Breakdown of Eu descanso na sombra da árvore depois de correr.
eu
I
de
of
descansar
to rest
em
in
depois de
after
correr
to run
a árvore
the tree
a sombra
the shade
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Questions & Answers about Eu descanso na sombra da árvore depois de correr.
Why is na used instead of saying em a in “na sombra”?
Portuguese always contracts the preposition em + the feminine definite article a into na. So instead of “em a sombra,” you must say na sombra. The same contraction rule applies to de + a = da, em + o = no, etc.
What does da in “da árvore” stand for?
Da is a contraction of de + a, meaning “of the” (feminine). Here it marks possession or source: “the shade of the tree” = sombra da árvore.
Why is there a definite article before árvore? In English we might say “shade of tree” without “the.”
Portuguese generally uses definite articles before nouns when referring to specific or known items. Since you’re talking about a particular tree (even if contextually), you need a árvore. Dropping the article would sound unnatural.
Why is the verb correr in the infinitive form after depois de?
When a verb follows a preposition like depois de, it must stay in the infinitive. You never conjugate it there. So you say depois de correr (“after running”), not depois de corres or depois de corri.
Could I say depois de ter corrido instead of depois de correr?
Yes. Depois de ter corrido uses a compound infinitive to emphasize that the running was fully completed before the resting. Both are grammatically correct; depois de correr is more concise and very common in everyday speech.
Why is descanso in the present tense here? The action sounds like it already happened.
Portuguese uses the simple present to talk about habitual actions (“I rest after I run”) or to narrate sequences in a vivid, immediate way (“I run, then I rest”). If you wanted to place the resting squarely in the past, you’d use the preterite: descansei na sombra da árvore depois de correr.
Can I rearrange the sentence to Depois de correr, eu descanso na sombra da árvore? Will that change anything?
Absolutely—you can start with depois de correr without changing the meaning. Shifting the time clause to the front simply emphasizes the “after running” part. Both word orders are perfectly natural.
What’s the difference between descansar and relaxar in Portuguese?
Descansar means “to rest” (stop physical or mental effort to recover energy), while relaxar means “to relax” (unwind, reduce tension). You descansa to regain strength and you relaxa to feel calm. In many contexts they overlap, but descansar focuses on recuperation.