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Antigamente, eu sentia receio de falar em público, mas agora decidi praticar mais.

Antigamente, eu sentia receio de falar em público, mas agora decidi praticar mais.
In the past, I used to feel afraid of speaking in public, but now I decided to practice more.
FromLesson 7inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Antigamente, eu sentia receio de falar em público, mas agora decidi praticar mais.

What does Antigamente mean in this sentence and why is it placed at the beginning?
Antigamente translates as “in the past” or “formerly.” Placing it at the beginning of the sentence sets the temporal context, indicating that the feelings described were common in the past.
Why is the imperfect tense used in sentia instead of a simple past form?
The imperfect tense in sentia emphasizes an ongoing or habitual state in the past. It reflects that the speaker used to continually feel apprehension about speaking in public, rather than referring to a single, completed event.
What does the noun receio mean in this context?
Receio refers to a feeling of fear, apprehension, or hesitation. In this sentence, it conveys the idea of being nervous or reluctant to speak in public.
How is the phrase falar em público constructed and what does its structure imply?
Falar em público is an infinitive phrase where falar means “to speak” and em público means “in public.” The preposition em connects the verb to its context, indicating the setting where the action takes place—public speaking.
What is the significance of the contrast between Antigamente, eu sentia receio and mas agora decidi praticar mais?
The contrast highlights a change in attitude over time. The first part indicates a past state of apprehension (“I used to be afraid”), while the second part, introduced by mas agora (“but now”), reveals a proactive decision to overcome that fear by practicing more.
Why does the sentence use praticar mais after decidi, and what does this choice of wording reveal about the speaker’s intentions?
The phrase praticar mais means “to practice more,” which follows decidi (“I decided”) to indicate a clear intention to improve. This construction shows that the speaker is taking concrete steps to counteract their previous fear of public speaking by committing to more practice.
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