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Eu faço exceção para chocolate.

Eu faço exceção para chocolate.
I make an exception for chocolate.
FromLesson 19inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Eu faço exceção para chocolate.

eu
I
para
for
o chocolate
the chocolate
fazer exceção
to make an exception

Questions & Answers about Eu faço exceção para chocolate.

Why isn’t there an article before chocolate in the sentence?
In Portuguese, the idiomatic expression fazer exceção typically drops the article before the noun. This omission signals that you’re referring to the concept or category in general—much like the English “I make an exception for chocolate” rather than “the chocolate.”
What does the word faço represent in this sentence?
Faço is the first-person singular present form of the verb fazer, meaning “to do” or “to make.” Here, it establishes the subject (“I”) and indicates that the act of making an exception is happening in the present.
Why is the preposition para used after exceção?
The structure fazer exceção para is the standard idiom in Portuguese for expressing “to make an exception for.” The preposition para functions much like the English “for,” linking the exception directly with the item—in this case, “chocolate.”
Could the sentence include an article, such as saying uma exceção, before exceção?
Although you might occasionally hear fazer uma exceção para chocolate, the idiomatic expression usually omits uma for brevity and fluidity. Both versions are understandable, but the version without the article is more common in everyday speech.
Is the word order in Eu faço exceção para chocolate similar to what an English speaker might expect?
Yes, it is quite similar. The sentence follows a structure comparable to “I make an exception for chocolate”: the subject (Eu/I) comes first, followed by the verb (faço/make), then the noun (exceção/exception), and finally the prepositional phrase (para chocolate/for chocolate), making it familiar to English speakers.
Can this idiom be used in contexts other than food?
Absolutely. Fazer exceção para is a versatile idiomatic expression in Portuguese. While this example uses chocolate to illustrate the idea, you can use the same structure to indicate an exception for any item, situation, or rule where you choose to set aside a general principle.
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