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Ela fechou a janela por engano.

Ela fechou a janela por engano.
She closed the window by mistake.
FromLesson 29inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)
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Breakdown of Ela fechou a janela por engano.

ela
she
fechar
to close
a janela
the window
por engano
by mistake

Questions & Answers about Ela fechou a janela por engano.

What tense is fechou and how would I translate it into English?
Fechou is the pretérito perfeito simples in European Portuguese, used for actions completed in the past. In English it corresponds to the simple past: “she closed.”
Why is there an a before janela? Could I say “Ela fechou janela por engano”?
Portuguese usually requires a definite article before a direct object: fechou a janela. Omitting it (“fechou janela”) sounds ungrammatical or very stilted. The article marks that you’re referring to a specific window.
What does por engano mean? Are there other ways to say it?

Por engano literally means “by mistake” or “mistakenly.” You can also say sem querer (“unintentionally”) or por acidente (“by accident”), though each has a slight nuance:

  • por engano → an error or wrong action
  • por acidente → something happened unintentionally, often by chance
  • sem querer → you didn’t mean to do it
Can I replace por engano with por acidente here? Is there any difference?
Yes, you can say Ela fechou a janela por acidente. In everyday speech they’re often interchangeable. The subtle distinction is that por engano emphasizes you did the action mistakenly, while por acidente highlights lack of intent or chance.
Why is the subject pronoun Ela used? Can I drop it?
Portuguese is a pro-drop language, so you can omit the subject pronoun if the context is clear: Fechou a janela por engano still means “She closed the window by mistake.” Including Ela adds emphasis or clarity about who did it.
Why isn’t there a preposition before fechar? Is fechar a special kind of verb?
Fechar is a transitive verb that takes a direct object without a preposition. You say fechar algo (“to close something”) just as you would in English (“to close the door”).
How would I turn this sentence into the passive voice?

You use the appropriate form of ser + past participle, matching gender and number. Here:
A janela foi fechada por engano.
(“The window was closed by mistake.”)

If I want to replace a janela with a pronoun, where does it go in European Portuguese?

The direct-object pronoun for janela (feminine singular) is a. In EP simple-past you normally attach it after the verb (enclisis):
Ela fechou-a por engano.
In Brazilian Portuguese you’d more likely hear proclisis: Ela a fechou por engano.

Can I move por engano to a different position in the sentence?

Yes. Portuguese allows some flexibility with adverbial phrases. For example:

  • Por engano, ela fechou a janela.
  • Ela, por engano, fechou a janela.
    Placing por engano at the end (Ela fechou a janela por engano) is most neutral and common.

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