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Eu gosto de sentar à esquerda na sala de aula.

Eu gosto de sentar à esquerda na sala de aula.
I like to sit on the left in the classroom.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Portuguese (Brazil)

Questions & Answers about Eu gosto de sentar à esquerda na sala de aula.

Why is it Eu gosto de sentar and not Eu gosto sentar?

In Portuguese, gostar always takes the preposition de before what you like. With a verb, that verb stays in the infinitive:

  • Eu gosto de sentar.
  • Ela gosta de ler. With nouns, it’s the same:
  • Eu gosto de chocolate. (general)
  • Eu gosto do chocolate que você comprou. (specific, de + o = do)
Should I use sentar or sentar-se here? And where does the pronoun go?

Both are acceptable in Brazilian Portuguese:

  • Very common and perfectly fine: Eu gosto de sentar.
  • Also common in Brazil: Eu gosto de me sentar.
  • More formal/literary in Brazil (and standard in Portugal): Eu gosto de sentar-me. Meaning doesn’t change; sentar(-se) here is simply “to sit (down).”
Do I need to include the subject Eu?

No. Portuguese often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. So:

  • Gosto de sentar... is fine. Keep Eu for emphasis or contrast (e.g., Eu gosto…, mas ele não).
What does the accent in à esquerda mean?

That accent (grave) marks crase, the contraction of the preposition a + the feminine article a = à. Literally “at/to the left (side).” You’ll see it in set expressions of time/place:

  • à esquerda, à direita, à noite, à tarde.
Why not write a esquerda without the accent?
For the locational phrase “on the left,” the standard form is à esquerda (with crase). Writing a esquerda here is a common error. Note a different use: talking about politics, A esquerda (no crase) can mean “the Left.”
Can I say na esquerda instead of à esquerda?
Generally no for physical location/orientation. Use à esquerda or a synonym like do lado esquerdo/no lado esquerdo. Na esquerda does appear in contexts like sports or politics (“play on the left wing,” “on the political left”), but not for “sit on the left side (of a room).”
What’s the difference between à esquerda and à esquerda de?
  • à esquerda = “on/to the left (side)” in general.
  • à esquerda de + noun anchors it relative to something:
    Ex.: à esquerda da porta (to the left of the door), à esquerda do quadro (to the left of the board).
Why is it na sala de aula and not em a sala de aula or no sala de aula?

Portuguese contracts prepositions with articles:

  • em + a = na (feminine) → na sala
  • em + o = no (masculine) → no corredor Since sala is feminine, you get na sala de aula.
Why sala de aula (with de) and not sala da aula?
Sala de aula is a fixed compound meaning “classroom,” where de links two nouns to show type/purpose (room for classes). Using da would mean “the room of the specific lesson,” which is not how Portuguese names the place. Compare: sala de estar, sala de jantar.
Could I say na aula instead of na sala de aula?

You can, but it’s a bit different:

  • na aula = “in/during class” (time/activity focus).
  • na sala de aula = specifically “in the classroom” (place). Talking about where you sit in the room, na sala de aula is clearer. With a subject, you can say, e.g., na aula de Matemática.
Is the word order flexible?

Yes. All of these are natural:

  • Eu gosto de sentar à esquerda na sala de aula.
  • Na sala de aula, eu gosto de sentar à esquerda.
  • Eu gosto de sentar na sala de aula, à esquerda. The meaning stays the same; you’re just shifting emphasis.
How can I say “on the left side of the classroom” explicitly?

Use:

  • Gosto de sentar no lado esquerdo da sala de aula.
  • Gosto de me sentar do lado esquerdo da sala de aula. Be careful: à esquerda da sala de aula means “to the left of the classroom” (outside/relative to the building), not inside it.
How do I change the subject (he/she/you/we/they)?
  • Eu gosto de sentar…
  • Você/Ele/Ela gosta de sentar…
  • A gente gosta de sentar… (informal “we”)
  • Nós gostamos de sentar… (you may also hear: gostamos de nos sentar)
  • Eles/Elas gostam de sentar… Note: você uses third-person verb forms (gosta).
Is classe a good word for “classroom” here?

No. Use sala de aula for “classroom.”

  • aula = “class/lesson” (the session)
  • turma = the group of students
  • classe often means “social class” or (in school contexts) “grade/form,” not the room.
What if I want to emphasize being seated (not the act of sitting down)?

Use ficar sentado:

  • Gosto de ficar sentado à esquerda na sala de aula. That focuses on remaining seated there, whereas gosto de (me) sentar focuses on choosing/going to sit there.
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