Tu podes abrir a porta, por favor?

Can you open the door, please?

Breakdown of Tu podes abrir a porta, por favor?

• tu: you
• por favor: please
• poder: to be able to
• abrir: to open
• a porta: the door

Questions & Answers about Tu podes abrir a porta, por favor?

Why is the tu pronoun used here instead of você?

In European Portuguese, tu is the common informal second-person singular pronoun. Although both tu and você mean "you," tu is preferred in informal settings in Portugal. In contrast, in Brazilian Portuguese, você is more frequently used even in everyday informal speech.

What is the role of the verb poder in this sentence, and why is it conjugated as podes?

The verb poder means "to be able to" or "can." In this sentence, it is conjugated as podes, which is the informal second-person singular form corresponding to tu in the present tense. This modal construction is used to politely ask if someone is able to perform an action.

Why is abrir in its infinitive form rather than conjugated to match the subject?

In Portuguese, following a modal verb like poder, the main verb is typically kept in its infinitive form. Here, abrir means "to open" and stays in the infinitive to complete the modal construction, indicating the action that is being requested.

Is the placement of por favor fixed in this sentence, or can it vary?

While por favor ("please") is commonly placed at the end of a request—as seen in this sentence—it is flexible. You can also position it at the beginning or within the sentence (for example, Por favor, tu podes abrir a porta?) to slightly change the emphasis or tone. However, the most standard form in Portuguese is to place it at the end.

Why does the sentence include the explicit subject tu when the verb ending already indicates the subject?

Although Portuguese verb endings generally indicate the subject, including tu adds clarity and a personal touch to the sentence. It reinforces the informal tone and helps avoid any ambiguity, which can be particularly useful for learners who are not yet comfortable inferring the subject solely from the verb conjugation.

Does this sentence convey a formal or informal tone, and how might it change in a more formal context?

This sentence is both informal and polite. The use of tu suggests familiarity, and por favor ensures courtesy. In a more formal context, especially when addressing someone with more respect or unfamiliarity, you might use a construction like O senhor pode abrir a porta, por favor? to maintain politeness while adjusting the level of formality.