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Questions & Answers about O Pedro só estuda de manhã.
What does só mean in the sentence?
In this context, só means only or just. It limits the action by indicating that Pedro studies exclusively in the morning and not at any other time.
Why is there a definite article O before Pedro?
In Portuguese, particularly in European usage, it is common to include the definite article before a person's name. So, O Pedro is a natural construction even though English typically omits the article.
What does de manhã mean, and how is it used here?
De manhã translates to in the morning. It is an adverbial phrase that specifies the time during which the action (studying) takes place, clarifying that all of Pedro’s studying happens during that period.
How is the verb estuda conjugated, and what does this tell us about the subject?
Estuda is the third-person singular form of the verb estudar in the present tense. This conjugation agrees with the subject Pedro (even with the article O), indicating that it refers to his habitual action of studying.
Does the placement of só affect the meaning of the sentence?
Yes, placement is important in Portuguese. In O Pedro só estuda de manhã, só placed before the verb estuda emphasizes that his studying is limited exclusively to the morning. Changing its position could slightly alter the nuance or emphasis in the sentence.
Are there alternative ways to express the same idea in Portuguese?
Absolutely. You could say O Pedro estuda somente de manhã or O Pedro estuda apenas de manhã. Both somente and apenas are synonyms for só and carry a similar meaning, indicating that Pedro's studying is restricted to the morning.