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Questions & Answers about Eu bebo‑a de manhã.
What is the role of a in bebo‑a?
a is a third-person feminine singular direct‑object clitic pronoun. It replaces a previously mentioned feminine noun (for example água, cerveja). In English it corresponds to it when referring to a feminine noun.
Why is the pronoun placed after the verb with a hyphen (enclisis) instead of before?
In European Portuguese, the default position for clitic pronouns in simple affirmative main clauses is enclisis: they attach to the end of the finite verb with a hyphen (bebo‑a). Proclisis (before the verb) would require a preceding triggering element like negation, an interrogative/relative word or certain adverbs.
Is Eu a bebo de manhã correct?
In standard European Portuguese, pronouns do not precede the verb in an affirmative main clause, so Eu a bebo de manhã is non‑standard. The correct form is Eu bebo‑a de manhã. In casual speech some people might say it, but it’s not the written norm.
Why attach the pronoun to bebo and not to the infinitive beber?
Clitics in EP attach to the finite (conjugated) verb in an affirmative main clause. Since bebo is the finite form here, you write bebo‑a. You only attach to an infinitive when that infinitive is the main verb without auxiliaries or in specific constructions.
Can we drop the subject Eu and just say Bebo‑a de manhã?
Yes. Portuguese is a pro‑drop language, so when context is clear you can omit Eu: Bebo‑a de manhã naturally means “I drink it in the morning.”
Would the pronoun change if the object were masculine, like o café?
Yes. For a masculine singular noun you use o instead of a: Eu bebo‑o de manhã (“I drink it (the coffee) in the morning”). For plural you’d use os (masculine) or as (feminine).
Why is it a and not lhe?
Lhe is a third‑person indirect‑object pronoun (“to/for him, her, you”), but bebo takes a direct object (“I drink the coffee,” not “I drink to him”). Therefore you need the direct‑object pronoun a, not the indirect lhe.
How would you say “I don’t drink it in the morning,” and where does the pronoun go?
Negation triggers proclisis in EP, so you place the clitic before the verb: Eu não a bebo de manhã. You cannot say “Eu não bebo‑a de manhã” in the standard written norm.