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Escova os teus dentes com calma, para não te magoares na gengiva.

Escova os teus dentes com calma, para não te magoares na gengiva.
Brush your teeth calmly, so that you don’t hurt your gums.
FromLesson 20inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Escova os teus dentes com calma, para não te magoares na gengiva.

em
in
com
with
não
not
calmo
calm
te
you
teu
your
para
so that
magoar
to hurt
escovar
to brush
o dente
the tooth
a gengiva
the gum

Questions & Answers about Escova os teus dentes com calma, para não te magoares na gengiva.

What does the imperative verb "Escova" indicate in this sentence?
In this sentence, Escova is the affirmative imperative form of the verb escovar used for the second person singular (tu). It is a direct command telling someone, informally, to brush (their teeth). Notice that no subject pronoun is needed because the imperative form implies "you."
Why is the definite article "os" used before "teus dentes"?
In European Portuguese, it is common to precede possessive adjectives with a definite article. Os teus dentes translates to "your teeth," where os specifies that you are referring to a particular set of teeth—the ones that belong to you. This construction is standard in Portuguese and helps clarify possession.
What is the function of the phrase "com calma" in the sentence?
The phrase com calma means "with calm"—essentially advising the listener to brush their teeth carefully or slowly. It is an adverbial phrase that describes how the action should be performed, emphasizing that the brushing should be done in a gentle and measured manner.
How is the negative instruction structured in "para não te magoares"?
The clause para não te magoares is a purpose clause that explains why you should brush your teeth carefully. The negative word não is placed before te magoares (the reflexive form of magoar, meaning "to hurt"). In negative commands for the second person singular, Portuguese uses the present subjunctive form—here, magoares—to indicate that you should avoid hurting yourself (specifically, your gums).
What does the word "gengiva" mean in this context?
Gengiva means "gums" in English. It refers to the soft tissue surrounding and supporting the teeth. In the sentence, it indicates the particular area you should be cautious about while brushing, so as not to cause any injury.
Why is the reflexive pronoun "te" used in both "teus dentes" (implicitly) and "para não te magoares"?
The use of te serves two functions in this sentence. In teus dentes, it is part of the possessive construction showing that the teeth belong to you. In para não te magoares, it is a reflexive pronoun indicating that the action (hurting) is performed on yourself. This reflexive structure clarifies that you should avoid injuring your own gums while brushing your teeth.
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