Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Ela pode trabalhar no jardim amanhã?

In Portuguese, yes/no questions are usually formed by keeping the same word order as declarative sentences. In "Ela pode trabalhar no jardim amanhã?", the structure remains subject (“Ela”) followed by the modal verb (“pode”) and the rest of the predicate. The questioning nature is indicated by intonation and the question mark rather than by rearranging the sentence.

What does the modal verb "pode" signify in this sentence?

"Pode" is the third person singular form of the verb "poder", which means “to be able to” or “can.” In this context, it expresses possibility or permission—essentially asking, “Can she work in the garden tomorrow?”

Why is the word "no" used before "jardim", and what does it mean?

"No" is a contraction of the preposition "em" (meaning “in”) and the masculine definite article "o" (meaning “the”). Therefore, "no jardim" translates to “in the garden,” indicating the location where the action takes place.

Why is the adverb "amanhã" placed at the end of the sentence?

In Portuguese, adverbs of time like "amanhã" (tomorrow) are typically placed at the end of the sentence. This placement clearly indicates when the action is set to occur and follows the common syntactic pattern of the language.

Are there any differences in forming such questions between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese?

Generally, both European and Brazilian Portuguese form yes/no questions with a similar declarative word order. While there might be slight differences in intonation or formality in everyday speech, the fundamental rule—using the same structure as a statement and marking it with a question mark—remains the same in both varieties.