Breakdown of Eu hesitei em ir lá dentro, porque preferia ficar no jardim a olhar a chuva.
eu
I
ir
to go
porque
because
em
in
o jardim
the garden
ficar
to stay
a chuva
the rain
preferir
to prefer
lá dentro
inside
hesitar
to hesitate
olhar
to watch
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Questions & Answers about Eu hesitei em ir lá dentro, porque preferia ficar no jardim a olhar a chuva.
Why is the preposition em used after the verb hesitar in the phrase hesitei em ir?
In Portuguese, certain verbs require a specific preposition when followed by an infinitive. With hesitar, the conventional structure is hesitar em + [infinitive], which corresponds to the English phrase “to hesitate to do something.”
What does the phrase lá dentro mean, and why include lá rather than just using dentro?
Lá dentro translates as “inside” or “in there,” with lá serving to emphasize that the location is away from the speaker or in a specified area. This contrasts with another place mentioned later in the sentence (the jardim), highlighting that “inside” is a distinct, less preferred location.
What is the function of the construction a olhar a chuva after ficar no jardim?
The structure ficar no jardim a olhar a chuva uses the a + infinitive form to indicate an ongoing or simultaneous action. In European Portuguese, this construction is common for expressing that while someone was staying (ficar) in the garden, they were concurrently watching the rain. It’s stylistically preferred over the gerund (e.g., olhando) in Portugal.
Why is the verb preferia in the imperfect tense in this sentence?
The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing, habitual, or background states in the past. By using preferia, the speaker conveys that having a preference for staying in the garden was an ongoing state at that time, rather than a single, completed action.
Why is there a comma before porque preferia ficar no jardim a olhar a chuva, and what role does that clause play?
The comma separates the main clause from the subordinate clause. The subordinate clause starting with porque explains the reason for the speaker’s hesitation. This mirrors English punctuation where a comma is used to introduce an explanatory phrase or clause, clarifying that the preference for remaining in the garden is the cause of the hesitation.