Breakdown of Pedro segura corrimão com cuidado, pois a escada é alta.
ser
to be
Pedro
Pedro
com
with
pois
because
alto
high
o corrimão
the handrail
segurar
to hold
cuidado
careful
a escada
the stairs
Questions & Answers about Pedro segura corrimão com cuidado, pois a escada é alta.
What does corrimão mean in English?
It translates as “handrail” or “banister”—the railing along the stairs that people can hold for support.
What is the form and meaning of the verb segura in this sentence?
Segura is the third person singular form of the verb “segurar” in the present indicative. It means “holds”—indicating that Pedro is currently gripping the handrail.
What role does com cuidado play in the sentence?
Com cuidado means “with care” or “carefully”. It describes the manner in which Pedro holds the handrail, emphasizing that he is doing it cautiously.
How is the conjunction pois used here, and what does it signify?
Pois means “because”. It is used to introduce the reason behind Pedro’s careful action—namely, that the staircase is high.
Why is the adjective alta in its feminine form?
The adjective alta is feminine to agree with “escada” (staircase), which is a feminine noun in Portuguese. In Portuguese, adjectives must match the gender (and number) of the nouns they modify.
Why is there no article before corrimão, whereas escada has the article “a”?
In some contexts in Portuguese, the definite article can be omitted when referring to certain objects, like corrimão, especially if the focus is on the action rather than on a specific, previously identified object. In contrast, “a escada” includes the article to clearly identify the staircase in question. Note that in other contexts you might also encounter “o corrimão” if a definite article is desired.
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