Breakdown of Eu vou ficar em casa hoje para ouvir música com o meu pai.
eu
I
hoje
today
meu
my
ir
to go
a casa
the house
em
in
com
with
o pai
the father
ficar
to stay
para
to
ouvir
to listen
a música
the music
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Questions & Answers about Eu vou ficar em casa hoje para ouvir música com o meu pai.
What does the phrase Eu vou ficar mean in this sentence?
Eu vou ficar is a periphrastic way to express the future. Vou (from the verb ir, “to go”) combined with ficar (“to stay” or “remain”) means “I am going to stay.” This construction is commonly used in Portuguese to indicate future intentions.
Why is the purpose of the action expressed as para ouvir música?
The phrase para ouvir música uses the preposition para to indicate purpose or intention. It translates as “in order to listen to music,” explaining why the speaker is choosing to stay at home.
What does em casa mean, and why is there no article before casa?
Em casa means “at home.” In Portuguese, when referring to one’s home, the noun is typically used without a definite article. This is similar to the common English expression “at home,” as opposed to “in the house.”
Why is it com o meu pai instead of just com meu pai?
In European Portuguese, it is common to include the definite article with possessive adjectives when talking about family members. Com o meu pai literally translates to “with my father.” The inclusion of o (the) makes the expression grammatically standard and clear in context.
Where is the adverb hoje ("today") positioned in the sentence, and what is its role?
The adverb hoje is placed after em casa to specify the time of the action. It indicates that the action (staying home and listening to music) is happening today. Although adverbs in Portuguese can sometimes be flexible in position, this placement is natural and clearly indicates when the action will occur.
Does the verb ficar have other meanings, and how do we know which meaning is intended here?
Yes, ficar can have several meanings depending on context. While in some contexts (particularly in Brazilian Portuguese) it might mean “to make out” or “to get into a relationship,” in this sentence it clearly means “to stay” or “to remain” at home. The context of the sentence—talking about staying home to listen to music—makes the intended meaning obvious.
Why is the infinitive ouvir used without a subject after para?
In Portuguese, when expressing purpose after prepositions like para, the infinitive form of the verb is used without repeating the subject. Ouvir música succinctly means “to listen to music,” and the subject is understood from the context of the sentence, making the construction both natural and efficient.