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Questions & Answers about Lugar tranquilo para estudar.
Why is there no article like um before lugar in this phrase?
In Portuguese, when you’re writing a short label, headline or bullet‐point description, it’s common to omit the indefinite article. In a full sentence you would normally say Um lugar tranquilo para estudar, but dropping um makes it more concise—similar to writing “Quiet place to study” instead of “A quiet place to study.”
Why is the adjective tranquilo placed after the noun lugar, instead of before it?
In Portuguese the default word order for descriptive adjectives is noun + adjective. So lugar tranquilo (“quiet place”) is the standard. Placing an adjective before the noun (e.g. tranquilo lugar) is possible but unusual in everyday speech and can give a more poetic or emphatic tone.
What does the construction para estudar express here?
The preposition para followed by an infinitive verb (here estudar) indicates purpose or goal. Think of it like English “to study” or “for studying.” So lugar tranquilo para estudar literally means “quiet place in order to study.”
Could I say lugar tranquilo de estudar instead of para estudar?
No. Portuguese requires para plus the infinitive when you want to express purpose (“in order to…”). Using de plus an infinitive in this context would be ungrammatical.
What about adding the impersonal se, as in lugar tranquilo para se estudar?
You can indeed use the impersonal/passive se—lugar tranquilo para se estudar—and it’s perfectly correct, especially in European Portuguese. However, omitting se (para estudar) is more common in colloquial usage and still clearly conveys the same purpose.
Is there a difference between lugar and local in this context?
Both lugar and local mean “place,” but lugar is more general and conversational. Local can sound slightly more formal or specific (a venue or site). You could say um local tranquilo para estudar, but lugar tranquilo para estudar is more natural in everyday speech.
How would I change this phrase if I wanted to talk about multiple places?
You would pluralize both the noun and the adjective: Lugares tranquilos para estudar (“Quiet places to study”).
Can I make tranquilo stronger, like “very quiet place to study”?
Yes. You can add an adverb such as muito or bem before the adjective:
- Um lugar muito tranquilo para estudar.
- Um lugar bem tranquilo para estudar.
Both translate as “a very quiet place to study.”