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O exame exige estudo.

O exame exige estudo.
The exam requires study.
FromLesson 17inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of O exame exige estudo.

o exame
the exam
o estudo
the study
exigir
to require

Questions & Answers about O exame exige estudo.

Why is no article used before estudo in the sentence?
In Portuguese, when referring to a general or abstract concept like studying, the definite article is often omitted. This construction implies that the exam requires the act of studying in a general sense rather than a specific, previously identified study session or material.
What is the subject of the sentence, and how does it affect the verb form?
The subject is "o exame" (the exam). Since it is singular, the verb "exige" is correctly conjugated in the third person singular form to agree with the subject.
What does the verb exigir mean, and why is it conjugated as exige in this context?
Exigir means "to require" or "to demand." Given that "o exame" is a singular subject, the verb is conjugated as "exige" in the present tense to match the subject’s number and person.
Would adding an article before estudo (as in "o estudo") change the meaning of the sentence?
Yes, it potentially would. Using "o estudo" might suggest a specific or known study, while omitting the article leaves the term general. In this sentence, the lack of an article indicates that the exam requires the general act of studying rather than referring to a particular study method or text.
Is the sentence structure in "O exame exige estudo" typical for expressing requirements in Portuguese?
Absolutely. The sentence follows a standard Subject-Verb-Object structure, which is commonplace in Portuguese. This clear order helps convey a straightforward requirement, much like in its English equivalent, "The exam requires study."
What role does the definite article "O" play in "O exame", and how does it compare to its usage in English?
The definite article "O" marks "exame" as masculine and specific, functioning much like "the" in English. It signals that a particular exam is being referenced within the context, even though the statement conveys a general truth about the exam’s requirements.
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