Breakdown of Eu vou sempre lembrar de comprar pão.
eu
I
o pão
the bread
ir
to go
comprar
to buy
sempre
always
lembrar de
to remember
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Questions & Answers about Eu vou sempre lembrar de comprar pão.
Why does the verb lembrar require the preposition de before the infinitive comprar in this sentence?
In Portuguese, when lembrar is used to indicate remembering to do something, it must be followed by de and an infinitive. So lembrar de comprar translates to "remember to buy." Without de, the sentence would be ungrammatical when referring to an action that needs to be remembered.
Why is vou used instead of using the synthetic future form such as lembrarei?
Portuguese often uses the ir + infinitive construction to express future intentions or planned actions. In the sentence, Eu vou sempre lembrar de comprar pão means "I am going to always remember to buy bread." Although you could use the synthetic future (e.g., lembrarei), the ir + infinitive form is more common in everyday conversation.
What is the role of the adverb sempre, and why is it placed between vou and lembrar?
The adverb sempre means "always" and it emphasizes that the action of remembering to buy bread occurs habitually. Its placement between vou and lembrar is a natural position in Portuguese for adverbs of frequency, ensuring the intended meaning is clear. Although it could sometimes appear elsewhere in the sentence, this position keeps the sentence fluid and understandable.
Can the subject Eu be omitted in this sentence, and would it change the meaning?
Yes, the subject Eu can be omitted because Portuguese verbs are conjugated to clearly indicate the subject. Writing Vou sempre lembrar de comprar pão is perfectly acceptable and maintains the same meaning, thanks to the conjugation of vou which implies the first-person singular.
Why is pão used without a definite article (such as o pão) in this context?
In Portuguese, when referring to items like food in a general or non-specific sense, it is common to omit the definite article. Comprar pão implies buying bread in general, rather than a specific loaf or type. If you used o pão, it would suggest a particular kind or instance of bread, which is not the intention in this sentence.