Breakdown of Ausência faz-me sentir triste.
sentir
to feel
triste
sad
me
me
fazer
to make
a ausência
the absence
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Questions & Answers about Ausência faz-me sentir triste.
What is the role of Ausência in the sentence?
Ausência is the subject. It indicates what is causing the effect, which is the feeling of sadness. Essentially, the sentence means Absence makes me feel sad.
Why is the object pronoun attached to the verb as faz-me instead of being separated (like me faz)?
In European Portuguese, it is common to use enclisis, where object pronouns are attached directly to the conjugated verb with a hyphen. This is why we see faz-me. In contrast, Brazilian Portuguese often uses proclisis (placing the pronoun before the verb), such as in me faz.
What is the function of the infinitive sentir in this sentence?
The infinitive sentir acts as a complement to the causative verb fazer. It explains what Ausência causes—namely, the act of feeling sad. Without the infinitive, the complete idea of the feeling wouldn’t be fully expressed.
Why does the adjective triste remain unchanged, even though Ausência is a feminine noun?
The adjective triste is invariant between masculine and feminine forms in the singular. Although many adjectives change to match the gender of the noun, triste remains the same regardless.
Could this sentence be expressed in a different structure while conveying the same meaning?
Yes, it can be rephrased as Ausência faz com que eu me sinta triste. This version uses a subordinate clause with com que and the subjunctive sinta instead of the causative infinitive construction. Both convey the idea that absence causes the speaker to feel sad.
What verb form is faz, and what does it indicate in the sentence?
Faz is the third-person singular form of the verb fazer in the present indicative. It indicates that the action (making someone feel a certain way) is occurring in the present.