Breakdown of Vou lavar a gola e verificar se a costura está intacta.
ir
to go
estar
to be
e
and
se
if
lavar
to wash
verificar
to check
a gola
the collar
a costura
the seam
intacto
intact
Questions & Answers about Vou lavar a gola e verificar se a costura está intacta.
What does gola mean in this sentence?
gola means collar, the part of a shirt, jacket, or sweater that encircles the neck.
Is gola the same as colarinho, or is there a nuance?
In everyday speech they’re often interchangeable, but colarinho usually refers specifically to a dress-shirt collar, while gola can denote any type of collar (or even a jacket lapel).
Why is there a definite article a before gola?
Portuguese generally uses definite articles before body parts or clothing when the item is understood or specific. So vou lavar a gola literally means I’m going to wash the collar (the one in question).
How does the construction vou lavar express future time?
Portuguese commonly forms a near future with ir + infinitive. Vou lavar literally ‘I go to wash’ functions as I will wash. It’s more frequent in speech than the simple future lavarei.
Could I attach a clitic pronoun to lavar, like vou lavá-la?
Yes. In Portuguese you can attach object pronouns to infinitives: vou lavá-la means I’ll wash it (referring back to a gola).
What does verificar se mean and why is se used?
Verificar means to check or to verify. Se introduces an indirect question or condition—so verificar se a costura está intacta means to check whether/if the seam is intact.
What is costura, and why is intacta in the feminine form?
Costura means seam or stitching and is a feminine noun. Portuguese adjectives agree in gender and number with their nouns, hence intacta is feminine singular to match costura.
Can I use another verb instead of verificar, such as comprovar?
Yes. Comprovar (to prove or to verify) works here too. You could say vou lavar a gola e comprovar se a costura está intacta with the same intended meaning.
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