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Eu sei o que fazer.

Eu sei o que fazer.
I know what to do.
FromLesson 15inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Eu sei o que fazer.

eu
I
fazer
to do
saber
to know
o que
what

Questions & Answers about Eu sei o que fazer.

What is the role of “sei” in the sentence “Eu sei o que fazer”?
“Sei” is the first-person singular present tense of the verb saber, which means “to know.” It expresses that the speaker (indicated by Eu) possesses the knowledge of what to do.
What does the phrase “o que fazer” mean, and why is the article o included?
The phrase o que fazer translates to “what to do.” In this construction, o is a neuter definite article that, together with que, helps form a noun clause acting as the object of sei. This structure is typical in Portuguese to express an embedded question.
Why is “fazer” left in its infinitive form rather than being conjugated?
“Fazer” remains in the infinitive form (“to do”) because it is part of a subordinate clause that represents the unknown action. In Portuguese, after verbs like saber, it is customary to use the infinitive to indicate the action that is known or intended.
How does the sentence structure of “Eu sei o que fazer” compare to its English equivalent “I know what to do”?
Both sentences consist of a main clause (“Eu sei” / “I know”) followed by a subordinate clause (“o que fazer” / “what to do”). The primary difference is that in Portuguese the noun clause includes the article o before que, whereas English simply uses “what” without an article.
Is there any difference in using this sentence between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese?
For this particular expression, there is no significant difference. Both European and Brazilian Portuguese typically use “Eu sei o que fazer” to convey “I know what to do,” as the construction and usage remain the same across both variants.
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