Breakdown of Depois de ornamentar a mesa, ela percebeu que ainda faltavam pratos e talheres.
ela
she
e
and
depois de
after
ainda
still
que
that
a mesa
the table
perceber
to realize
faltar
to be missing
o prato
the plate
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Questions & Answers about Depois de ornamentar a mesa, ela percebeu que ainda faltavam pratos e talheres.
Why is the infinitive "ornamentar" used after "Depois de" instead of a gerund?
In Portuguese, when you use the preposition de after certain expressions (like "depois de"), it must be followed by the infinitive form of the verb. Therefore, “Depois de ornamentar a mesa” is correctly formed, meaning “after decorating the table.” Using a gerund (e.g., ornamentando) would be grammatically incorrect in this context.
What does “faltavam” mean, and why is it in the imperfect tense?
“Faltavam” is the imperfect past tense form of the verb faltar in the third-person plural. It means “were missing” or “were lacking.” The imperfect tense is used to describe a past condition or state that was ongoing at the time—indicating that, when she looked, plates and cutlery were still missing.
What does the term “talheres” refer to in this sentence?
In Portuguese, talheres means “cutlery.” This term generally includes utensils like forks, knives, and spoons used at mealtime. In the sentence, it is mentioned alongside pratos (plates) to list the missing dining items.
What role does the conjunction "que" play in the sentence?
The word que acts as a subordinating conjunction here. It links the main clause (“ela percebeu” – “she realized”) to the subordinate clause (“ainda faltavam pratos e talheres” – “plates and cutlery were still missing”). In English, it would typically be translated as “that,” introducing the content of what she realized.
What is the function of the adverb “ainda” in this sentence?
Ainda means “still” in English. It emphasizes that, despite the action of decorating the table, there remained an unresolved issue: the table was lacking items (plates and cutlery). It adds a sense of continuity to the missing state.
Why is there a comma after “mesa” in the sentence?
The comma is used to separate the introductory phrase “Depois de ornamentar a mesa” from the main clause “ela percebeu que ainda faltavam pratos e talheres.” This punctuation helps clarify the sentence structure, clearly marking the temporal context before introducing the main observation.