Nós sempre ganhamos a corrida quando treinamos juntos.

We always win the race when we train together.

Breakdown of Nós sempre ganhamos a corrida quando treinamos juntos.

• nós: we
• sempre: always
• quando: when
• a corrida: the race
• treinar: to train
• junto: together
• ganhar: to win

Questions & Answers about Nós sempre ganhamos a corrida quando treinamos juntos.

Why is nós included at the beginning? Do we need it?

Portuguese is a “pro-drop” language, which means the verb ending -mos already tells you the subject is “we.” You can omit nós without confusion:
• Sempre ganhamos a corrida quando treinamos juntos.
Including nós adds extra clarity or emphasis on “we” as the doers of the action, but it isn’t strictly necessary.

Why is sempre placed before ganhamos? Could it go after the verb?

Adverbs of frequency (sempre, nunca, às vezes…) typically come before the verb in Portuguese, so sempre ganhamos is the most neutral position. You can say ganhamos sempre a corrida, but placing sempre after the verb slightly shifts the emphasis or can sound a bit more poetic.

How can I tell if ganhamos is present tense or past tense?

In Brazilian Portuguese, both the present tense and the simple past (pretérito perfeito) for nós are spelled ganhamos, so you rely on context or time markers (ontem, dia anterior, etc.). In European Portuguese, the preterite is written with an accent: ganhámos (we won), while ganhamos (no accent) is strictly present (we win). Words like sempre and the matching verb in the subordinate clause (treinamos) also signal a habitual present.

Why is there a definite article a before corrida? Shouldn’t it be just “ganhar corrida”?

Unlike English, Portuguese often uses definite articles before singular and plural nouns even when expressing a general idea. Here a corrida can refer to “the race” you always enter or races in general. Omitting the article (ganhamos corrida) sounds unnatural or incomplete in Portuguese.

Do I need a preposition before a corrida after ganhar?

No. When ganhar means “to win something,” it takes a direct object without a preposition: ganhar a corrida, ganhar o jogo, ganhar dinheiro. Only when you want to say “beat someone” do you use ganhar de alguém (e.g., ganhar de Pedro = “to beat Pedro”).

What’s the difference between ganhar and vencer? Can I say vencemos a corrida?

They are near-synonyms in the context of competitions:

• Ganhar is more colloquial and common in everyday speech.
• Vencer is slightly more formal or literary.
  Both ganhar a corrida and vencer a corrida are correct and interchangeable here.

Why is it treinamos and not the gerund treinando?

The conjunction quando requires a finite verb form, so you use the present indicative treinamos to express a habitual action (“when we train”). The gerund treinando appears in structures like quando estamos treinando juntos (emphasizing the ongoing action) or after ao + subjunctive/infinitive: ao treinarmos juntos (more formal).

Why don’t we repeat nós in the clause quando treinamos juntos?

Subject pronouns are commonly dropped in subordinate clauses because the verb ending -amos already indicates nós. You could say quando nós treinamos juntos for extra emphasis, but it’s usually redundant.

Why is juntos in masculine plural? Shouldn’t it match the group’s gender?

Adjectives used adverbially still agree with the subject. Since nós refers to a mixed or male group, you use the masculine plural juntos. If the group were all female, you would say treinamos juntas.