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Questions & Answers about Eu vejo o carro.
What does eu mean in the sentence "Eu vejo o carro."?
Eu is the subject pronoun for I. It indicates who is performing the action in the sentence.
What does the verb vejo mean, and how is it formed?
Vejo is the first person singular form of the verb ver (to see) in the present indicative tense. It translates directly to I see, showing that the action is being performed by the speaker.
Why is the definite article o used before carro?
In Portuguese, nouns typically require a definite article that agrees in gender and number. Carro is a masculine noun, so the corresponding definite article is o, which means the. This construction specifies that a particular car is being referred to.
Is the sentence structure of "Eu vejo o carro." similar to English?
Yes, it is very similar. Both Portuguese and English follow a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order in this sentence. Eu is the subject, vejo is the verb, and o carro is the object, just as in the English sentence I see the car.
Why does the verb change to vejo instead of remaining in the base form ver?
Portuguese verbs are conjugated to match the subject. The base form ver means "to see," but when conjugated for the first person singular (I), it becomes vejo. This change in the verb ending signifies that the subject performing the action is eu (I).
Can I omit the subject pronoun eu in Portuguese, and if so, why might I choose to include it?
Yes, in everyday conversation, you can often drop the subject pronoun because the verb conjugation already implies the subject. However, including eu can add clarity or emphasis, which is especially helpful for beginners learning the language.