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Questions & Answers about Eu quero ver o mapa agora.
Can I leave out "Eu"?
Yes. Brazilian Portuguese often drops subject pronouns when the verb form makes the subject clear. Quero ver o mapa agora is perfectly natural and means the same. Keep Eu if you want emphasis or clarity.
Why is ver in the infinitive after quero?
Because querer + infinitive expresses “want to do [something]” when both verbs share the same subject: Eu quero ver, Ele quer ver. If the subject changes, use querer + que + subjunctive: Eu quero que você veja o mapa (“I want you to see the map”).
Is Eu quero... too direct? What are more polite options?
Eu quero... can sound blunt with strangers. Softer, common alternatives:
- Eu queria ver o mapa, por favor.
- Eu gostaria de ver o mapa.
- Será que eu poderia ver o mapa agora? If someone else has the map: Você pode me mostrar o mapa?
Why is it o mapa and not just mapa or um mapa?
Portuguese uses articles more than English.
- o mapa = “the map” (a specific one we both know).
- um mapa = “a map” (any map): Eu quero ver um mapa agora. Dropping the article before a concrete count noun like mapa is uncommon in this context.
Why is mapa masculine even though it ends in -a?
Some -a nouns are masculine, often from Greek. o mapa is one. Others: o dia, o planeta, o problema, o programa, o sistema, o tema, o poema, o clima, o idioma. Plurals: os mapas, os problemas.
How do I say “I want to see it now”?
- Formal/written: Quero vê-lo agora. (for a masculine object like o mapa), vê-la (feminine), vê-los/vê-las (plural).
- Colloquial BP: Quero ver ele agora. / ver ela (very common in speech).
- Vague “it”: Quero ver isso agora. Note: ver + o → vê-lo (drop the -r, add -lo, and mark stress with a circumflex).
What does the circumflex in vê-lo do?
Attaching -lo/-la to verbs ending in -r drops the -r and keeps stress on the stem vowel. The circumflex marks that closed, stressed vowel:
- ver → vê-lo
- fazer → fazê-lo
- dizer → dizê-lo
Can I move agora to another position?
Yes. Natural options:
- Quero ver o mapa agora. (neutral)
- Agora eu quero ver o mapa. (emphasis on “now”)
- Eu quero ver o mapa agora mesmo. (“right now”)
- Eu agora quero ver o mapa. (ok, a bit marked)
- Quero ver agora o mapa. (possible, less common in everyday BP) Try to keep ver close to its object for smoothness.
How do I pronounce it naturally in Brazilian Portuguese?
Approximate BP:
- Eu ≈ [ew]
- quero ≈ [ˈkɛɾu] (single r is a quick tap [ɾ])
- ver ≈ [veɾ] (final r often a soft [h] in many accents: [veh])
- o (article) ≈ [u] and links: ver o ≈ [veˈɾu]
- mapa ≈ [ˈmapa] (stress on MA)
- agora ≈ [aˈɡɔɾa] (tap the r) Said smoothly: [ew ˈkɛɾu ve(ʁ)u ˈmapa aˈɡɔɾa].
How do I make it negative?
Place não before the main verb:
- Eu não quero ver o mapa agora. You can drop the subject: Não quero ver o mapa agora.
How do I ask “Do you want to see the map now?” in BP?
Keep word order; use rising intonation:
- Você quer ver o mapa agora? You can omit você if clear: Quer ver o mapa agora? With tu (regions that use it): Tu queres ver o mapa agora? (colloquial BP often says tu quer).
Do I need a preposition before o mapa?
Not with ver—it takes a direct object: ver o mapa. Compare:
- olhar: olhar o mapa or olhar para o mapa (“look at/toward”).
- assistir (“to watch”) usually needs a: assistir ao jogo (a + o). In careful usage, avoid assistir o jogo.
What’s the difference between ver, olhar, and assistir?
- ver = to see (perceive or take a look): Quero ver o mapa.
- olhar (para) = to look (actively direct your eyes): Quero olhar o mapa/olhar para o mapa.
- assistir (a) = to watch (shows/events): Quero assistir ao documentário. Not used with a map.
Can I use the progressive: Estou querendo ver o mapa agora?
Yes. In BP, estar + gerúndio with querer is common and can imply a current/temporary desire, insistence, or ongoing plan: Estou querendo ver o mapa agora. Neutral baseline is simply Quero.
Any contractions with mapa I should know?
With articles:
- de + o → do: o mapa do Brasil (map of Brazil)
- em + o → no: no mapa (on/in the map)
- a + o → ao: ao mapa (rarer here) Example: Quero ver o mapa do metrô no site.
Why is Eu capitalized here? Is “I” always capitalized in Portuguese?
No. eu is not capitalized by default. It’s capitalized only at the start of a sentence: Hoje eu quero ver o mapa.
Are there stronger ways to say “right now”?
Yes:
- agora mesmo = right now/this very moment
- já = “right now/immediately” in urgent requests: Quero ver o mapa já! (also means “already” in other contexts) Add por favor to keep the tone polite.