Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.

I give this yellow flower as a gift.

Breakdown of Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.

• eu: I
• esta: this
• dar: to give
• a flor: the flower
• amarelo: yellow
• de presente: as a gift

Questions & Answers about Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.

Why do we say eu dou instead of just dou?

In Portuguese, the verb ending already shows the subject, so dou alone already means “I give”.

• Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.
• Dou esta flor amarela de presente. (also correct)

Using eu is optional and usually adds:

• emphasis: Eu (not someone else) give this flower.
• clarity: if context is confusing about who is doing the action.

In neutral, everyday speech, both versions are fine and natural in Brazil.

What exactly does dou mean, and how is dar conjugated here?

Dou is the first person singular, present tense of the verb dar (to give).

Present indicative of dar (standard form):

• eu dou – I give
• tu dás – you give (singular, informal; regionally used)
• ele/ela/você dá – he/she/you give(s)
• nós damos – we give
• vocês dão – you (plural) give
• eles/elas dão – they give

So eu dou literally = “I give” (present tense).

Does eu dou mean “I give” or “I am giving”? Can it talk about the future?

In Portuguese, the simple present can cover all of these, depending on context:

• habitual/general:
  
  • Eu dou flores para minha mãe todo ano.
    → I give flowers to my mother every year.
• “right now” action (if context makes it clear):
  
  • Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente. (while actually handing it over)
    → I’m giving this yellow flower as a present.
• near future (especially with a time expression):
  
  • Amanhã eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.
    → Tomorrow I’ll give this yellow flower as a present.

For explicit future, Brazilians very often say vou dar:
Amanhã eu vou dar esta flor amarela de presente. = I’m going to give…

What does de presente literally mean, and why do we use de here?

De presente literally is “of present”, but it’s best translated as “as a present / as a gift.”

• dar algo de presente = to give something as a gift

The de here plays the same role as English “as” in “as a present”. It shows the function or role of the thing:

• Eu dou esta flor amarela.
  → I give this yellow flower. (no idea why / in what capacity)
• Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.
  → I give this yellow flower as a gift.

You can also say como presente (as a present), but de presente is very idiomatic and common in Brazil.

Could I just say Eu dou esta flor amarela without de presente?

Yes, grammatically it’s fine:

• Eu dou esta flor amarela.
  → I give this yellow flower.

But it sounds a bit incomplete or context‑dependent. It doesn’t clearly say why you’re giving it. Adding de presente makes it explicit that the intention is a gift.

So:

• With de presente → clearly as a gift.
• Without it → just “I give this yellow flower” (maybe handing it over, maybe using it for something else; context must explain).

Why is it esta flor amarela and not esta amarela flor?

In Portuguese, the default position of adjectives is after the noun:

• flor amarela = yellow flower
• casa grande = big house
• carro velho = old car

Putting adjectives before the noun is possible but:

• tends to sound more literary, poetic, or emphatic, or
• can change the nuance (often more subjective/evaluative).

So esta flor amarela is the neutral, natural order.
esta amarela flor sounds poetic or old‑fashioned, not normal everyday Brazilian speech.

Why is it esta flor amarela and not este flor amarelo?

Because flor is a feminine noun in Portuguese:

• a flor – the flower

Adjectives and demonstratives need to agree in gender and number with the noun:

• esta (this – feminine singular)
• amarela (yellow – feminine singular)

So:

• esta flor amarela ✅ (correct: all feminine singular)
• este flor amarelo ❌ (este and amarelo are masculine; they don’t match flor)

What’s the difference between esta flor and essa flor or aquela flor?

Textbook distinction (relative position):

• esta – this (near the speaker)
• essa – that (near the listener or just mentioned)
• aquela – that (far from both speaker and listener)

So:

• esta flor – this flower (here with me)
• essa flor – that flower (there with you / we’ve been talking about it)
• aquela flor – that flower (over there, away from both of us)

In Brazilian Portuguese, many people use essa much more broadly, even when “strict grammar” would prefer esta. For most Brazilians:

• Essa flor amarela is at least as natural, often more natural, than Esta flor amarela in everyday speech.

Your sentence is perfectly correct and a bit more “textbook‑like” with esta.

Can I change the word order, like Eu dou de presente esta flor amarela?

Yes, you have some flexibility. All of these are possible:

• Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.
• Eu dou de presente esta flor amarela.
• Dou de presente esta flor amarela.
• Dou esta flor amarela de presente.

Moving de presente earlier or later changes only the rhythm or slight emphasis, not the basic meaning. In speech, Brazilians commonly use either of the first two versions.

How do I say who I’m giving the flower to, like “I give this yellow flower to you as a gift”?

You normally add para (or sometimes a) plus the person:

• Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente para você.
  → I give this yellow flower to you as a gift.

Other common variants:

• Dou esta flor amarela de presente para você.
• Eu dou esta flor amarela para você de presente.

More formal or less common in conversation:

• Eu dou‑lhe esta flor amarela de presente.
  (using lhe = to him/her/you‑formal; sounds more written/formal in Brazil)

Is it ever wrong to include the subject pronoun eu here?

No, not wrong. In Brazilian Portuguese:

• Dou esta flor amarela de presente.
• Eu dou esta flor amarela de presente.

Both are correct. Using eu is:

• very normal in speech,
• helpful in noisy or unclear contexts,
• slightly more emphatic or explicit.

You only need to be careful not to repeat subjects unnaturally (e.g., constantly saying the pronoun in every single sentence when context is already clear), but grammatically eu here is perfectly fine.