Maria bebe água.

Maria

Breakdown of Maria bebe água.

• beber: to drink
• a água: the water

Questions & Answers about Maria bebe água.

Why is there no article before água?

In Portuguese, it’s common to omit the article when talking about water in a general sense. Since água (water) is an uncountable noun, Portuguese typically does not require an article in this context. However, you can use the article in specific contexts (for example, when referring to water from a particular source), but in a general statement like Maria bebe água, no article is needed.

Why is it bebe and not beber?

Beber is the infinitive form of the verb (equivalent to “to drink” in English). When we conjugate beber for the third person singular (ele/ela, or a person’s name such as Maria), it becomes bebe. So the correct form for “Maria drinks water” is Maria bebe água, not Maria beber água.

What does the ending -e in bebe signify?

That -e ending marks the third person singular (and also the second person singular formal—o(a) senhor(a) in European Portuguese) in the present tense. It tells us that the subject is ele, ela, or a named person like Maria.

How do you pronounce bebe and água?

• bebe: The first e is pronounced somewhat like the “e” in “get,” and the second e is also similar but a bit more closed, depending on regional accent. It might sound like “BEH-beh.”
• água: The á is an open “a” sound (like “ah”), followed by gua, which you pronounce like “gwah” but very softly. So you might say it like “AH-gwah.”

Can I say Ela bebe água instead of Maria bebe água?

Yes. Ela bebe água simply means “She drinks water.” However, if you specifically want to name the person, you use Maria. Both are perfectly valid, and Portuguese speakers naturally choose between using the name or the pronoun depending on context.