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Questions & Answers about Eu começo o mês com café.
What does the subject Eu mean in this sentence, and why is it included even though Portuguese verbs indicate the subject?
Eu means I in English. Although Portuguese often omits the subject because the verb form already shows who is performing the action, including Eu can add emphasis or clarity to the sentence.
What is the verb começo, and how is it formed from the verb começar?
Começo is the first person singular present tense form of the verb começar, which means to start or to begin. Notice the use of the special character ç—this is required in Portuguese to maintain the soft "s" sound before the vowel o.
Why does the sentence use the definite article o before mês?
In Portuguese, o is the masculine singular definite article, equivalent to the in English. It is used with mês (month) because mês is a masculine noun, and the article specifies that a particular month is being referred to.
What role does the preposition com play in this sentence?
Com translates to with in English. It indicates accompaniment or association, meaning that the month is being started together with coffee, highlighting coffee as an accompanying element of the routine.
Why is café used without an article, and is this a common practice in Portuguese?
In this context, café is used without an article because it's referring to coffee in a general, uncountable sense—as a substance or a daily habit—rather than a specific instance or cup of coffee. This omission is common in Portuguese when speaking about general routines or substances in an abstract way.