Eu tenho receio de caminhar à noite.

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Breakdown of Eu tenho receio de caminhar à noite.

• a noite: the night
• caminhar: to walk
• ter receio de: to be afraid of

Questions & Answers about Eu tenho receio de caminhar à noite.

What does the sentence "Eu tenho receio de caminhar à noite" mean?

It means "I am afraid of walking at night." The sentence expresses the speaker’s apprehension about walking during the nighttime.

What does the word receio mean, and how does it compare to medo?

Receio generally translates to apprehension or fear. While medo also means fear, receio can carry a nuance of being cautious or having a worry or reservation about something, whereas medo is more direct. Both can be used to express fear, but context and subtle differences in tone might dictate which is more appropriate.

Why is the construction ter receio de followed by an infinitive verb?

In Portuguese, when expressing a feeling such as fear regarding an action, the structure ter receio de is used and it is naturally followed by an infinitive (in this case, caminhar). The preposition de connects the noun receio to the activity that causes the apprehension, and the infinitive form cleanly states the action in an undetermined, general sense.

What is the significance of the contraction à in à noite?

The contraction à is formed by combining the preposition a with the feminine singular article a. Since noite (night) is a feminine noun, writing à noite means “at night.” This contraction is a common grammatical feature in Portuguese when indicating time or location with feminine nouns.

Why is the verb caminhar used in its infinitive form rather than being conjugated?

After expressions like ter receio de, it is customary in Portuguese to use the infinitive form to indicate the general action that causes the apprehension. Using caminhar in its infinitive form avoids specifying a particular tense and simply refers to the act of walking in a general sense.

Can this sentence be rephrased using the word medo instead of receio?

Yes, you can rephrase the sentence as "Eu tenho medo de caminhar à noite." Both sentences are correct and convey a similar idea. The choice between receio and medo may depend on subtle nuances in meaning or personal preference, but both express that the speaker is afraid (or apprehensive) of walking at night.

Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun Eu in the sentence?

While the subject pronoun Eu (meaning "I") is perfectly acceptable and adds clarity, it is often omitted in Portuguese since the verb conjugation already indicates the subject. Therefore, saying "Tenho receio de caminhar à noite" is also correct and widely used.