Breakdown of Gosto de passar horas na livraria a escolher livros.
eu
I
gostar de
to like
em
in
o livro
the book
escolher
to choose
passar
to spend
a hora
the hour
a livraria
the bookshop
Questions & Answers about Gosto de passar horas na livraria a escolher livros.
Why do we say gosto de passar and not just gosto passar?
Portuguese requires the preposition de after the verb gostar whenever it’s followed by another verb in the infinitive. So you always say gosto de + infinitive (e.g. gosto de comer, gosto de viajar, gosto de passar horas).
What does passar horas exactly mean? Is it like “spend hours”?
Yes. Passar horas literally means “to spend hours” doing something. It emphasizes the duration you remain occupied with the activity—here, browsing and choosing books.
Could I use gastar horas instead of passar horas?
You can say gastar horas, and it will be understood as “to spend hours,” but it often implies the time is being wasted or used up. Passar horas is more neutral or even positive, suggesting you enjoy that time.
Why is it na livraria, not em livraria or em a livraria?
Na is the contraction of em + a, required before a feminine noun with a definite article (a livraria). So em + a livraria becomes na livraria. Simply saying em livraria (without an article) sounds unnatural in European Portuguese.
What’s the difference between livraria and biblioteca?
Livraria is a bookstore (where books are sold).
Biblioteca is a library (where books are borrowed).
What does the a in a escolher signify? Could I just say escolher livros?
In European Portuguese, the construction a + infinitive expresses an action that’s ongoing or in progress.
- a escolher livros = choosing books (right now).
Saying just escolher livros might sound like a bare infinitive or purpose clause; you’d need para escolher (“in order to choose”) for that meaning.
Could we use the gerund escolhendo instead of a escolher?
In Brazilian Portuguese you’d often hear passo horas escolhendo livros. In European Portuguese, however, the gerund (escolhendo) is used less in this kind of construction, and passo horas a escolher livros is the norm.
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