, antes que eu saia is a more formal construction and uses the subjunctive mood. It’s correct but less common in regular, everyday conversation. Antes de sair with the infinitive is more straightforward and commonly used.

How do I pronounce vou pagar naturally in Brazilian Portuguese?

Brazilian Portuguese typically has an open vowel sound for vou (similar to “voh” in English). Pagar sounds like “pah-GAHR,” with the stress on the second syllable. So together, Eu vou pagar flows as “eh-OH voh pah-GAHR.”