Breakdown of Não tenho de recear falar com o diretor, porque ele costuma ser simpático.
eu
I
ser
to be
ele
he
porque
because
com
with
não
not
falar
to speak
ter de
to have to
o diretor
the director
simpático
nice
costumar
to tend to
Questions & Answers about Não tenho de recear falar com o diretor, porque ele costuma ser simpático.
Why is the preposition de used after tenho in the phrase “Não tenho de recear”?
In European Portuguese, the construction ter de is a fixed way to express obligation or necessity—similar to saying “have to” in English. In this sentence, when negated as “não tenho de”, it means “I don’t have to” (i.e., there is no obligation to fear).
What is the role of the infinitive falar following recear?
In Portuguese, it is common for an infinitive to directly follow another verb to express the action in question. Here, falar (to speak) serves as the action that one might fear. The phrase “recear falar com o diretor” means “to fear speaking with the director” without the need for any additional preposition.
What does “costuma ser simpático” mean, and why is costuma used?
The expression “costuma ser simpático” translates as “is usually friendly.” The verb costumar indicates a habitual action or characteristic. In this context, it suggests that the director generally has a friendly disposition, which reassures the speaker about speaking with him.
How does using ter de compare with using precisar in this context?
Both ter de and precisar can express necessity, but in European Portuguese the phrase ter de is more commonly used to indicate obligation. Although saying “não preciso recear” would be understood, “não tenho de recear” is the conventional phrasing that emphasizes there is no need to fear.
Why is the verb recear chosen here instead of another synonym like temer?
While recear and temer both mean “to fear,” recear often implies a milder, anticipatory apprehension about a forthcoming action. In this sentence, it fits the context—suggesting that there’s no need to worry about speaking with the director—whereas temer might convey a stronger or more persistent fear.
Why is the noun diretor preceded by the definite article o?
In Portuguese, using a definite article before a noun specifies a particular individual. “O diretor” means “the director,” referring to a specific person who is known or identifiable from the context, much like the English use of “the” to denote a definite article.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?”
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning PortugueseMaster Portuguese — from Não tenho de recear falar com o diretor, porque ele costuma ser simpático to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions