Breakdown of Tu deves respeitar a tua hora de descanso, ou ficarás cansado durante o dia.
tu
you
o dia
the day
de
of
cansado
tired
ou
or
tua
your
ficar
to become
durante
during
dever
must
a hora
the hour
o descanso
the rest
respeitar
to respect
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Tu deves respeitar a tua hora de descanso, ou ficarás cansado durante o dia.
What does deves mean in this sentence?
Deves is the second-person singular present tense form of the verb dever, which is used to express obligation or advice. In this context, it means "you should" or "you must."
Why is the subject pronoun tu used here instead of você?
In European Portuguese, tu is commonly used for informal, singular address. It creates a friendly and direct tone, which is typical in Portugal, whereas você tends to be either more formal or more prevalent in Brazilian Portuguese.
How is the future tense shown in ficarás, and what does it indicate?
Ficarás is the simple future form of the verb ficar for the second-person singular. It indicates a future consequence. In this sentence, it means "you will become" or "you will be" tired if you do not take the recommended action.
Why is the possessive adjective tua used before hora de descanso?
The possessive adjective tua is the feminine form, which agrees with the feminine noun hora (meaning "hour" or "time"). Using tua instead of the masculine teu ensures grammatical agreement in gender.
What role does ou play in the sentence?
Ou is a conjunction meaning "or." It introduces an alternative consequence to the advice given in the first part of the sentence. The structure implies that if you do not respect your rest time, then the negative outcome (being tired during the day) will occur.
Can you explain the overall structure of this sentence?
The sentence is divided into two parts. The first part—"Tu deves respeitar a tua hora de descanso"—offers an imperative piece of advice or instruction. The second part—"ou ficarás cansado durante o dia"—presents the consequence of not following that advice. This clear cause-and-effect relationship makes it easy to understand the intended meaning.