Breakdown of A polícia multa quem não respeita as regras de trânsito.
de
of
não
not
o trânsito
the traffic
a regra
the rule
respeitar
to respect
a polícia
the police
multar
to fine
quem
those who
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Questions & Answers about A polícia multa quem não respeita as regras de trânsito.
Why is polícia feminine and singular with the article a, while in English the police are treated as plural?
Portuguese treats polícia as a feminine singular noun when referring to the institution or force, so it takes the singular feminine article a and singular verb agreement (multa). In English, the police is conceptually plural (“the police are”), but in Portuguese it agrees in the singular (“a polícia multa”).
In A polícia multa, is multa a noun or a verb? What exactly is happening grammatically?
Here multa is the third-person singular present indicative of the verb multar (to fine). Grammatically, A polícia (subject) multa (verb) … = “The police fine …”.
What role does quem play in this sentence? Is it like que?
Quem is an indefinite relative pronoun meaning “whoever” or “the one who.” It introduces a clause referring to any person: quem não respeita = “anyone who doesn’t respect.” Que would refer back to a specific noun, while quem stands on its own.
Why is the verb respeita in the present indicative rather than a subjunctive or future tense?
Portuguese uses the simple present indicative (respeita) to state habitual or general truths (“police regularly fine”). If you want to emphasize a future hypothetical, you could use the future subjunctive: quem não respeitar (“whoever does not respect [in the future]”).
Why do we say regras de trânsito rather than regras do trânsito?
Regras de trânsito uses de to indicate “concerning” or “related to” traffic. Saying regras do trânsito (“rules of the traffic”) is grammatically possible but less idiomatic; it suggests rules belonging to a particular traffic instance. The standard phrase is regras de trânsito = “traffic rules.”
What exactly does trânsito mean here?
In this context, trânsito means “traffic” (the movement of vehicles and pedestrians on roads). It can also mean “transit” more generally, but in everyday European Portuguese regras de trânsito refers specifically to road-traffic regulations.
Can we express the same idea in the passive voice?
Yes. You can say:
Quem não respeita as regras de trânsito é multado pela polícia.
This shifts focus onto the person being fined (é multado) rather than on a polícia as the subject.
Is there a difference between regras and leis in this context? Could we say leis de trânsito?
Leis (“laws”) are official statutes passed by a legislature. Regras (“rules”) can be broader, including administrative or practical guidelines. In everyday speech, regras de trânsito is most common, but leis de trânsito emphasizes the formal legal framework.