Breakdown of Tentei justificar o atraso, mas o professor não aceitou as minhas desculpas.
minha
my
mas
but
não
not
tentar
to try
o professor
the teacher
aceitar
to accept
justificar
to justify
o atraso
the delay
a desculpa
the excuse
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Questions & Answers about Tentei justificar o atraso, mas o professor não aceitou as minhas desculpas.
Why is the infinitive “justificar” used immediately after “tentei”?
In Portuguese, verbs such as tentar (to try) are typically followed by an infinitive. “Tentei justificar” directly translates to “I tried to justify,” mirroring the English structure where “try” is paired with an infinitive form.
What does the phrase “justificar o atraso” mean in this context?
The phrase means to provide an explanation or excuse for the delay. It indicates that the speaker attempted to explain the reasons behind being late.
Why is “desculpas” used in the plural form, and what is the role of the possessive adjective “minhas”?
In Portuguese, expressions like desculpas (excuses/apologies) are idiomatically used in the plural. The possessive adjective minhas (“my”) specifies that the excuses in question belong to the speaker, much like saying “my excuses” or “my apologies” in English.
How do the definite articles in “o atraso” and “o professor” function in this sentence?
The definite articles o before both atraso and professor indicate that the delay and the teacher are specific and known entities. This is similar to using “the” in English—“the delay” and “the teacher.”
What is the role of the conjunction “mas” in this sentence?
The word mas translates to “but” and is used to contrast the two parts of the sentence. It shows that although the speaker tried to justify the delay, the teacher did not accept the excuses.
Why are both verbs “tentei” and “aceitou” in the simple past tense?
Both verbs are in the preterite (simple past) tense to indicate actions that were completed in the past. Tentei is the first-person singular form of tentar (I tried), and aceitou is the third-person singular form of aceitar (he or she accepted). This tense choice clearly situates both actions as completed events.