Breakdown of O barulho do vento quase me fez chorar, mas preferi mudar de quarto para descansar melhor.
de
of
mas
but
descansar
to rest
o quarto
the room
para
to
me
me
preferir
to prefer
melhor
better
fazer
to make
o barulho
the noise
o vento
the wind
quase
almost
chorar
to cry
mudar
to change
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Questions & Answers about O barulho do vento quase me fez chorar, mas preferi mudar de quarto para descansar melhor.
What does quase mean in this sentence?
Quase is an adverb that means "almost." In the sentence, it qualifies the phrase "me fez chorar," indicating that the noise of the wind nearly caused me to cry.
How does the construction "me fez chorar" work?
This construction uses the causative verb fazer. In "me fez chorar," "me" is an object pronoun meaning "me," "fez" is the past tense of fazer (to make), and "chorar" is the infinitive form meaning "to cry." Together, they express that something (the wind’s noise) almost caused the speaker to cry.
Why is there no explicit subject like "eu" before preferi?
In Portuguese, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb forms already indicate the subject. Preferi is the first person singular past form of preferir, so it clearly means "I preferred." Therefore, including "eu" is unnecessary.
What does "mudar de quarto" mean and why is the preposition "de" used?
"Mudar de quarto" translates to "change rooms." The preposition "de" here indicates the idea of switching from one room to another, much like saying "to change from one room." It’s a common construction to specify what is being changed.
What is the function of the phrase "para descansar melhor"?
"Para descansar melhor" is a purpose clause. It explains the reason behind changing rooms and translates to "in order to rest better." The preposition "para" introduces the goal or intention of the action.
How is the possessive structure in "O barulho do vento" formed, particularly with the contraction "do"?
In "O barulho do vento," the phrase means "the sound of the wind." The word "do" is a contraction of de + o, which translates as "of the." This structure connects "barulho" (sound or noise) with "vento" (wind), indicating possession.