Breakdown of Eu passo o ferro na camisa devagar, para que não a queime.
eu
I
não
not
devagar
slowly
para que
so that
queimar
to burn
a camisa
the shirt
a
it
passar o ferro
to iron
Questions & Answers about Eu passo o ferro na camisa devagar, para que não a queime.
What does passar o ferro mean in this sentence?
Passar o ferro literally means “to iron.” Here, ferro refers to the iron (the appliance). It’s a common Portuguese expression: passar o ferro = “to iron clothes.”
Why is there an article in o ferro? Couldn’t it just be ferro?
In Portuguese, appliances and instruments usually take a definite article. You say o ferro, a máquina, o computador. Dropping the article (ferro) sounds unnatural or overly generic.
Why does the sentence use na camisa instead of em a camisa or just a camisa?
Na is the contraction of em + a (preposition + feminine definite article). You need em to indicate “on” or “in,” and a because camisa is feminine. So na camisa means “on the shirt.”
Why is it para que não a queime with para que + subjunctive, rather than para não queimar a camisa with an infinitive?
Portuguese offers two main ways to express purpose:
- para que
- subjunctive (here, queime) is used when you introduce a subordinate clause and often emphasizes a change of subject or formal style.
- para
- infinitive (here, não queimar a camisa) is more direct and common in informal speech. Both are correct; para que não a queime sounds slightly more formal or precise.
What is the pronoun a doing before queime?
That a is the direct object pronoun referring back to a camisa (feminine). In subjunctive clauses introduced by para que, pronoun placement is proclitic (pronoun before the verb): não a queime.
Could I rephrase it as para não queimá-la?
Yes. Para não queimá-la uses the infinitive plus enclisis (pronoun attached to the end). It’s equally correct and common: “Eu passo o ferro na camisa devagar, para não queimá-la.”
Can I move the adverb devagar elsewhere in the sentence?
Absolutely. Portuguese allows flexibility with adverbs. You can say:
- Eu passo devagar o ferro na camisa…
- Eu passo o ferro na camisa devagar… All these orders are grammatically correct and sound natural.
What’s the difference between devagar and lentamente?
Both mean “slowly.” Devagar is more colloquial, while lentamente is a bit more formal or literary. You can swap them freely: “Eu passo o ferro na camisa lentamente, para que não a queime.”
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?”
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning PortugueseMaster Portuguese — from Eu passo o ferro na camisa devagar, para que não a queime to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions