Breakdown of Eu sinto saudade da minha família.
eu
I
minha
my
a família
the family
sentir saudade de
to miss
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Questions & Answers about Eu sinto saudade da minha família.
What does the sentence "Eu sinto saudade da minha família" mean in English?
It translates to "I miss my family." More literally, it conveys the idea of "I feel a deep longing for my family," capturing a bittersweet mix of nostalgia and the pain of absence.
What exactly does the word saudade signify?
Saudade is a uniquely Portuguese term that expresses a profound sense of longing, nostalgia, or missing someone or something. It carries an emotional depth that implies both the joy of having experienced the presence of that person or thing and the sorrow of its absence. There isn’t an exact one-word translation in English.
Why is the contraction da used before "minha família"?
In Portuguese, da is a contraction of de + a. Since família is a feminine noun and requires the article a, combining them yields da instead of saying de a.
Why is the verb sinto used to express "I miss" instead of another verb?
The verb sinto is the first-person singular form of sentir, which means "to feel." In Portuguese, the expression for missing someone is structured as "sinto saudade"—literally “I feel longing”—which naturally conveys an emotional state rather than simply stating the fact of missing someone.
Is there any difference between "Eu sinto saudade da minha família" and "Tenho saudade da minha família"?
Both phrases communicate that you miss your family. "Eu sinto saudade" emphasizes the act of feeling this emotion, whereas "Tenho saudade" (literally “I have saudade”) implies possessing that emotion. The difference is subtle, and both forms are widely used and accepted in Brazilian Portuguese.
Can saudade be used for things other than people?
Yes, saudade can refer to a wide range of missing or nostalgic feelings—not just towards people. It can be employed to express longing for places, past experiences, or even certain periods in life, always carrying that rich emotional nuance of remembering something cherished.