Breakdown of Eu tinha visitado a cidade, mas o bairro novo permanecia desconhecido para mim.
eu
I
mas
but
ter
to have
novo
new
a cidade
the city
para
to
visitar
to visit
desconhecido
unknown
o bairro
the neighborhood
permanecer
to remain
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Questions & Answers about Eu tinha visitado a cidade, mas o bairro novo permanecia desconhecido para mim.
What is the function of the pluperfect "tinha visitado" and the imperfect "permanecia" in this sentence?
The pluperfect "tinha visitado" indicates that the action of visiting the city was completed before another past event, while the imperfect "permanecia" describes a continuous state in the past. In this context, the speaker had already visited the city, yet the new neighborhood remained continuously unknown to them.
What is the difference between cidade and bairro in this context?
In Portuguese, cidade refers to a city—a large urban area—while bairro means a neighborhood or district, which is a smaller, often more specific part of the city. The sentence conveys that although the speaker had explored the city as a whole, there was a particular neighborhood that they hadn’t yet become familiar with.
What does the phrase desconhecido para mim mean, and why is para mim included?
Desconhecido para mim translates to "unknown to me." The addition of para mim clarifies whose perspective is being described—it emphasizes that the new neighborhood was unfamiliar from the speaker’s personal point of view, even if other parts of the city were known.
Why is the contrasting conjunction mas used in this sentence?
The conjunction mas (meaning "but") is used to indicate a contrast between two parts of the speaker's experience. It juxtaposes the completed action of visiting the city with the ongoing state of the new neighborhood remaining unknown, highlighting that despite the overall familiarity with the city, there was still an unfamiliar area.
Does the placement of the adjective novo after bairro follow a specific rule in Portuguese, and how does it compare to English adjective order?
Yes, in Portuguese adjectives can be placed either before or after the noun, though their position can subtly affect the tone or emphasis. In the phrase o bairro novo, placing novo after bairro is a natural order to provide a straightforward description. In English, adjectives typically precede the noun ("new neighborhood"), but the meaning remains equivalent despite the difference in placement.