Breakdown of Quando eu receber o meu ordenado, vou comprar um presente para o menino.
eu
I
um
a
meu
my
ir
to go
comprar
to buy
para
for
quando
when
o menino
the boy
receber
to receive
o ordenado
the paycheck
o presente
the gift
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Questions & Answers about Quando eu receber o meu ordenado, vou comprar um presente para o menino.
What does ordenado mean in this sentence?
Ordenado in European Portuguese typically means salary or paycheck—the money one earns from their job.
Why is the verb receber in “Quando eu receber” not conjugated like the present indicative (e.g., “recebo”) or the present subjunctive (e.g., “receba”)?
In Portuguese, when referring to a future event in a temporal clause introduced by quando, the future subjunctive is used. Although it may resemble the infinitive, “receber” here is the future subjunctive form that correctly expresses a condition that will happen in the future.
Why does the sentence use the construction vou comprar instead of something like comprarei?
The structure vou comprar employs the periphrastic future (using ir + infinitive), which is very common in Portuguese to express future intentions or planned actions in everyday language. While comprarei (the simple future) is grammatically correct, vou comprar is often preferred in colloquial speech.
What role do the articles in o meu ordenado and para o menino play?
The definite article o before meu ordenado specifies that the salary in question is the speaker’s own. Similarly, in para o menino, o indicates that the gift is intended for a particular boy known to both the speaker and the listener. Articles in Portuguese help clarify which specific items or persons are referred to.
Is this sentence typical of European Portuguese, and what features indicate that?
Yes, the sentence is characteristic of European Portuguese. Notably, the use of the word ordenado for salary is common in Portugal, whereas in Brazilian Portuguese the term salário is more frequently used. Additionally, the use of the future subjunctive in time clauses is a hallmark of Portuguese grammar commonly emphasized in European norms.