Word
A senhora não deve deixar de levar o diploma quando houver uma reunião presencial.
Meaning
You should not fail to bring the diploma when there is an in-person meeting, ma’am.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Lesson
Breakdown of A senhora não deve deixar de levar o diploma quando houver uma reunião presencial.
não
not
uma
a
quando
when
a reunião
the meeting
Questions & Answers about A senhora não deve deixar de levar o diploma quando houver uma reunião presencial.
Why does the sentence use a senhora instead of você?
A senhora is a formal and respectful way to say “you” in Brazilian Portuguese, especially when speaking to an older woman, a customer, or someone you do not know well.
Even though it means you, it takes third-person singular verbs:
- A senhora não deve...
- not A senhora não deves...
By contrast:
- você = neutral/common you
- a senhora = more polite/formal you
So this sentence sounds polite and somewhat official.
Why is there an article in a senhora?
In Portuguese, titles like senhor, senhora, and senhorita are often used with the definite article:
- a senhora
- o senhor
This is normal grammar in Portuguese. English does not do this in the same way, so it can feel strange to English speakers.
Here, a senhora literally looks like the lady, but in actual use it means you, ma’am.
Why is the verb deve in the third person?