Eu tenho um carro preto.

I have a black car.

Breakdown of Eu tenho um carro preto.

• eu: I
• o: the
• ter: to have
• carro: car
• preto: black

Questions & Answers about Eu tenho um carro preto.

What does tenho mean and what is its grammatical role in the sentence?

Tenho is the first-person singular present tense of the verb ter, which means "to have." It indicates possession, corresponding to the English "I have."

Why is the indefinite article um used before carro in this sentence?

Um is the masculine singular indefinite article in Portuguese. It is used here to indicate that the speaker possesses "a" car (an unspecified or one car), much like the English article "a" in "I have a black car."

Why does the adjective preto come after the noun carro rather than before it?

In Portuguese, adjectives generally follow the noun they modify. Therefore, preto (black) comes after carro (car). In some cases, the position of an adjective can change its nuance or emphasis, but for a straightforward physical description like color, the adjective follows the noun.

Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun Eu even though the verb form already indicates the subject?

Portuguese is a pro-drop language, so the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb's conjugation makes it clear who is performing the action. However, beginners and for emphasis or clarity, it’s perfectly acceptable to include Eu ("I").

Do the noun carro and the adjective preto agree in gender and number, and why is that important?

Yes, they do. Carro is a masculine singular noun, and preto is the masculine singular form of the adjective, meaning "black." In Portuguese, adjectives must agree in both gender and number with the nouns they describe, ensuring grammatical consistency in the sentence.