Eu comprei um par de sapatos novos no mercado.

I bought a new pair of shoes at the market.

Breakdown of Eu comprei um par de sapatos novos no mercado.

• eu: I
• um: a
• de: of
• novo: new
• em: in
• comprar: to buy
• o mercado: the market
• o sapato: the shoe
• o par: the pair

Questions & Answers about Eu comprei um par de sapatos novos no mercado.

Why is um par de sapatos used instead of dois sapatos?

In Portuguese you normally refer to shoes as a single “pair” rather than counting each shoe separately. Saying um par de sapatos (“one pair of shoes”) is natural. Saying dois sapatos (“two shoes”) is grammatically possible but sounds awkward, as we rarely count shoes individually.

How does the construction par de work? Can I use it with other items?

Yes. par de is a fixed expression meaning “pair of,” and it always takes a plural noun. Common examples:
• um par de meias (a pair of socks)
• um par de luvas (a pair of gloves)
• um par de brincos (a pair of earrings)

Why is the adjective novos placed after sapatos instead of before it?

In Portuguese the default position for most adjectives is after the noun: sapatos novos. Placing the adjective before the noun (​novos sapatos) is also correct but can add emphasis, a poetic feel or a slightly different nuance.

What does no stand for in no mercado?

No = em (in/at) + o (the, masculine singular). So no mercado literally means “in/at the market.”

Could I say num mercado instead of no mercado?

Yes. Num = em + um (a/an). So:
• no mercado = “at the market” (specific/the)
• num mercado = “at a market” (non-specific/a certain market)

Is it necessary to include the subject Eu at the beginning?

No. Portuguese is a “pro-drop” language, so you can omit Eu and simply say Comprei um par de sapatos novos no mercado. Including Eu adds emphasis or clarity, especially in speech or contrastive contexts.

Could I say uns sapatos novos instead of um par de sapatos novos?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:
• uns sapatos novos = “some new shoes” (indefinite quantity)
• um par de sapatos novos = “one specific pair of new shoes.”

How do I pronounce sapatos in European Portuguese?

In European Portuguese, sapatos is pronounced The stress falls on the second syllable pa.
• The final -s sounds like -sh in English “she.”

What gender and number agreements appear in this sentence?

• um par – masculine singular
• sapatos – masculine plural; adjective novos also masculine plural to agree with sapatos
• no mercado – mercado is masculine, so em + o = no.