Breakdown of A empresa pretende contratar mais pessoal para o novo departamento.
novo
new
para
for
mais
more
a empresa
the company
pretender
to intend
contratar
to hire
o pessoal
the staff
o departamento
the department
Questions & Answers about A empresa pretende contratar mais pessoal para o novo departamento.
How does the verb pretende function in this sentence, especially regarding tense and subject-verb agreement?
Pretende means "intends". Despite referring to a future action (hiring more staff), Portuguese often uses the present tense to express near-future plans or intentions. In this sentence, it agrees with the singular subject a empresa (the company), making the construction both grammatically correct and contextually natural.
What is the role of contratar mais pessoal within the sentence?
The infinitive contratar means "to hire", and the phrase mais pessoal—translating to "more staff"—serves as its direct object. Together, they explain what the company intends to do, with mais pessoal being the quantity of employees they plan to bring on board.
How does the prepositional phrase para o novo departamento contribute to the sentence’s meaning?
The phrase para o novo departamento functions as an adverbial modifier that specifies the purpose or destination of the hiring. It means "for the new department", clarifying that the additional staff is meant to work in this newly established section of the company.
Why is there no article before mais pessoal? Is this a typical feature in Portuguese?
Yes, it is typical in Portuguese. In this context, pessoal is a collective or uncountable noun referring to staff or personnel, so it often appears without an article—especially when modified by a quantity word like mais (more). This mirrors the English construction "more staff" without the need for an extra article.
Why is the adjective novo placed before departamento? Could the adjective come after the noun instead?
In Portuguese, adjectives can be positioned either before or after the noun, with the placement sometimes affecting the nuance or emphasis. By placing novo before departamento, the sentence emphasizes that the department is newly established. While departamento novo is also grammatically correct, it might slightly shift the emphasis in the description.
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