Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Foi difícil descartar as ideias menos úteis, mas tornou o projeto mais objetivo. - It was hard to discard the less useful ideas, but it made the project more focused.

Descartar means “to discard” or “to get rid of.” In this sentence, the infinitive form follows the impersonal expression foi difícil (“it was difficult”), which is a common construction in Portuguese when expressing that something was hard to do.

How does the phrase as ideias menos úteis function in the sentence?

The phrase as ideias menos úteis is the direct object of the verb descartar. It literally means “the less useful ideas” and specifies what was difficult to discard.

What does tornou mean in this context, and how is it connected to the rest of the sentence?

Tornou is the third-person singular preterite form of the verb tornar, meaning “to make” or “to turn.” In this sentence, it shows that the act of discarding the less useful ideas had the effect of making the project mais objetivo (“more objective”).

How does the word mas function in this sentence?

Mas is a conjunction meaning “but.” It introduces a contrast between the difficulty of discarding the unnecessary ideas and the positive outcome of the project becoming more objective.

What does the phrase mais objetivo imply about the project, and how is the comparative form constructed in Portuguese?

The phrase mais objetivo implies that the project became clearer, more focused, or less ambiguous. The comparative form is constructed with mais (“more”) followed by the adjective objetivo (“objective”), similar to forming comparatives in English.