Breakdown of Depois de te sentares à mesa, podes escolher entre chá ou café.
o café
the coffee
depois de
after
poder
to be able to
ou
or
escolher
to choose
entre
between
te
you
sentar
to sit
a mesa
the table
o chá
the tea
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Questions & Answers about Depois de te sentares à mesa, podes escolher entre chá ou café.
Why is the verb sentares used instead of the simple infinitive sentar?
Sentares is the second-person singular form in the future subjunctive. In European Portuguese, when referring to an action that hasn’t yet happened—especially after a time marker like depois de—the future subjunctive is used to express that uncertainty. Although Brazilian Portuguese might frequently use the infinitive form (as in sentar-te or se sentar), in Portugal the future subjunctive is the standard choice.
Why is the reflexive pronoun te placed before sentares instead of attaching it to the end of the verb?
In Portuguese, the position of clitic pronouns depends on the form of the verb. Since sentares is a conjugated (subjunctive) verb form, the reflexive pronoun te is placed in the proclitic position (before the verb). This is a standard rule in European Portuguese for conjugated verbs, whereas with non-finite forms you might see the pronoun attached at the end.
What does the contraction à in à mesa signify, and why isn’t it na mesa?
The contraction à is formed by combining the preposition a (meaning “to” or “at”) with the feminine article a. In the phrase à mesa, it creates the idiomatic expression equivalent to “to the table” (as used when inviting someone to dine). Using na mesa would literally mean “on the table,” which does not fit the context of sitting down to join a meal.
Why is entre used before the options chá ou café, and why is the conjunction ou chosen here?
The preposition entre means “between” or “among” and introduces the set of choices available. The conjunction ou (meaning “or”) is used to separate the two alternatives, clearly indicating that you must choose one option. Using e instead of ou would imply a combination rather than an exclusive choice, which is not the intended meaning.
Why does the main clause use podes escolher in the present tense when the action in the subordinate clause is expressed in the future subjunctive?
The present tense in podes escolher expresses an immediate permission or ability that takes effect after the condition is met. Meanwhile, te sentares in the future subjunctive describes an anticipated or yet-to-happen action. This mix of tenses is typical in European Portuguese: the subordinate clause sets a future (or conditional) action, and the main clause states what is allowed to happen as a result once that condition is fulfilled.