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Questions & Answers about Depois de caminhar, o ombro dói.
What does the phrase "Depois de caminhar" mean, and why is the infinitive form used?
"Depois de caminhar" translates literally to "After walking." In Portuguese, when using the prepositional phrase "depois de" (meaning "after"), it is followed by the infinitive form of the verb—in this case, "caminhar" ("to walk"). This structure indicates that one action (walking) occurs before or leads to the subsequent situation.
What is the meaning of the word "ombro", and why is it preceded by the article "o"?
The word "ombro" means "shoulder." It is preceded by the definite article "o", which is equivalent to the English "the." In Portuguese, body parts are often referred to with a definite article when speaking generally about them, so "o ombro" implies "the shoulder" in a general or non-specific sense.
What does the verb "dói" signify in this sentence, and how is it conjugated?
The verb "dói" is the third-person singular form of the irregular verb "doer," which means "to hurt" or "to ache." In the sentence, "o ombro dói" means "the shoulder hurts." The subject "o ombro" (the shoulder) is singular, and thus the verb is appropriately conjugated to match it.
Why is there a comma after "Depois de caminhar"?
The comma is used because "Depois de caminhar" is an introductory adverbial phrase that sets the context or time for the main clause. Placing a comma after such a phrase helps clarify that the phrase modifies the entire sentence that follows, a common punctuation rule in both Portuguese and English.
Is it acceptable to rearrange the sentence as "O ombro dói depois de caminhar," and does that affect its meaning?
Yes, rearranging the sentence to "O ombro dói depois de caminhar" is perfectly acceptable and still conveys the same basic idea: "The shoulder hurts after walking." The variation in word order might slightly change the emphasis—for example, placing the time clause at the beginning emphasizes the condition—but the overall meaning remains unchanged.