Breakdown of Hoje não tenho receio de água fria, mas antigamente eu sempre evitava o chuveiro gelado.
eu
I
hoje
today
a água
the water
de
of
mas
but
ter
to have
sempre
always
não
not
frio
cold
antigamente
in the past
o receio
the fear
evitar
to avoid
gelado
cold
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Questions & Answers about Hoje não tenho receio de água fria, mas antigamente eu sempre evitava o chuveiro gelado.
What does the word receio mean in this sentence, and why is it chosen over medo?
Receio translates roughly to fear or dread but with a nuance that often implies a cautious or uneasy apprehension. In this sentence, "Hoje não tenho receio de água fria" means "Today, I’m not afraid of cold water." While medo also means fear, receio may convey a subtler feeling that one has overcome over time.
Why does the sentence use água fria for water and chuveiro gelado for a shower? Is there a difference between fria and gelado?
Yes, both adjectives mean cold, but they are contextually different. Água fria refers simply to cold water as a substance. On the other hand, chuveiro gelado (literally cold shower) implies a cold shower that is notably brisk or even uncomfortably chilly. The choice of gelado emphasizes that the shower is not just cold, but so cold that it was once avoided.
How do the verb tenses não tenho (present) and evitava (imperfect past) function in this sentence?
The present tense in não tenho indicates the speaker’s current state, meaning they are not afraid of cold water today. In contrast, the imperfect past tense in evitava is used to describe habitual or repeated actions in the past. This contrast shows that while the speaker used to always avoid cold showers, their feelings have changed over time.
What role do the time indicators hoje and antigamente play in the sentence?
Hoje means today, and antigamente means in the past or formerly. These words clearly delineate two time periods. The sentence contrasts the speaker’s current lack of fear with the old habit of avoiding cold showers, highlighting a change in attitude or behavior over time.
Why is evitava (avoided) used to talk about the shower instead of a phrase like não tomava (didn't take)?
Using evitava emphasizes an active decision to steer clear of the cold shower because of the discomfort it once caused. If the sentence had used não tomava, it would simply describe a behavior rather than an intentional effort to avoid something unpleasant. This choice of verb better captures the speaker’s previous reluctance to experience the cold shower.