Breakdown of O Pedro fica acordado até à noite.
Pedro
Pedro
a noite
the night
até
until
ficar
to stay
acordado
awake
Questions & Answers about O Pedro fica acordado até à noite.
Why does the sentence use the article O before Pedro?
In Portuguese (Portugal), it is common to use the definite article before proper names when referring to someone in a familiar or typical context. Thus, O Pedro is a standard way of saying “Pedro,” reflecting a linguistic habit in the language rather than an emphasis found in English.
What does fica acordado mean, and why is the verb ficar used instead of estar?
Fica acordado translates to “stays awake” in English. The verb ficar is used to indicate a change of state or the maintenance of a condition over time. In this context, it emphasizes that Pedro remains in the state of being awake until night, rather than simply describing a temporary state as estar might.
How is the phrase até à noite structured, and why is there a grave accent in à?
The word até means “until” in English, and it is followed by the preposition a. In Portuguese, when the preposition a combines with the feminine singular article a (as in a noite), it forms the contraction à (with a grave accent). Therefore, até à noite literally means “until the night.”
Why is the adjective acordado in its masculine form?
The adjective acordado agrees with its subject, Pedro, which is a masculine singular noun. In Portuguese, adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun they describe. Since Pedro is masculine, the adjective takes the masculine form (acordado) rather than the feminine form (acordada).
What is the overall structure of the sentence O Pedro fica acordado até à noite?
The sentence follows a clear subject–verb–adverbial structure. O Pedro is the subject, fica acordado is the verb phrase that indicates his state or condition, and até à noite is an adverbial phrase specifying the duration of that state. This construction is straightforward and typical in Portuguese for expressing that someone remains in a certain state (in this case, being awake) until a specified time.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?”
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning PortugueseMaster Portuguese — from O Pedro fica acordado até à noite to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions