Breakdown of Quando está escuro e chove, eu prefiro ficar em casa.
eu
I
a casa
the house
estar
to be
em
in
e
and
quando
when
preferir
to prefer
escuro
dark
chover
to rain
ficar
to stay
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Questions & Answers about Quando está escuro e chove, eu prefiro ficar em casa.
Why is está used here instead of é?
Portuguese distinguishes between two verbs that both translate as “to be.”
- ser (e.g. é) describes permanent, defining characteristics (“Ela é alta”).
- estar (e.g. está) describes temporary states or conditions (“Está escuro” = “It’s dark right now”).
Since darkness is a transient condition, you use está.
Why is the adjective escuro masculine even though no noun is mentioned?
In impersonal constructions like está escuro, there is an implicit subject (often thought of as o tempo or “it”). Adjectives must agree in gender with that invisible noun. By default, Portuguese uses the masculine form when the subject is omitted.
Why is chove used instead of está chovendo?
The verb chover is impersonal and appears only in the third person.
- Simple present: chove (“it rains” or “it’s raining” in general).
- Gerund form está chovendo emphasizes the ongoing action at this moment.
Both are correct; chove is more concise and common in general statements.
Do I have to include eu in eu prefiro ficar em casa, or can I drop it?
In Portuguese, subject pronouns are optional because verb endings show the subject.
- With pronoun: Eu prefiro ficar em casa adds clarity or emphasis (“I prefer”).
- Without pronoun: Prefiro ficar em casa is equally correct and more natural in casual speech.
Why is it em casa and not na casa?
em casa is a fixed expression meaning “at home” in the general sense of your own home.
Using na casa (“in the house”) would refer to a specific house (“na casa do João” = “in João’s house”) rather than the idiomatic “at home.”
What role does quando play, and why is the verb in the present tense?
quando introduces a temporal clause (“when …”). In Portuguese, for habitual or regular conditions, you use the present tense in both clauses:
- Quando está escuro e chove = “Whenever it’s dark and it rains.”
It expresses a general truth or repeated situation.
Can I reverse the order and say Eu prefiro ficar em casa quando está escuro e chove?
Yes. Both word orders are grammatically correct. Putting the quando clause first (as in the original) emphasizes the condition. Placing it after the main clause sounds a bit more neutral or straightforward.
Why is ficar used in ficar em casa instead of estar?
- estar em casa simply states your location (“to be at home”).
- ficar em casa emphasizes the action of staying or remaining in one place by choice.
Here, prefiro ficar em casa conveys “I prefer to stay at home” rather than just “be at home.”