Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Eu bebo café com Ana.
What does the word Eu mean in this sentence?
Eu is the subject pronoun meaning "I" in English. It tells us who is performing the action.
How is the verb bebo formed and what does it signify?
Bebo is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb beber, which means "to drink." For regular -er verbs in Portuguese, you remove the ending -er and add -o for the first-person singular, translating to "I drink."
Why is there an accent on café and how does it affect pronunciation?
The accent on café shows that the stress is on the final syllable. This not only distinguishes the word from others but also guides you to pronounce it correctly in European Portuguese (roughly ka-FEH), similar to how "coffee" is stressed in English.
What role does the preposition com play in this sentence?
The preposition com means "with." It connects the action of drinking coffee to the person Ana, indicating that the speaker is drinking coffee in her company.
Is it mandatory to include the subject pronoun Eu in Portuguese sentences?
No, it's not mandatory. Portuguese often allows you to drop the subject pronoun because the verb conjugation already indicates who is acting. However, including Eu can add clarity or emphasis, which is especially helpful for beginners.
Why are there no articles before café and Ana in this sentence?
In Portuguese, when referring to something in a general sense—as with café used to mean coffee as a beverage—it's common to omit the definite article. Similarly, proper names like Ana can appear without an article. While articles may sometimes be used with names depending on regional or stylistic choices, the sentence as given is both correct and typical.