Breakdown of Eu gosto de café, mas gosto ainda mais de bolo.
eu
I
gostar de
to like
o café
the coffee
o bolo
the cake
mas
but
ainda mais
even more
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Questions & Answers about Eu gosto de café, mas gosto ainda mais de bolo.
What does the verb gosto mean in this sentence, and why is it constructed with de before the objects (café and bolo)?
The verb gostar means "to like." In Portuguese, when expressing likes or preferences, you always use the preposition de before the noun that follows. Hence, Eu gosto de café translates to "I like coffee," and gosto ainda mais de bolo means "I like cake even more."
Why is the subject eu omitted in the second clause ("mas gosto ainda mais de bolo")?
In Portuguese, subject pronouns like eu ("I") are frequently dropped because the verb conjugation (in this case, gosto) already clearly indicates the subject. This omission avoids unnecessary repetition and creates a more natural-sounding sentence.
What role does the conjunction mas play in the sentence?
mas means "but" and serves as a contrasting conjunction that links two independent clauses. It introduces a shift from one idea (liking coffee) to a contrasting, more emphatic idea (liking cake even more).
What does ainda mais mean, and how does its placement affect the sentence's emphasis?
ainda mais translates as "even more" in English. Its placement before de bolo intensifies the speaker’s preference by emphasizing that cake is liked to a greater degree than coffee. This phrase serves to heighten the contrast between the two likes.
Why is there a comma after "café" in this sentence?
The comma is used to separate two independent clauses that are connected by the coordinating conjunction mas. This punctuation clarifies the sentence structure and helps signal the transition from one complete thought (liking coffee) to another (liking cake even more).