O desconto aplica-se automaticamente ao preço final.

Breakdown of O desconto aplica-se automaticamente ao preço final.

o preço
the price
final
final
o desconto
the discount
automaticamente
automatically
aplicar-se
to apply to
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Questions & Answers about O desconto aplica-se automaticamente ao preço final.

What is the role of -se after aplica?
The -se is a clitic pronoun that creates a passive or middle-voice construction called “passive se.” Here, aplica-se means is applied rather than an active “applies.” It shifts the focus onto o desconto (the discount) as the recipient of the action.
Why does se attach at the end of aplica instead of coming before it?

Portuguese pronoun placement follows specific rules:

  • At the beginning of a main clause, enclisis is mandatory, so you attach the pronoun after the verb (aplica-se).
  • In subordinate clauses or after certain words (e.g. negatives like não), you use proclisis (não se aplica).
  • Mesoclisis (inserting the pronoun into the middle) is rare and mostly literary.
Could we rephrase this sentence using the passive voice with ser, like é aplicado?

Yes. You can say:
O desconto é aplicado automaticamente ao preço final.
This uses the auxiliary ser + past participle aplicado. Both forms are correct; aplica-se (passive se) is simply more concise and common in notices or labels.

Why is ao used before preço final?
Ao is the contraction of the preposition a (to/at) + the definite article o (the, masculine singular). Thus, ao preço final literally means to the final price. Contractions like ao (a + o) and do (de + o) are very common in Portuguese.
What’s the difference between preço final and preço total?

They often overlap, but:
Preço final stresses the amount after all adjustments (discounts, taxes).
Preço total highlights the overall sum you pay.
In many contexts they’re interchangeable, though preço final is slightly more precise when referring to the end result after applying a discount.

Why is the adverb automaticamente formed with -mente?

Portuguese creates adverbs of manner by adding -mente to the feminine singular of an adjective. For example:
automático (masculine adjective) → automática (feminine) → automaticamente (adverb).
This is equivalent to adding -ly in English (automaticautomatically).

Where can the adverb automaticamente appear in the sentence?

Adverbs of manner are flexible:
• Before the verb: Automaticamente, aplica-se o desconto ao preço final.
• After the verb: Aplica-se automaticamente o desconto ao preço final.
• After the object: Aplica-se o desconto ao preço final automaticamente.
All positions are grammatically correct; placing it right after the verb is most common for clarity.

How do you pronounce preço, and why is there a ç?

The letter ç (c cedilha) always represents the /s/ sound before a, o, or u. In European Portuguese, preço is pronounced approximately /ˈprɛ.su/:
prê as in “pet” but closed-mid.
-ço like “su” (not /ks/).
The cedilla simply tells you it’s an s sound rather than a hard k sound.