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Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Protegemos a natureza. - We protect nature.

Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal)
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/Protegemos a natureza.

Protegemos a natureza.

Protegemos a natureza.

We protect nature.

Breakdown of Protegemos a natureza.

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Questions & Answers about Protegemos a natureza.

What part of the verb is protegemos?

Protegemos is the 1st person plural form of the verb proteger (to protect). It corresponds to we protect in this sentence.

So the structure is:

protegemos = we protect
a natureza = nature / the nature

Because Portuguese verb endings often show the subject clearly, the subject we is built into the verb form.

Why is there no word for we in the sentence?

Portuguese often drops the subject pronoun when the verb ending already makes the subject clear. This is very common in European Portuguese.

So:

Protegemos a natureza. = We protect nature.
Nós protegemos a natureza. = also correct, but nós is usually added only for emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

For example:

Nós protegemos a natureza, mas eles não.
We protect nature, but they don’t.

Why is there an a before natureza?

Here, a is the definite article meaning the.

Portuguese often uses the definite article where English would not. With general ideas or whole categories, Portuguese frequently prefers the article.

So:

a natureza = literally the nature
but in natural English, this is usually just nature

That is why Protegemos a natureza is translated as We protect nature, not necessarily We protect the nature.

Why is natureza feminine?

In Portuguese, every noun has a grammatical gender, usually masculine or feminine. Natureza is a feminine noun, so it takes the feminine singular article a.

a natureza
not o natureza

This is grammatical gender, not biological sex. Many abstract nouns are simply assigned a gender as part of the language.

Is Protegemos a natureza in the present tense?

Yes, it can be understood as the present tense: we protect.

However, there is an important detail: protegemos can also be the preterite form (we protected). For this verb, the nós form is spelled the same in both tenses.

So protegemos can mean:

we protect
we protected

Usually, the meaning is clear from context. On its own, this sentence is most naturally read as a general present statement.

What is the infinitive of protegemos?

The infinitive is proteger, which means to protect.

It belongs to the -er verb group.

A few useful forms are:

eu protejo = I protect
tu proteges = you protect
ele/ela protege = he/she protects
nós protegemos = we protect
vocês protegem = you protect
eles/elas protegem = they protect

Is the word order important here?

Yes, but this sentence uses the normal, neutral word order in Portuguese:

Verb + object
Protegemos a natureza

This is very natural because the subject we is understood from the verb.

You could also say:

Nós protegemos a natureza.

That is also normal, but slightly more explicit.

A different order is possible in special contexts, but the sentence as given is the most straightforward and natural one.

Could I say Protegemos natureza without a?

In most normal contexts, a natureza is the natural choice. Leaving out the article would usually sound less standard or less natural.

So:

Protegemos a natureza. = normal
Protegemos natureza. = unusual in ordinary standard usage

Portuguese generally likes the article here, especially when speaking about nature as a broad concept.

How is Protegemos a natureza pronounced in European Portuguese?

In European Portuguese, it is approximately:

pro-te-JEH-moosh a na-tu-REH-zuh

A more IPA-style version is roughly:

[pɾu.tɨˈʒe.muʃ ɐ nɐ.tuˈɾe.zɐ]

A few pronunciation notes:

g in protegemos sounds like the s in measure
the final -s in protegemos sounds like sh in European Portuguese
unstressed vowels are often reduced, especially in European Portuguese

What kind of sentence is this: specific or general?

It is most naturally understood as a general statement or broad claim:

We protect nature

It does not usually refer to one particular act in one particular moment. Instead, it sounds like:

a principle
a mission statement
a value
a habitual action

For example, it would fit well in environmental campaigns, school materials, or organizational slogans.

What grammatical role does a natureza play in the sentence?

A natureza is the direct object of the verb protegemos.

It is the thing receiving the action of the verb:

we protect → what?
a natureza

So the structure is:

Protegemos = verb
a natureza = direct object

This is a very common Portuguese sentence pattern.

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