Breakdown of Para ofereceres uma prenda memorável, podes personalizar um objeto simples.
um
a
poder
to be able to
uma
a
o objeto
the object
oferecer
to offer
simples
simple
memorável
memorable
personalizar
to personalize
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Para ofereceres uma prenda memorável, podes personalizar um objeto simples.
What does prenda mean in this sentence?
In European Portuguese, prenda means “gift” or “present.” It refers to an item given on special occasions, and note that in Portugal this word is commonly used in contexts where you might say “gift” in English.
Why is the verb ofereceres used instead of the simple infinitive oferecer?
The form ofereceres is the personal infinitive for the second person singular. In Portuguese, when an infinitive needs to show who is performing the action (here, “you”), it is conjugated in its personal form after certain prepositions like para. This contrasts with the impersonal infinitive (oferecer) that does not indicate a specific subject.
What is the function of the preposition para at the beginning of the sentence?
In this sentence, para introduces a purpose clause—indicating “in order to.” It explains the goal behind the action (offering a memorable gift) and connects the purpose with the suggestion that follows.
What does podes personalizar mean, and how is this phrase structured?
Podes personalizar translates as “you can personalize.” Here, podes is the second person singular present form of the modal verb poder (“to be able to” or “can”), and personalizar is an infinitive meaning “to personalize” or “to customize.” Together, they form a common construction in Portuguese to express capability or suggestion.
How does the sentence structure in Portuguese compare to its English equivalent?
The Portuguese sentence “Para ofereceres uma prenda memorável, podes personalizar um objeto simples” corresponds to “To offer a memorable gift, you can personalize a simple object” in English. Both sentences use a purpose clause at the beginning (introduced by para in Portuguese and “to” in English) followed by a main clause that explains the option or ability available. The key difference is the use of the personal infinitive (ofereceres) in Portuguese, which marks the subject explicitly within the purpose clause.