Breakdown of Eu prefiro jantar no restaurante bonito.
eu
I
jantar
to have dinner
bonito
beautiful
preferir
to prefer
restaurante
restaurant
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Questions & Answers about Eu prefiro jantar no restaurante bonito.
Why do we use the infinitive jantar after prefiro?
In Portuguese, when a verb follows another verb that expresses preference, desire, or necessity (like prefiro, quero, preciso), the second verb usually remains in the infinitive (e.g., prefiro comer, quero viajar, preciso descansar).
What does no in the sentence jantar no restaurante bonito mean?
No is a contraction of em + o (the preposition em plus the masculine article o). So, no restaurante means in the restaurant or at the restaurant.
Why is the adjective bonito used here, and why is it in the masculine form?
Bonito describes restaurante, which is a masculine noun in Portuguese (o restaurante). Adjectives in Portuguese must match the gender and number of the nouns they modify, so the masculine singular adjective is bonito.
Could I say Eu prefiro de jantar no restaurante bonito?
No. In Portuguese, you don’t typically use de before an infinitive when it follows a verb like prefiro. The correct structure is prefiro jantar without inserting de.
Is it okay to say Eu prefiro jantar em um restaurante bonito instead?
Yes, Eu prefiro jantar em um restaurante bonito would still be correct in Portuguese and mean something like: I prefer to have dinner in a nice restaurant (not specifying which restaurant). However, using no restaurante bonito implies a specific, previously known nice restaurant.