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Ele ajuda a criança a cantar.

Ele ajuda a criança a cantar.
He helps the child to sing.
FromLesson 8inHardcore Portuguese (Brazil)

Breakdown of Ele ajuda a criança a cantar.

ele
he
a criança
the child
cantar
to sing
ajudar a
to help

Questions & Answers about Ele ajuda a criança a cantar.

Why are there two as in Ele ajuda a criança a cantar?
The first a is the definite article (the) placed before the noun criança (child). The second a is the preposition required by ajudar when it’s followed by an infinitive. It corresponds to the English “to” in “help someone to sing.”
Why is cantar in the infinitive rather than conjugated or in the gerund?

After verbs like ajudar that introduce another action, Portuguese uses the infinitive for the complementary verb. Here, cantar is the action the child is being helped to do.

  • A conjugated form (e.g. canta) would need a different structure (like a subordinate clause).
  • A gerund (cantando) would express manner (“He helps by singing”) rather than purpose.
Do I always need the preposition a after ajudar?
Yes, in standard Portuguese the pattern is ajudar alguém a fazer algo (“to help someone to do something”). Omitting the preposition (e.g. Ele ajuda a criança cantar) is common in casual speech but is considered nonstandard in writing.
Can I drop the definite article before criança, saying “Ele ajuda criança a cantar”?
No. With singular, specific, countable nouns, Portuguese normally requires the definite article: a criança. Omitting it sounds awkward or incomplete. If you speak about children in general, you could say Ele ajuda crianças a cantar (plural, no article).
How would I replace a criança with a pronoun for “her”?

Use the feminine direct‐object pronoun a and place it before the verb:
He helps her to sing = Ele a ajuda a cantar.
Note that you keep the second a before cantar.

Could I use para instead of a, as in “Ele ajuda a criança para cantar”?

No. Ajudar requires a before an infinitive. Using para would express purpose and normally pairs with a subjunctive:

  • Ele ajuda a criança para que ela cante melhor. (“He helps the child so that she sings better.”)
What is the difference between “Ele ajuda a criança a cantar” and “Ele ajuda a criança cantando”?
  • Ele ajuda a criança a cantar = “He helps the child to sing” (the child does the singing).
  • Ele ajuda a criança cantando = “He helps the child by singing” (he is the one singing as a way of helping).
How would the sentence change for plural subjects or objects?

Adjust the subject, article, and verb accordingly:

  • Plural helpers, one child: Eles ajudam a criança a cantar.
  • Plural helpers, plural children: Eles ajudam as crianças a cantar.
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