Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.

I want to look at the map again.

Breakdown of Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.

• eu: I
• o: the
• querer: to want
• o mapa: the map
• de novo: again
• olhar: to look

Questions & Answers about Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.

Why do we use olhar here and not ver?

Both mean something like to look / to see, but they’re used differently:

• olhar = to look (on purpose, actively), to look at something
  
  • Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo. = I want to look at / examine the map again.
• ver = to see (more passive, just using your eyes, noticing)
  
  • Eu quero ver o mapa de novo. = I want to see the map again (less about studying it, more about seeing it again).

In this context, olhar suggests you want to inspect or examine the map, which fits better than just ver.

In English we say look at the map. Why is it olhar o mapa and not olhar para o mapa?

In Brazilian Portuguese, with many direct objects you normally just say:

• olhar + [thing] → olhar o mapa, olhar o filme, olhar a foto

You can say olhar para o mapa, but:

• olhar o mapa = more neutral, very common: look at / examine the map.
• olhar para o mapa = emphasizes direction (literally looking toward it), and can sound a bit more literal or physical.

In this sentence, olhar o mapa is the most natural everyday choice.

Can I drop eu and just say Quero olhar o mapa de novo?

Yes, completely natural:

• Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.
• Quero olhar o mapa de novo.

Portuguese often omits the subject pronoun because the verb ending (-o in quero) already shows the subject is eu. Using eu can add emphasis (like stressing I):

• Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo. (implies: I, not someone else)

Why do we say o mapa instead of just mapa without an article?

In Portuguese, a noun almost always needs an article (o, a, os, as) or another determiner:

• o mapa = the map
• um mapa = a map

Bare nouns like English “I want to look at map again” (without the/a) are not normal in Portuguese. Here, we’re talking about a specific map, so o mapa (the map) is the natural choice.

If you really meant any random map, you could say:

• Eu quero olhar um mapa de novo. (I want to look at a map again.)
  But in context, o mapa is much more common.

What does de novo literally mean, and are there other ways to say again?

Literally:

• de = of / from
• novo = new

So de novo = “from new” → again / once more.

Common synonyms:

• de novo – very common, neutral.
• de novo ≈ novamente ≈ outra vez
  
  • novamente = a bit more formal/written.
  • outra vez = very common in speech too.

Examples:

• Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.
• Eu quero olhar o mapa novamente.
• Eu quero olhar o mapa outra vez.

All three are fine in Brazilian Portuguese.

Can I move de novo to another place in the sentence?

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

• Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo. (most natural)
• Eu quero olhar de novo o mapa. (also OK, a bit less common)
• Eu quero de novo olhar o mapa. (possible, but sounds more marked/emphatic)

Native speakers most often put de novo at the end here, as in the original sentence.

How do I pronounce de novo in Brazilian Portuguese?

Typical Brazilian pronunciation (general/“standard” accent):

• de ≈ “jee” (like the ji in “jeep”, but shorter)
  IPA: /dʒi/
• novo ≈ “NOH-voo”
  IPA: /ˈnovu/

So the whole phrase:

• de novo → /dʒi ˈnovu/

Also:

• quero → KEH-roo /ˈkɛɾu/
• mapa → MAH-pa /ˈmapa/

What is the difference between quero and quer here?

They are different forms of the verb querer (to want):

• eu quero = I want
• você quer / ele quer / ela quer = you want / he wants / she wants

So:

• Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo. = I want to look at the map again.
• Ele quer olhar o mapa de novo. = He wants to look at the map again.

If you changed quero to quer but kept eu, it would be wrong:

• ❌ Eu quer olhar o mapa de novo. (incorrect)
• ✅ Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo. (correct)

If I want to sound more polite, can I say Eu gostaria de olhar o mapa de novo?

Yes. Eu gostaria de… is softer and more polite than Eu quero….

• Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.
  = I want to look at the map again. (direct, normal)
• Eu gostaria de olhar o mapa de novo.
  = I would like to look at the map again. (more polite / softer)

Grammatically both are correct; choice depends on how direct or polite you want to be.

Could I say Eu quero olhando o mapa de novo like in English “I want looking at the map again”?

No. That structure doesn’t work in Portuguese.

After querer, you normally use the infinitive:

• ✅ Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.

Using the gerund (olhando) like that is incorrect:

• ❌ Eu quero olhando o mapa de novo.

The pattern is:

• querer + infinitive → quero comer, quero sair, quero olhar.

Does Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo express the future, like “I will look at the map again”?

It mainly expresses a present desire or intention:

• Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo.
  = I want to look at the map again (now or soon).

Whether it refers to now or later depends on context, just like in English “I want to look at the map again”. It doesn’t automatically mean a distant future; it’s about wanting, not about a specific future time.

Is de novo specifically Brazilian, or is it also used in European Portuguese?

de novo is used in both Brazilian and European Portuguese with the same meaning (again).

For a Brazilian learner:

• de novo is extremely common and natural in Brazil.
• outra vez is also very common.
• novamente is more formal but still understood everywhere.

So Eu quero olhar o mapa de novo is perfectly standard Brazilian Portuguese.