É natural desaprovares certas mudanças, mas às vezes são necessárias.

It’s natural for you to disapprove of certain changes, but sometimes they are necessary.

Breakdown of É natural desaprovares certas mudanças, mas às vezes são necessárias.

• ser: to be
• mas: but
• necessário: necessary
• às vezes: sometimes
• a mudança: the change
• desaprovar: to disapprove
• natural: natural
• certo: certain

Questions & Answers about É natural desaprovares certas mudanças, mas às vezes são necessárias.

What does the verb form desaprovares mean, and why is it in the personal infinitive rather than the standard infinitive desaprovar?

Desaprovares means “to disapprove” in its personal infinitive form. In European Portuguese, the personal infinitive adds subject-specific endings—in this case, the -res ending indicates a reference to the second person singular (implying “you”) or a general person. While the standard infinitive (desaprovar) is impersonal, the personal infinitive is used here to directly link the idea to a specific, understood subject without needing to introduce it with “que” (as in “É natural que desaproves…”). This construction is typical in European usage.

How do we understand who is doing the disapproving since the subject is omitted in the sentence?

In Portuguese, subjects are frequently dropped when they are clear from the verb’s form or the context. The form desaprovares carries a personal ending that implies the subject (typically “you” in an informal or general sense). This means that even without an explicit pronoun, the sentence communicates that it is natural for a person (be it a general one or the addressee) to disapprove of certain changes.

What is the role of the conjunction mas in this sentence?

Mas functions as a coordinating conjunction meaning “but.” It introduces a contrast between the two clauses: the first asserts that disapproving certain changes is natural, while the second points out that sometimes, despite this natural tendency to disapprove, changes are necessary. The contrast highlights that even natural reactions can be set aside under certain circumstances.

What does the adverbial phrase às vezes mean, and what is its function in the context of the sentence?

Às vezes translates to “sometimes.” It acts as an adverbial modifier indicating frequency. In this sentence, it qualifies the statement that although disapproving changes is natural, there are occasions when changes need to occur. Essentially, it introduces an exception by suggesting that while the initial reaction is understandable, there can be situations where change is not only inevitable but also required.

Why might a native English speaker be confused by the structure É natural desaprovares certas mudanças compared to a construction like É natural que desaproves certas mudanças?

English speakers often expect a subordinate clause introduced by “that” (or in Portuguese, que) to explain the natural tendency. The use of the personal infinitive in É natural desaprovares certas mudanças can be unexpected because it omits que and instead directly links the adjective natural with the action. This structure—common in European Portuguese—streamlines the sentence but differs from the more familiar English pattern and from Brazilian Portuguese, where the subordinate clause construction is more common. Understanding the personal infinitive helps clarify that the sentence still conveys the same meaning in a more concise form.