Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Brazil): Preciso marcar uma consulta com o doutor amanhã. - I need to schedule an appointment with the doctor tomorrow.

Preciso translates to I need or I must. In Portuguese, the subject pronoun (eu for "I") is often omitted because the verb ending already makes it clear who is performing the action.

How is marcar used here, and what does it mean?

Marcar means to schedule or to book. In this context, it refers to the action of arranging an appointment.

What does uma consulta signify, and why is the indefinite article uma used?

Uma consulta means an appointment—typically referring to a medical consultation. The indefinite article uma is used because it introduces a nonspecific, singular appointment.

Why is the phrase com o doutor used instead of just doutor, and can another term be used?

The phrase com o doutor translates to with the doctor. The article o is required in Portuguese when specifying the noun. Additionally, while doutor is commonly used as a respectful or informal term for a physician in Brazil, you could also use médico, which directly means doctor.

What role does amanhã play in the sentence, and why is it positioned at the end?

Amanhã means tomorrow and acts as an adverb of time. Placing time expressions at the end of a sentence is common in Portuguese, though there is some flexibility in word order. Here it clearly indicates when the appointment should be scheduled.

Can you break down the overall structure of the sentence for clarity?

Certainly! The sentence is structured as follows: • Preciso – the first-person singular form of the verb (implying "I need"). • Marcar uma consulta – the action, meaning "to schedule an appointment." • Com o doutor – a prepositional phrase specifying with whom the appointment is set. • Amanhã – an adverb indicating when the action will take place ("tomorrow").