Breakdown of Depois de chegarmos a casa, será bom prepararmos um jantar leve.
bom
good
ser
to be
um
a
o jantar
the dinner
depois de
after
chegar
to arrive
a casa
the home
preparar
to prepare
leve
light
Questions & Answers about Depois de chegarmos a casa, será bom prepararmos um jantar leve.
Why is the verb form chegarmos used instead of the regular infinitive chegar in the clause "Depois de chegarmos a casa"?
In European Portuguese, when the subject is explicitly specified (here, we), the personal infinitive is used. Chegarmos is the personal infinitive form of chegar for the first-person plural, which clearly indicates that we are the ones arriving home.
Why is prepararmos in the personal infinitive after the phrase será bom?
The expression será bom (meaning it will be good) is often followed by a personal infinitive to suggest a desirable future action. Using prepararmos aligns with the subject (we) and implies that it would be good for us to prepare a light dinner once we get home.
What is the function of the phrase depois de in this sentence?
The phrase depois de means after and sets up a temporal clause. It indicates that the action in the main clause (preparing a light dinner) is scheduled to occur after the action of arriving home, establishing the sequence of events.
What does leve mean in this context?
In this sentence, leve translates directly to light. It describes the dinner as being not heavy or overly rich, suggesting that the meal will be easily digestible or simple.
Is it acceptable to change the order of the clauses, for example: Será bom prepararmos um jantar leve depois de chegarmos a casa?
Yes, rearranging the sentence is acceptable in Portuguese. Both versions—starting with Depois de chegarmos a casa or ending with it—convey that once we arrive home, it would be good (or advisable) to prepare a light dinner. The slight shift in structure may change the emphasis, but the overall meaning remains the same.
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