Breakdown of Pus gelo no copo de sumo.
eu
I
de
of
em
in
o copo
the glass
o sumo
the juice
pôr
to put
o gelo
the ice
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Pus gelo no copo de sumo.
What does pus mean in this sentence?
Pus is the first-person singular preterite (simple past) of the verb pôr, which means “to put.” So pus gelo literally means “I put ice.”
Why is there no eu before pus?
Portuguese is a pro-drop language: subject pronouns like eu (“I”) are often omitted because the verb form already indicates the subject. Adding eu (Eu pus gelo…) isn’t wrong, but it’s unnecessary and less natural in everyday speech.
Could I say coloquei gelo no copo de sumo instead of pus gelo no copo de sumo?
Yes. Colocar (“to place”) is a synonym of pôr in many contexts.
- Pus gelo… is more colloquial and direct.
- Coloquei gelo… can sound slightly more formal or descriptive.
What does gelo mean and why is it singular?
Gelo means “ice” (as in ice cubes or crushed ice). It’s treated as a mass noun in Portuguese, so you usually keep it in the singular even if there are several cubes.
Why do we say no copo instead of em o copo?
No is the contraction of the preposition em (“in”) + the masculine definite article o (“the”). Portuguese frequently contracts prepositions and articles:
- em + o → no
- em + a → na
What does copo de sumo mean?
Copo de sumo means “glass of juice.”
- copo = glass
- de = of
- sumo = juice
Why is it sumo and not suco?
Sumo is the European Portuguese word for “juice.” In Brazilian Portuguese, you’d say suco. In Portugal, sumo is standard and universally understood.
Could I change the word order, for example: Pus o sumo no copo com gelo?
Yes—this rephrases the sentence as “I put the juice in the glass with ice.” Notice a few changes:
- You added the definite article o before sumo.
- You changed no copo de sumo to no copo com gelo (“in the glass with ice”).
Both sentences are correct, but they describe different actions.