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Questions & Answers about O Pedro tem credibilidade.
Why is the definite article O used before Pedro’s name?
In Portuguese, it’s common to include the definite article with proper names. This practice is especially typical in Portugal and lends a familiar or idiomatic tone to the language. While English usually omits the article (saying “Pedro”), Portuguese speakers typically say “O Pedro” or “A Maria” to refer to someone.
What does credibilidade mean, and what is its grammatical gender?
Credibilidade translates to “credibility” in English, referring to the quality of being credible or trustworthy. The word is feminine, as indicated by its ending “-dade.” Thus, if you were to use a definite article with it (outside of this sentence), you would say a credibilidade.
How is the verb ter conjugated in this sentence and what does that indicate about the subject?
The verb ter (“to have”) is conjugated here as tem, which is the third-person singular form. This conjugation matches the singular subject Pedro, meaning “Pedro has” or “Pedro possesses.” In other contexts, you would adjust the conjugation according to the subject’s number and person.
How does the word order of “O Pedro tem credibilidade” compare to its English equivalent?
The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object order, very similar to English. In Portuguese, “O Pedro tem credibilidade” corresponds structurally to “Pedro has credibility.” The primary difference is the inclusion of the definite article before the name in Portuguese—a feature not typically present in English.
Can the sentence be modified to add emphasis on credibility?
Yes, you can modify the sentence to emphasize credibility. For instance, you might say “O Pedro realmente tem credibilidade,” which means “Pedro really has credibility.” This addition of realmente (“really”) intensifies the meaning, much like using an adverb for emphasis in English.