Breakdown of Basta um café para começar o dia.
um
a
o dia
the day
o café
the coffee
para
to
começar
to start
bastar
to suffice
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Questions & Answers about Basta um café para começar o dia.
What does basta mean in this sentence?
Basta is the third person singular form of the verb bastar, which means “to be enough” or “to suffice.” In this context, it tells us that one coffee is sufficient to start the day.
Why is the indefinite article um used before café instead of the definite article o?
Um functions as the indefinite article in Portuguese (equivalent to “a” or “an” in English), implying any coffee rather than a particular one. This shows that just any single coffee will do to start the day, rather than referring to a specific coffee.
What is the role of the phrase para começar o dia in the sentence?
Para começar o dia is an adverbial phrase that expresses purpose. It literally means “to start the day” and explains the intended effect or benefit of having a coffee.
How does the structure of this Portuguese sentence compare to the typical English equivalent?
In Portuguese, the sentence uses an impersonal construction with the verb bastar directly stating that “one coffee is enough.” An English equivalent might be “Just one coffee is enough to start the day.” The Portuguese sentence omits an explicit subject and conveys sufficiency more directly, which is a common stylistic feature in the language.
Is it acceptable to rearrange the sentence, for example as Um café basta para começar o dia?
Yes, rearranging the sentence to Um café basta para começar o dia is grammatically correct. Both versions communicate the same idea, though the placement of basta at the beginning emphasizes the concept of sufficiency differently than when it follows the noun.
Why doesn’t the sentence include an explicit subject before basta?
In Portuguese, it’s common to use impersonal constructions where the verb stands alone to express a general truth. Here, basta does the work of indicating that “it is enough” without needing an explicit subject, making the statement concise and direct.