Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): A minha amiga continua otimista, mesmo quando todos à sua volta parecem pessimistas. - My friend remains optimistic, even when everyone around her seems pessimistic.

Continua comes from the verb continuar, which means “to continue” or “to remain.” Here, it indicates that the friend is still maintaining her optimistic state despite the surrounding negativity.

Why is the contraction à used in todos à sua volta, and what does the phrase mean?

The contraction à is formed by joining the preposition a with the feminine definite article a (because volta is feminine). The phrase à sua volta literally means “to her turn” but is understood contextually as “around her” or “in her surroundings,” referring to the people near her.

How do the adjectives otimista and pessimistas function in the sentence?

Otimista serves as a predicate adjective describing the state of the friend and is invariant across gender. Similarly, pessimistas describes the people around her, agreeing in plurality with todos. Both adjectives help convey the contrast between her outlook and that of her environment.

What role does mesmo quando play in the structure of the sentence?

Mesmo quando translates to “even when” and introduces a subordinate clause that provides a contrasting condition. It emphasizes that her optimism persists despite the fact that everyone around her appears pessimistic.

Why is a comma used in this sentence, and what does it separate?

The comma separates the main clause (A minha amiga continua otimista) from the subordinate clause (mesmo quando todos à sua volta parecem pessimistas). This punctuation clarifies that the second clause adds contrasting information, explaining under what conditions her optimism remains unchanged.