Breakdown of Ele lança a bola com muita força, e às vezes ela sai do campo.
ela
she
de
of
ele
he
e
and
com
with
a bola
the ball
às vezes
sometimes
muito
a lot of
sair
to go out
lançar
to throw
a força
the force
o campo
the field
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Questions & Answers about Ele lança a bola com muita força, e às vezes ela sai do campo.
What does lança mean in this sentence, and how does it compare to similar verbs like joga?
Lança is the third person singular form of the verb lançar, which means "to throw" or "to launch." In this context, it emphasizes a forceful or deliberate throw. While joga (from jogar) can also mean "to throw" or "to play," lança specifically focuses on the act of throwing with strength and precision.
Why is the ball later referred to as ela in the sentence?
In Portuguese, every noun has a gender. The noun bola (ball) is feminine, so it is naturally replaced by the feminine pronoun ela. This rule is a key aspect of Portuguese grammar that differentially marks nouns compared to English.
What does the adverbial phrase com muita força mean, and how does it modify the verb?
Com muita força translates to "with a lot of force" or "forcefully." It modifies the verb lança by specifying the manner in which the ball is thrown. This added description suggests that his throw is very powerful, which can explain why the ball sometimes ends up leaving the field.
Why is there a comma before e in the sentence?
The comma is used to separate two independent clauses in the sentence. The first clause, Ele lança a bola com muita força, has ele as its subject, while the second clause, às vezes ela sai do campo, has ela (referring back to bola) as its subject. The comma helps clarify the pause and the change in subject between the two distinct actions.
What does the phrase às vezes mean, and why is it written in that particular way?
Às vezes means "sometimes." It is a contraction where the preposition a combines with the plural feminine article as (agreeing with vezes, meaning "times"). The accent on às indicates this proper contraction. This common phrase is used to describe an action that occurs occasionally.
Does the sentence imply that throwing the ball with much force is the reason it sometimes leaves the field?
Yes, the sentence suggests a cause-and-effect relationship. It implies that due to him throwing the ball com muita força (with a lot of force), it sometimes results in ela (the ball) leaving the field. This structure of presenting a strong action followed by an occasional unexpected outcome is often used to describe events in sports contexts.