Breakdown of Eu vou fotografar a vista do jardim.
eu
I
de
of
ir
to go
o jardim
the garden
a vista
the view
fotografar
to photograph
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Questions & Answers about Eu vou fotografar a vista do jardim.
Why is vou fotografar used instead of the simple present fotografo?
Portuguese uses the periphrastic future construction with ir (here vou) plus an infinitive (here fotografar) to express a planned or imminent action—much like English “I’m going to photograph.” The simple present fotografo means “I photograph” (habitually or as a general fact) rather than indicating future intention.
What exactly does vou mean?
Vou is the first‐person singular present tense of the verb ir, meaning “I go.” When combined with an infinitive (vou fotografar), it forms the near‐future tense, equivalent to “I am going to [do something].”
Why is there a before vista, but do before jardim?
Portuguese uses definite articles before nouns. A is the feminine singular article for vista (“view”). Do is a contraction of de + o (the preposition de “of/from” plus the masculine singular article o), so do jardim means “of the garden.”
What is do? Can I say de o jardim instead?
Do is simply de + o combined. You cannot leave them separate as de o jardim; in standard Portuguese the preposition de merges with the masculine singular article o to form do.
Can I drop the subject pronoun Eu here?
Yes. Portuguese is a pro-drop language: the verb ending vou already indicates first person singular, so Eu is optional and often omitted, especially in casual speech.
What’s the difference between fotografar and tirar fotos?
Both mean “to photograph.” Fotografar is the direct verb “to photograph.” Tirar fotos literally means “to take photos” and is more colloquial. You can use them interchangeably in most contexts.
Could I say Eu vou fotografar o jardim instead of a vista do jardim?
Yes, but the meaning changes. Fotografar o jardim means “to photograph the garden” itself (the plants, layout, etc.). Fotografar a vista do jardim emphasizes capturing the view or scenery that you see from the garden.
How would I make this sentence negative or turn it into a question?
To negate, add não before the infinitive: Eu não vou fotografar a vista do jardim (“I’m not going to photograph the view of the garden”).
To ask a yes/no question you can simply add a question mark and intonation, or use você: Você vai fotografar a vista do jardim? Often you can also ask Vou fotografar a vista do jardim? if speaking to someone directly.
How do I refer to multiple views? For example, “I’m going to photograph the garden views.”
You would make both the noun and the article plural: Vou fotografar as vistas do jardim. Here as is the feminine plural article matching vistas, and do stays the same for de + o jardim.