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Questions & Answers about Eu estudo por uma hora.
What is the literal translation of Eu estudo por uma hora?
It means I study for one hour. This conveys that the subject studies for a period lasting one hour.
Why is the preposition por used in this sentence instead of another like para?
In this context, por is used to express the duration of the action—the period of time during which you study. It functions similarly to the English for when referring to a time span. Para would be inappropriate here because it typically indicates purpose or a destination.
Can I replace por with durante here, and if so, what subtle differences will that create?
Yes, you can say Eu estudo durante uma hora. Both por and durante communicate a duration. However, por is more commonly used to specify the exact length of time, while durante tends to emphasize that the action occurs within that period.
What does the verb form estudo tell me about the subject and tense in this sentence?
Estudo is the first person singular form of the verb estudar in the present tense. This indicates that eu (I) is the subject, and the sentence is describing a current or habitual action.
Why is the feminine article uma used before hora instead of the masculine um?
In Portuguese, hora is a feminine noun, so it must be preceded by the feminine indefinite article uma to ensure proper gender agreement.