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Questions & Answers about Eu esqueci de comprar pão.
What is the role of the preposition de in the phrase "esqueci de comprar pão"?
In Portuguese, when you use the verb esquecer to mean "to forget to do something," it is standard to connect it to the following infinitive with the preposition de. This structure shows that the action expressed by the infinitive (in this case, comprar) is what was forgotten.
Why is there no article before pão in this sentence?
Portuguese often omits the article when referring to a general or uncountable item. In "comprar pão," pão stands for bread in general—not a specific loaf—so using an article isn’t necessary. This is similar to how English sometimes drops determiners with mass nouns.
How does the structure of this sentence compare to the English sentence "I forgot to buy bread"?
Both sentences have a subject, a verb, and an infinitive phrase that indicates the action forgotten. In English, we use "to buy" directly after "forgot," whereas in Portuguese the infinitive comprar is introduced by the preposition de. This additional preposition is a normal part of Portuguese syntax when linking a verb of forgetting to an action.
Is it acceptable in European Portuguese to say "Eu esqueci de comprar pão" without a reflexive pronoun?
In European Portuguese, it is common to use the reflexive construction (e.g., Esqueci-me de comprar pão) to indicate that the subject forgets something related to oneself. However, the non-reflexive form (Eu esqueci de comprar pão) is still understood, especially in informal contexts. That said, to align with standard European usage, many speakers prefer the reflexive form.
Can I drop the preposition de and say "Eu esqueci comprar pão"?
No. In Portuguese, when expressing the notion of forgetting to perform an action, the preposition de is required before the infinitive. Omitting de would be grammatically incorrect and might confuse the structure of the sentence.