Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): A minha mãe vai voltar do mercado e depois vai falar com a vizinha. - My mother will return from the market and then she will talk with the neighbor.

A minha mãe translates to "my mother" in English. In Portuguese, it’s common to include the definite article before a possessive adjective (resulting in "a minha") to emphasize that you’re referring to a specific person.

How are the future actions expressed in vai voltar and vai falar?

Both "vai voltar" and "vai falar" use the near-future construction, which is formed by the present tense of "ir" (to go) followed by an infinitive verb. This structure indicates that the actions are planned or about to occur.

What does do mercado mean, and why is it written as do instead of de o?

Do mercado means "from the market". The word "do" is a contraction of the preposition "de" and the masculine singular article "o" (forming "de o" → "do"), which is standard in Portuguese before masculine nouns.

What role does e depois play in this sentence?

The phrase "e depois" translates to "and then" or "and afterward" in English. It functions to connect the two actions in the sentence, showing that the second action (speaking with the neighbor) follows the first (returning from the market).

What does com a vizinha mean, and why is the article a necessary here?

Com a vizinha means "with the neighbor". In this context, the definite article "a" is required because, in Portuguese, it is standard to include the article when referring to people, ensuring clarity that you’re talking about a specific neighbor.

Is it acceptable to omit the subject in the second clause, as seen in vai falar com a vizinha?

Yes, it is acceptable. Since the subject (A minha mãe) is already established in the first part of the sentence, it does not need to be repeated in the second clause—this is a common practice in Portuguese to avoid redundancy while keeping the meaning clear.