Breakdown of Se a sogra ligar antes do jantar, avisa-me para a convidarmos também.
também
too
de
of
o jantar
the dinner
se
if
antes
before
me
me
convidar
to invite
ligar
to call
para
so that
a sogra
the mother-in-law
a
her
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Questions & Answers about Se a sogra ligar antes do jantar, avisa-me para a convidarmos também.
Why does the sentence begin with Se, and what is its role?
Se is a conditional conjunction meaning if. It introduces a condition—in this case, that something happens only if the mother-in-law calls before dinner—which then motivates the following instruction.
What is the significance of the a before sogra?
In Portuguese, when referring to a specific person as a direct object, the preposition a (known as the personal a) is used. Here, a sogra indicates that the mother-in-law is a definite, identifiable person.
Even though the action relates to a future possibility, why is ligar in the present tense?
Portuguese often uses the present tense in conditional clauses to refer to future actions. So, a sogra ligar is a common way to express that if the mother-in-law calls (at some point before dinner), then a subsequent action should follow.
How should we understand the structure avisa-me and why is the pronoun attached with a hyphen?
Avisa-me is the affirmative imperative form of avisar (to inform or warn) addressed to the informal you. In European Portuguese, it’s standard to attach the clitic pronoun me to the verb with a hyphen in the affirmative imperative, forming avisa-me (i.e., "let me know").
Why is the phrase para a convidarmos também structured this way, and what does it express grammatically?
The phrase para a convidarmos também functions as a purpose clause, meaning "so that we invite her too." The preposition para indicates purpose. The clitic a is used before the verb because when convidar (to invite) refers to a person, Portuguese requires the personal a. Meanwhile, convidarmos is the first person plural subjunctive form, reflecting a suggestion or potential action contingent on the condition.
What role does também play at the end of the sentence?
Também means "also" or "too," emphasizing that the invitation should include the mother-in-law in addition to whoever else might be invited. Its placement at the end of the sentence serves to underscore that extra inclusion.