Breakdown of O Pedro sente que sobrou pouca comida depois do jantar de ontem.
Pedro
Pedro
de
of
o jantar
the dinner
depois de
after
ontem
yesterday
sentir
to feel
que
that
pouco
little
a comida
the food
sobrar
to remain
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Questions & Answers about O Pedro sente que sobrou pouca comida depois do jantar de ontem.
Why is the definite article O used before Pedro in the sentence?
In European Portuguese it’s common to include a definite article before personal names. Using O Pedro adds familiarity or emphasis and is a natural part of the language, even though English doesn’t usually require an article before a name.
Why is the adjective pouca used instead of pouco?
The noun comida (food) is feminine, so adjectives describing it must agree in gender. Pouca is the feminine form, which correctly matches comida, whereas pouco would be used with masculine nouns.
Why is the verb sobrou in the simple past (preterite) tense?
Sobrou is the preterite form of sobrar and is used here to indicate that the action—having little food left—was completed in the past (after yesterday’s dinner). Meanwhile, sente is in the present because it expresses Pedro’s current feeling about a past event.
What is the role of the complementizer que in this sentence?
Que connects the main clause (O Pedro sente) with the subordinate clause (sobrou pouca comida depois do jantar de ontem). It introduces the content of Pedro's feeling, similar to how the word "that" functions in English indirect statements.
What does the contraction do in depois do jantar de ontem represent?
Do is a contraction of de + o. It means “of the” or “after the” when referring to jantar (dinner), indicating that the leftover food is being discussed in relation to that specific dinner.
Why does the sentence mix tenses—using the present sente for Pedro’s feeling and the past sobrou for the event?
The mix of tenses reflects the timeline of events. Pedro’s current feeling is expressed in the present with sente, while the description of what happened (that little food remained) is given in the past with sobrou. This structure is typical when someone comments now on an event that happened earlier.