Breakdown of O resto do dia será dedicado a estudar para a nova prova de história.
ser
to be
o dia
the day
de
of
estudar
to study
para
for
a prova
the test
a história
the history
o resto
the rest
dedicado
devoted
nova
new
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Questions & Answers about O resto do dia será dedicado a estudar para a nova prova de história.
Why is the verb phrase "será dedicado" used in this sentence, and what does its structure tell us about the meaning?
"Será dedicado" is a future passive construction. It literally means "will be dedicated," indicating that an action or a state (being dedicated to something) will be applied to the subject ("O resto do dia"). This construction emphasizes that the remaining part of the day is set aside for a specific purpose rather than actively doing something on its own.
What is the role of the preposition "a" before the infinitive "estudar"?
In Portuguese, the construction "dedicado a" requires the preposition "a" to introduce the activity for which something is dedicated. Here, "a estudar" means "to studying" (or "for studying"), and it specifies that the remaining time is meant to be spent studying. It’s a fixed structure similar to the English "dedicated to" followed by the gerund, even though Portuguese uses the infinitive form.
How does the phrase "para a nova prova de história" function within the sentence?
The phrase "para a nova prova de história" acts as a purpose clause. The preposition "para" introduces the reason or aim of the studying—that is, preparation for the new history test. It clearly explains what the studying is intended to achieve, which aligns with the overall idea of dedicating time for a specific purpose.
How does the placement of "O resto do dia" at the beginning of the sentence influence its meaning?
Placing "O resto do dia" at the beginning serves as a time adverbial phrase, setting the temporal context right away. It emphasizes that the remainder of the day is being specifically allocated for studying. This structure mirrors English word order ("The rest of the day will be dedicated to studying…") and helps to foreground the period being discussed.
Are there any gender or number agreements in the sentence that I should be aware of?
Yes. In Portuguese, articles and adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. For example, "o resto" and "dia" are masculine singular, shown by "o" (and the contraction "do", from "de + o"). On the other hand, "prova" is feminine singular, which is why it is preceded by "a" and modified by the feminine adjective "nova." Similarly, "história" remains feminine. Such agreements are essential for grammatical correctness in Portuguese.
Is this passive way of expressing time dedication common in Portuguese, and how does it compare to English?
Yes, using the passive construction "ser + past participle" is very common in Portuguese when you want to express that some period or object is allocated for a particular purpose. It parallels English constructions like "will be dedicated to…" even though English might sometimes use an active voice instead. This form helps to emphasize the allocation or the state of being dedicated rather than who is doing the dedicating.