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Questions & Answers about Eu ouço música nacional.
What does the verb ouço mean and how is it formed from ouvir?
Ouço is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb ouvir, which means “to listen” or “to hear.” Notice that the stem changes and the cedilla in ouço (giving an /s/ sound) marks its irregular conjugation.
Why does the adjective nacional come after the noun música instead of before it as in English?
In Portuguese, adjectives typically come after the noun they modify. So the natural word order in Portuguese is música nacional, which translates to “national music” in English, even though the adjective follows the noun rather than preceding it.
Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun eu in this sentence?
No, including eu isn’t strictly necessary because the verb conjugation ouço already indicates that the subject is “I.” That said, using the subject pronoun can add emphasis or clarity, especially in longer or more complex sentences.
What exactly does música nacional refer to — does it imply a type of traditional music or simply any music from one’s own country?
Música nacional literally means “national music” and refers to music that originates within the speaker’s own country. It doesn’t necessarily imply traditional or folk music; rather, it distinguishes domestic music from international music.
What is the difference between using ouvir (as in ouço) and escutar when talking about listening?
While both ouvir and escutar can be translated as “to listen,” there is a subtle difference. Ouvir (and its form ouço) often refers to hearing sounds in a general way, sometimes even passively, whereas escutar suggests listening attentively or actively. In this sentence, ouço indicates that you listen to music, but if you wanted to emphasize careful attention, you might opt for escutar.