Eu coloco a almofada no banco.

I put the cushion on the bench.

Breakdown of Eu coloco a almofada no banco.

• eu: I
• em: in
• o banco: the bench
• colocar: to put
• a almofada: the cushion

Questions & Answers about Eu coloco a almofada no banco.

What does coloco mean in this sentence?

Coloco is the first person singular present tense form of the verb colocar, which means “to put” or “to place.” In this sentence, it translates directly as “I put.”

Why is the feminine article a used before almofada?

In Portuguese, nouns carry a gender. Almofada is a feminine noun, so it requires the feminine definite article a (equivalent to “the” in English), indicating a specific cushion.

What does the contraction no indicate in the phrase no banco?

The word no is a contraction of the preposition em (meaning “on” or “in”) and the masculine singular definite article o. This contraction is used before masculine nouns, so no banco means “on the bench.”

What does banco mean in this context, and why might it be confusing?

In this sentence, banco refers to a “bench” — a seat or piece of furniture. It might be confusing for learners because banco can also mean “bank” (as in a financial institution) in Portuguese. However, the context (especially the contraction no indicating location) clarifies that it means “bench.”

Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun Eu, or can it be omitted?

Portuguese is a pro-drop language, which means the subject pronoun is often omitted since the verb conjugation already indicates the subject. In this sentence, Eu (meaning “I”) is included for emphasis or clarity, but many native speakers might leave it out in everyday conversation.