Breakdown of Para fazermos massa de pizza, precisamos de amassar a farinha e depois bater nos ingredientes para arejar tudo.
de
of
precisar de
to need
e
and
em
in
para
for
depois
then
tudo
everything
fazer
to make
o ingrediente
the ingredient
a massa
the dough
a pizza
the pizza
amassar
to knead
farinha
the flour
bater
to beat
arejar
to aerate
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Questions & Answers about Para fazermos massa de pizza, precisamos de amassar a farinha e depois bater nos ingredientes para arejar tudo.
What does “Para fazermos” mean, and why is the verb “fazer” in the form “fazermos” rather than the basic infinitive “fazer”?
“Para fazermos” translates roughly as “in order for us to make”. In Portuguese (Portugal), when the subject of an infinitive is specified (in this case, “we”), the language often uses the personal infinitive form—in this example, “fazermos” instead of the uninflected “fazer”. This clarifies that the action (making the pizza dough) is intended to be carried out by us.
Why is the preposition “de” used after “precisamos” in “precisamos de amassar a farinha”?
In European Portuguese, the verb “precisar” customarily appears with the preposition “de” before a noun or an infinitive verb phrase. So, “precisamos de amassar a farinha” literally means “we need to knead the flour”, with the “de” being an integral part of the construction. Learners should note that this structure is standard in Portugal, even if other varieties of Portuguese might sometimes omit it.
What is the difference between the verbs “amassar” and “bater” in this context?
In this sentence, “amassar” means “to knead”, which refers to the process of working the flour (and possibly forming the dough) to develop the desired texture. On the other hand, “bater” means “to beat” or “to mix”, and it is used here to describe the action of mixing the remaining ingredients vigorously to incorporate air, thus “aerating” the mixture. Each verb highlights a different technique essential to making good pizza dough.
What does “bater nos ingredientes” literally mean, and why is “nos” used in this phrase?
“Bater nos ingredientes” literally translates as “to beat on the ingredients.” The word “nos” is a contraction of the preposition “em” and the definite article “os” (meaning “the” for plural masculine nouns). In this context, it signals that the action of beating is performed on or with the ingredients, which is a common phraseology in Portuguese when describing mixing or beating components in cooking.
What does the expression “para arejar tudo” imply in this sentence?
The phrase “para arejar tudo” means “in order to aerate everything”. Here, “arejar” describes the action of incorporating air into the mixture, thereby making it lighter and fluffier—a key step in ensuring the right texture for the pizza dough. It indicates not only mixing but also the intentional process of loosening and softening the combined ingredients.