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Eu limpo os óculos cuidadosamente, porque a areia pode riscá-los.

Eu limpo os óculos cuidadosamente, porque a areia pode riscá-los.
I clean my glasses carefully because the sand can scratch them.
FromLesson 24inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Eu limpo os óculos cuidadosamente, porque a areia pode riscá-los.

Why is the word for glasses óculos plural and masculine?
In Portuguese, óculos always appears in the plural (even for a single pair) and takes the masculine article o. The singular o óculo exists but refers to one lens or eyepiece, not the usual eyewear you wear.
How is the adverb cuidadosamente formed?

Portuguese adverbs of manner typically add -mente to the feminine singular adjective. Here:

  1. Start with cuidadosa (feminine adjective “careful”).
  2. Add -mente to get cuidadosamente (“carefully”).
Why is porque one word here instead of por que?

Here porque is a causal conjunction meaning “because.” In Portuguese:

  • porque (one word) = “because” (gives a reason)
  • por que (two words) = “why” or “for what reason” in questions
  • porquê (with accent) = “reason” (noun)
  • por quê (at end of question) = “why?”
Why do we attach -los to riscá- forming riscá-los?

You’re attaching the 3rd-person plural direct-object pronoun los (“them”) to the infinitive riscar. Two rules apply:

  1. Enclisis is mandatory with infinitives: the pronoun goes after the verb.
  2. To preserve the original stress on the last syllable of riscar, you add an acute accent on the “a”: riscá-los.
Can I replace os óculos with a pronoun? How would that look?
Yes. Instead of os óculos you use -os to refer back to “them.” In the second clause you already have it: pode riscá-los (“can scratch them”). If you wanted to replace the glasses in the first clause, you’d say Eu limpo-os cuidadosamente.
Why is pode followed by the infinitive riscá-los and not a subjunctive form?
Poder is a modal verb (“can/may”) and always takes an infinitive in Portuguese, just like English “can + verb.” So you use pode riscar, never a subjunctive (e.g. “que risquem”).
Could I move cuidadosamente to another position in the sentence?

Yes. Portuguese allows some flexibility with adverb placement:

  • Eu limpo os óculos cuidadosamente. (neutral)
  • Eu limpo cuidadosamente os óculos. (emphasis on the manner) Both are correct; the first is more common in neutral statements.
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