Breakdown of Nós vamos jantar no restaurante.
jantar
to have dinner
ir
to go
nós
we
no
in the
o restaurante
the restaurant
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Questions & Answers about Nós vamos jantar no restaurante.
What is the role of vamos in the sentence "Nós vamos jantar no restaurante"?
In this sentence, vamos is the first-person plural form of the verb ir (to go). When it is combined with an infinitive—in this case, jantar (to have dinner)—it creates a periphrastic future construction. This structure expresses a planned or imminent future action, similar to the English phrase “are going to.”
What does the verb jantar mean in this context?
The verb jantar means “to have dinner” or “to dine.” Here, it indicates the action that the subject (nós, meaning “we”) is planning to do.
Why is the contraction no used before restaurante?
The word no is a contraction of the preposition em (meaning “in” or “at”) and the masculine singular definite article o (“the”). Since restaurante is a masculine noun, em + o becomes no, so no restaurante translates to “at the restaurant.”
Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun nós in the sentence?
Portuguese is a pro-drop language, which means subject pronouns can often be omitted because the verb conjugation already indicates the subject. While it is perfectly correct to include nós for clarity or emphasis, many native speakers might simply say “Vamos jantar no restaurante” without it.
How does the structure ir + infinitive express a future action in Portuguese?
The construction ir + infinitive is a common way to talk about future plans or actions in Portuguese. Although the sentence uses the present tense form of ir (in this case, vamos), when it is followed by an infinitive (here, jantar), it indicates an action that is going to happen. This is similar to the English “going to” future.
Can you break down the sentence word by word?
Certainly! Here’s the breakdown: • Nós means “we.” • vamos is the conjugated form of ir for nós, meaning “are going.” • jantar is the infinitive form of the verb “to have dinner” or simply “to dine.” • no is a contraction of em + o, meaning “at the.” • restaurante means “restaurant.” Together, “Nós vamos jantar no restaurante” translates to “We are going to have dinner at the restaurant.”