Breakdown of A fatura demorou a chegar, mas eu conferi-a antes de sair.
eu
I
mas
but
chegar
to arrive
antes de
before
sair
to leave
a fatura
the invoice
demorar
to take a while
conferir
to check
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Questions & Answers about A fatura demorou a chegar, mas eu conferi-a antes de sair.
What does fatura mean in this sentence?
Fatura refers to an invoice or bill. In Portugal, it’s the term commonly used to describe the official document detailing a charge or expense.
How should I understand the phrase demorou a chegar?
The phrase demorou a chegar literally means “took a while to arrive.” It uses the construction demorar a + infinitive (in this case, a chegar) to indicate that something took longer than expected to happen.
Why is the object pronoun attached to the verb, resulting in conferi-a instead of saying “conferi a fatura”?
In European Portuguese, it’s common to use enclisis—attaching the object pronoun directly to the end of the conjugated verb—in affirmative sentences. Thus, conferi-a is equivalent to “I checked it,” where the -a stands in for a fatura.
What role does the phrase antes de sair play in the sentence?
Antes de sair functions as an adverbial phrase indicating the time when the action occurred. It means “before leaving,” specifying that the invoice was checked prior to departing.
Why is there a hyphen connecting conferi and -a?
The hyphen is used to connect the verb with its enclitic pronoun in European Portuguese grammar. In this case, it clarifies that -a (referring to a fatura) is directly attached to conferi, ensuring proper syntactic structure.