Eles querem partir cedo.

to want

Breakdown of Eles querem partir cedo.

• eles: they
• cedo: early
• partir: to leave

Questions & Answers about Eles querem partir cedo.

What does partir mean in “Eles querem partir cedo” and what are other possible meanings of partir?

In this context, partir means “to leave” or “to depart” (e.g. starting a journey). It can also mean:

• “to break” or “to split” (partir um pedaço de bolo – to cut/break off a slice of cake)
• “to divide” (partir ao meio – to split in half)

Why is there no que between querem and partir?

When querer is followed by an infinitive expressing the subject’s own desire, you use the infinitive directly:
• Eles querem partir cedo. (They want to leave early.)
You only use que + subjunctive with querer when you want someone else to do something:
• Eu quero que eles partam cedo. (I want them to leave early.)

What tense, person, and number is querem?

querem is the third person plural of querer in the present indicative, corresponding to “they want” in English.

How do you pronounce partir and cedo in European Portuguese?