Breakdown of Não quero estragar a surpresa, mas o teor da festa vai ser fantástico se capricharmos nos detalhes.
ser
to be
de
of
querer
to want
mas
but
não
not
se
if
a festa
the party
o detalhe
the detail
estragar
to ruin
a surpresa
the surprise
o teor
the content
fantástico
fantastic
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Questions & Answers about Não quero estragar a surpresa, mas o teor da festa vai ser fantástico se capricharmos nos detalhes.
What does estragar a surpresa mean in this context?
It means “to spoil the surprise”. The speaker is saying they don’t want to give away any details that might ruin the unexpected element of the party.
What does the word teor refer to in this sentence?
Teor here refers to the content, substance, or overall vibe of the party. It implies that the essence or quality of the event will be impressive, provided that attention is given to the finer details.
How is the future expressed in "vai ser fantástico", and why use the "ir + infinitive" construction?
The phrase "vai ser fantástico" is an example of the periphrastic future in Portuguese, where the present tense of “ir” (vai) is combined with the infinitive “ser”. This structure is very common in colloquial European Portuguese and is often used instead of the simple future (e.g., será) to indicate a near-future event with a sense of certainty.
What does capricharmos nos detalhes mean, and why is capricharmos in the subjunctive mood?
Capricharmos nos detalhes means “if we pay close attention to the details” or “if we put extra care into the details.” The verb capricharmos is in the subjunctive mood because it is part of a conditional clause introduced by se ("if"), indicating that the fantastic outcome of the party depends on this effort.
Why is the contrast introduced with mas in the sentence, and what does it imply about the speaker's attitude?
The word mas (but) creates a contrast between the first part of the sentence—where the speaker avoids spoiling the surprise—and the second part, which is optimistic about the party’s outcome. This structure shows that the speaker is careful not to give anything away while also expressing confidence that the party will be fantastic if everyone takes care of the details.