Breakdown of Eu coloco os copos na prateleira nova.
eu
I
novo
new
o copo
the glass
em
on
colocar
to put
a prateleira
the shelf
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Questions & Answers about Eu coloco os copos na prateleira nova.
Why is the verb colocar used here instead of pôr?
Both colocar and pôr mean “to put,” but colocar is a regular –ar verb and slightly more formal. Pôr is irregular and very common in spoken language. You could say “Eu ponho os copos na prateleira nova” and sound more colloquial, while “coloco” is neutral and often preferred in written or more precise speech.
Can I drop the subject pronoun eu in this sentence?
Yes. Portuguese is a “pro-drop” language, so you can simply say “Coloco os copos na prateleira nova.” The verb ending (coloco) already indicates first-person singular. You only keep eu for emphasis or contrast: “Eu coloco, mas ele retira.”
Why is there a definite article os before copos? In English we’d just say “glasses.”
Portuguese often uses definite articles where English omits them. “Os copos” = “the glasses.” If you say “uns copos”, it means “some glasses.” Without any article, “copos” sounds generic or poetic. To refer to specific glasses you use “os”.
What is na in “na prateleira nova”?
Na is the contraction of em + a (in/on + the [feminine] article). Since prateleira is feminine, em a + prateleira becomes na prateleira. For a masculine noun like “armário”, you’d say no armário (em + o).
Why is the adjective nova placed after the noun instead of before it?
In Portuguese, descriptive adjectives usually follow the noun: prateleira nova. Placing it before—nova prateleira—is also correct but gives a more poetic or stylistic nuance, often emphasizing “newness.” In everyday speech you’ll hear prateleira nova.
If I want to stress that I’m doing it right now, can I use a continuous form like in English (“I am putting…”)?
Yes, but European Portuguese favors estar a + infinitive. So you’d say “Estou a colocar os copos na prateleira nova.” The gerund form “estou colocando” is understood (and common in Brazilian Portuguese) but less typical in Portugal.
How would I turn this into a question (“Am I putting the glasses on the new shelf?”)?
You can invert verb and subject:
• “Coloco eu os copos na prateleira nova?” (more formal/literary)
• Or keep order and just change intonation: “Eu coloco os copos na prateleira nova?”
In spoken Portuguese, the second option with rising intonation is most natural.