Estas panquecas são simples, mas o Pedro quer criar uma receita mais requintada.

These pancakes are simple, but Pedro wants to create a more exquisite recipe.

Breakdown of Estas panquecas são simples, mas o Pedro quer criar uma receita mais requintada.

• ser: to be
• Pedro: Pedro
• querer: to want
• mas: but
• mais: more
• uma: a
• a receita: the recipe
• criar: to create
• simples: simple
• estas: these
• a panqueca: the pancake
• requintado: exquisite

Questions & Answers about Estas panquecas são simples, mas o Pedro quer criar uma receita mais requintada.

Why is estas used before panquecas? How would essas or aquelas change the meaning?

estas is the feminine plural form of este, a demonstrative used for things close to the speaker in space or time.

• essas panquecas would refer to pancakes closer to the listener.
• aquelas panquecas points to pancakes farther from both speaker and listener.
  All three agree in gender (feminine) and number (plural).

Why is the definite article o used before Pedro? Is it mandatory?

In European Portuguese it’s very common to use the definite article before personal names (e.g. o Pedro, a Ana). It’s not strictly mandatory—omitting it is possible and more common in Brazilian Portuguese or very formal writing—but in Portugal you’ll hear it in everyday speech.

Why is the adjective simples never simpleses, and why does it stay the same for masculine and feminine?

simples ends in -e (singular) and adds -s for the plural, but because its singular already ends in -es, the form looks unchanged. Also, adjectives ending in -e are invariable by gender, so you use simples for masculine, feminine, singular and plural:

• um prato simples
• uma ideia simples
• pratos simples
• ideias simples

Why is são used here instead of estão or ficam?

Portuguese uses ser (aqui são) for inherent or general qualities. Estas panquecas são simples describes a permanent/defining characteristic.

• estar (estão) would suggest a temporary state (e.g. estão simples could imply “currently simple”).
• ficar (ficam simples) means “become simple,” implying a change.

Why is the adjective requintada placed after receita? Could I say requintada receita?

The neutral adjective position in Portuguese is after the noun: receita requintada. Placing it before (requintada receita) is grammatically correct but sounds literary or poetic rather than everyday.

What does mais requintada mean here? Is it a comparative?

Yes. mais requintada means more sophisticated or more refined. It’s the comparative form, indicating Pedro wants something fancier than the simple version.

Why is mas used as the conjunction here? Could I use porém or todavia instead?

mas is the most common spoken conjunction for “but.”
You can replace it with porém, todavia or contudo, but those sound more formal or bookish.

Why is criar used with receita instead of fazer? Could I say fazer uma receita mais requintada?

criar uma receita emphasizes inventing or designing a new recipe from scratch.
fazer uma receita focuses on preparing or cooking an existing recipe. Both are correct but carry slightly different nuances.

Why is the indefinite article uma used before receita instead of the definite a?

uma receita introduces an unspecified recipe (any refined version). If you said a receita, you’d be referring to a particular, known recipe (“the recipe”).

Could I use synonyms like elaborar or refinar instead of criar and requintada?

Yes:

• elaborar uma receita (to develop or elaborate a recipe) is slightly more formal.
• refinada (refined) or aperfeiçoada (perfected) can replace requintada, though each has a subtle shade: refinada stresses finesse; aperfeiçoada, the act of perfecting.