Eu visto as minhas calças antes de sair de casa.

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Breakdown of Eu visto as minhas calças antes de sair de casa.

• de: of
• a casa: the house
• antes de: before
• sair: to leave
• minhas: my
• vestir: to put on
• a calça: the pants

Questions & Answers about Eu visto as minhas calças antes de sair de casa.

What does "visto" mean in this sentence?

It is the first-person singular present form of the verb "vestir". In this context, "visto" means "I put on" or "I wear", indicating that the speaker is performing the action of putting on their pants.

Why is the definite article "as" used before "minhas calças"?

In European Portuguese, it is customary to use a definite article before a possessive adjective. Although "minhas calças" translates to "my pants", saying "as minhas calças" is idiomatic and emphasizes possession in Portuguese.

What does the phrase "antes de sair de casa" indicate?

The phrase "antes de sair de casa" means "before leaving home". It functions as a time clause, showing that the action of putting on the pants occurs prior to the speaker departing from their house.

Is "visto" used as a reflexive verb in this sentence?

No, in this sentence "visto" is used transitively. While "vestir-se" (with the reflexive pronoun) means "to get dressed", here the speaker is putting on an article of clothing (the pants) as a direct object, which is why no reflexive pronoun is needed.

How is the sentence structured grammatically?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object structure:
• Subject: Eu (I)
• Verb: visto (put on/wear)
• Object: as minhas calças (my pants)
Additionally, the phrase "antes de sair de casa" serves as an adverbial clause indicating when the action takes place.

Why is the infinitive form "sair" used after "antes de"?

In Portuguese, when a verb follows a preposition like "antes de" (meaning "before"), it must be in the infinitive form. Thus, "sair" is used correctly in "antes de sair de casa" to denote the action of leaving home.