Breakdown of Tens algum tempo para ajudar-me?
ter
to have
para
to
o tempo
the time
me
me
ajudar
to help
algum
any
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Tens algum tempo para ajudar-me?
What does the verb tens mean in this sentence, and why is it used instead of tem?
Tens is the second person singular informal form of the verb ter (to have) in European Portuguese. It translates to "do you have" in English. The form tens is used instead of tem because tem is the third person singular form. Using tens clearly addresses someone informally (using the tu form), which is common in everyday conversation in Portugal.
Why is the object pronoun attached to the infinitive in ajudar-me instead of placed before the verb?
In Portuguese, when using an infinitive (such as ajudar, meaning "to help"), it is common practice to attach the object pronoun directly to the end of the verb (this is called enclisis). Hence, ajudar-me means "to help me." Although in some contexts you may see a proclitic form (like me ajudar), attaching the pronoun is the standard and preferred structure in this case.
Can the sentence be rephrased as "Tens algum tempo para me ajudar?" instead of "Tens algum tempo para ajudar-me?"?
Yes, it can. Both ajudar-me (with the pronoun attached) and me ajudar (with the pronoun placed before the verb) are correct. However, after a preposition like para, the enclitic form is more common in European Portuguese. So while both are acceptable, ajudar-me tends to be preferred in this instance.
Why is there no subject pronoun (like tu) explicitly stated in the sentence?
Portuguese is a pro-drop language, meaning that subject pronouns are typically omitted when the verb conjugation makes the subject clear. In this sentence, tens already indicates that the subject is tu (informal you), so there is no need to include it explicitly, unlike in English where the subject is required.
What does algum tempo mean, and why is it used here?
Algum tempo literally means "some time." The word algum translates as "some" or "any," and together with tempo (time), it conveys an unspecified amount of time. This phrasing is used to politely ask if the person has any time available to help.