Breakdown of Eu nunca limpo a casa tarde, mas hoje vou fazer isso.
eu
I
hoje
today
ir
to go
a casa
the house
mas
but
limpar
to clean
nunca
never
tarde
late
fazer
to do
isso
that
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Questions & Answers about Eu nunca limpo a casa tarde, mas hoje vou fazer isso.
What does nunca mean in this sentence, and how does it function?
Nunca means never in English. In the sentence, it negates the action of cleaning the house late, emphasizing that this is not something the speaker normally does. In Portuguese, negative adverbs like nunca typically appear before the verb they modify to indicate how frequently—or in this case, infrequently—the action occurs.
Why is the time adverb tarde placed at the end of the first clause, and what does it indicate?
In this sentence, tarde means late, referring to a later time of day. Portuguese often places time adverbs after the object or the main part of the sentence. Here, tarde specifies the time when the speaker usually does not clean the house. It also sets up a contrast, since today the speaker is breaking that usual habit by deciding to take action.
How is the future intention expressed in mas hoje vou fazer isso, and how does it compare to English?
The future intention is expressed with the construction vou fazer — the verb ir (to go) in the present, followed by the infinitive fazer (to do). This is equivalent to saying I am going to do in English. It is a common way in Portuguese to indicate a future plan or intention, similar to the English informal future tense.
What does isso refer to in the sentence, and why is it used instead of repeating the full action?
Isso translates to that and functions as a pronoun referring back to the idea of cleaning the house. Using isso avoids the repetition of limpar a casa (clean the house). This practice, known as ellipsis, is common in both Portuguese and English, helping the speaker avoid redundancy while still making clear what action is being referenced.
Why is the present tense used in Eu nunca limpo a casa to describe a routine, and is this similar to English usage?
In Portuguese, the present tense is often used to describe habitual actions or routines. Eu nunca limpo a casa means I never clean the house, indicating a general practice rather than a one-time event. This is similar to English, where the simple present is used to express habitual actions (e.g., “I never eat breakfast at night”).