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Questions & Answers about Finalmente, o Pedro come o bolo.
Why is the article o used before Pedro in this sentence?
In European Portuguese, it is common to use a definite article before personal names. O Pedro functions similarly to simply saying “Pedro” in English, but the article adds a cultural nuance and helps specify the individual in context.
What role does the adverb finalmente play, and why is it placed at the beginning of the sentence?
Finalmente means “finally” and is used as an introductory adverb to emphasize that the action has occurred after some waiting or anticipation. Placing it at the beginning sets the tone for the sentence, highlighting that the event (Pedro eating the cake) is the awaited outcome.
How does the sentence structure "o Pedro come o bolo" reflect Portuguese word order?
The sentence follows a standard Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, which is similar to English. O Pedro is the subject, come is the verb (in the present tense, third person singular), and o bolo is the object. The introductory finalmente is an adverb modifying the entire sentence.
What tense is the verb come in, and why is it correctly used here?
The verb come is in the present tense and is the third person singular form of the verb comer (“to eat”). This form agrees with the subject o Pedro, making it the correct conjugation for a statement about what Pedro is doing.
Why is there a comma after finalmente in the sentence?
The comma after finalmente serves to separate the introductory adverb from the main clause. This punctuation clarifies that finalmente applies to the entire sentence and helps improve readability by signaling a slight pause before introducing the subject and the action.