Breakdown of É essencial tentar ouvir cuidadosamente antes de responder.
ser
to be
de
of
ouvir
to listen
tentar
to try
essencial
essential
cuidadosamente
carefully
antes
before
responder
to answer
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Questions & Answers about É essencial tentar ouvir cuidadosamente antes de responder.
What does É essencial mean in this sentence?
It means "it is essential" or "it is necessary." This impersonal construction emphasizes that a particular action—in this case, trying to listen carefully—is very important.
How are the verbs tentar and ouvir used together, and why are they in the infinitive form?
Tentar (to try) is directly followed by another infinitive, ouvir (to listen), forming the structure tentar ouvir which translates as "to try to listen." In Portuguese, after adjectives like essencial, it is common to use an infinitive to indicate the action that is necessary.
What is the role of the adverb cuidadosamente in this sentence?
Cuidadosamente means "carefully" and functions as an adverb modifying ouvir. It details the manner in which one should listen, emphasizing that the listening should be done with attention and care.
How does the phrase antes de responder function, and why is it followed by an infinitive?
The phrase antes de responder means "before answering." The preposition antes de (before) is always followed by an infinitive in Portuguese, which in this case is responder. This construction indicates that the act of listening carefully should occur prior to providing any response.
How does the structure of this Portuguese sentence compare to its English version?
The Portuguese sentence "É essencial tentar ouvir cuidadosamente antes de responder" mirrors the English "It is essential to try to listen carefully before answering" in meaning and overall structure. Both use an impersonal construction to state an important recommendation, though Portuguese employs a sequence of infinitives (tentar, ouvir, responder) without a clearly stated subject, which is common in impersonal statements in Portuguese.