Breakdown of Eu quero candidatar-me a um emprego numa empresa nova.
eu
I
um
a
querer
to want
novo
new
em
at
candidatar-se a
to apply for
o emprego
the job
a empresa
the company
Questions & Answers about Eu quero candidatar-me a um emprego numa empresa nova.
What does the verb form candidatar-me mean, and why is the reflexive pronoun attached at the end?
Candidatar-me comes from the pronominal verb candidatar-se, meaning “to apply” (usually for a job or position). The reflexive pronoun -me is attached to indicate that the subject (I) is involved in the action. In Portuguese, it’s common to attach such reflexive pronouns directly to the verb in its infinitive, gerund, or imperative forms.
Why is there a hyphen in candidatar-me instead of writing it as separate words?
In Portuguese, when a verb that requires a pronoun is used in its infinitive (or other non-finite forms), the clitic (in this case, -me) is attached to the end of the verb using a hyphen. This hyphenated construction is standard and makes clear that the pronoun belongs directly to the verb.
What is the role of the preposition a in candidatar-me a um emprego?
The preposition a is used after candidatar-me to introduce the complement of the verb. In this construction, a indicates the target of the application—specifically, um emprego (a job). In Portuguese, certain verbs (especially pronominal ones like candidatar-se) require the preposition a when followed by their complement.
How is the word numa in numa empresa nova formed, and what does it mean?
Numa is a contraction of the preposition em (meaning “in”) and the indefinite article uma (meaning “a”). Therefore, numa translates to “in a”. In the sentence, numa empresa nova means “in a new company.”
How does the word order and structure in this sentence compare to English?
The sentence Eu quero candidatar-me a um emprego numa empresa nova follows a structure similar to English: it has a straightforward subject (Eu = “I”), a verb phrase (quero candidatar-me = “want to apply”), and complements explaining what is being applied for. However, Portuguese requires attaching the reflexive pronoun to the verb and often uses contractions like numa. These differences are systematic but reflect similar underlying ideas as in the English sentence “I want to apply for a job in a new company.”
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