O Pedro vai ler um livro novo depois de estudar.

Pedro will read a new book after studying.

Breakdown of O Pedro vai ler um livro novo depois de estudar.

• Pedro: Pedro
• um: a
• ir: to go
• novo: new
• estudar: to study
• ler: to read
• o livro: the book
• depois de: after

Questions & Answers about O Pedro vai ler um livro novo depois de estudar.

Why do we say O Pedro instead of just Pedro?

In Portuguese (particularly in European Portuguese), using the definite article before a person’s name is quite common and completely acceptable. It doesn’t really change the meaning; it’s more of a stylistic or regional preference. You can also drop the article and just say Pedro.

Why is the structure vai ler used instead of the simple present lê?

Portuguese forms a near-future tense by using ir (to go) plus the infinitive of the main verb (e.g., vai ler = is going to read). It emphasizes that the action will take place at a specific future moment. You could also say lerá (the simple future tense), but vai ler sounds more natural in everyday conversation.

How come we say depois de estudar instead of depois estudar?

In Portuguese, depois (meaning after) is normally followed by de when you want to use a verb in the infinitive (here, estudar). This phrase literally translates as after (of) studying. It’s a set expression and an important rule to remember.

Why is it um livro novo instead of um novo livro?

Most adjectives in Portuguese come after the noun, so um livro novo is the standard word order, meaning a new book. However, sometimes placing an adjective before the noun can imply a slightly different nuance. Um novo livro can sound a bit more formal or emphasize that it’s another book. But in general, um livro novo is more common.

Can I say O Pedro vai ler o seu livro novo depois de estudar?

Yes, you can add o seu (meaning his) to make it clearer that it’s Pedro’s book. Portuguese sometimes uses possessive adjectives less frequently than English because context can already tell us whose book it is. If it’s obvious from context, saying um livro novo without a possessive is completely fine.