Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Presta atenção ao trânsito, ou podes ter um acidente. - Pay attention to the traffic, or you may have an accident.

Presta atenção translates to “Pay attention.” It is delivered in the imperative mood, directed at the informal second-person singular (tu) form. This form is common in European Portuguese when giving casual or direct advice to someone familiar.

Why is the contraction ao used in ao trânsito, and how is it formed?

The contraction ao is a combination of the preposition a (“to”) and the definite article o (“the”). In this sentence, it precedes trânsito (a masculine noun meaning “traffic”), so the correct form is ao instead of simply a.

What does podes ter um acidente mean, and what is the significance of the verb form podes?

Podes ter um acidente means “you might have an accident” or “you can have an accident.” The verb poder is conjugated as podes for the informal second-person singular (tu) form. This choice of conjugation reinforces the informal tone and directly addresses someone familiar, indicating a possible consequence if caution isn’t exercised.

How does the sentence function as a warning even though it doesn’t use an explicit conditional “if” clause?

The warning is conveyed by linking a command with a potential negative consequence using ou (“or”). Although there is no explicit “if” statement, the structure implies that failing to pay attention to traffic may lead to an accident. This indirect conditional form is a common way to issue warnings in everyday language.

Is this sentence written in a formal or informal register, and what clues indicate that?

The sentence is written in an informal register. Clues include the use of the informal imperative presta and the second-person singular form podes, both characteristic of the tu form used in casual settings in Portugal. In more formal contexts, different verb forms (such as those corresponding to você) might be employed.