Breakdown of Um calendário de parede mostra a data do exame.
um
a
de
of
o exame
the exam
mostrar
to show
a data
the date
o calendário de parede
the wall calendar
Questions & Answers about Um calendário de parede mostra a data do exame.
Why do we start with um instead of o?
um is an indefinite article, equivalent to “a” or “an” in English. It introduces calendário de parede as any wall calendar in general. If you were talking about a specific calendar you’d already mentioned, you’d use the definite article o (for example, o calendário de parede mostra…).
What does de parede mean, and why not use another preposition?
In Portuguese, de often links two nouns to form a compound expression. Here calendário de parede literally means “calendar of wall,” i.e. wall calendar. It defines the type of calendar rather than location. Using a different preposition would change the meaning (for instance, calendário na parede emphasizes “a calendar hanging on the wall” rather than the type).
Could I say calendário na parede instead of calendário de parede?
Yes, but with a subtle shift. calendário na parede means “the calendar that is on the wall” (location-focused), while calendário de parede is the established term for the product type, just like “wall calendar” in English.
Why is the verb mostra in the third person singular?
Because the grammatical subject is um calendário de parede, which is singular. Portuguese verbs agree in person and number with their subjects. So “A wall calendar shows…” becomes mostra (3rd person singular of mostrar).
Why do we write data do exame and not data da exame?
do is a contraction of de + o. exame is a masculine noun, so de o exame contracts to do exame. If the noun were feminine (for example a festa), you’d have da festa = de + a festa.
Could we use dia do exame instead of data do exame?
Yes, you can say dia do exame (“the day of the exam”), but data emphasizes the specific calendar date (including month and year, if needed). dia often refers more loosely to “the day” itself.
Are there other verbs that mean “show” in Portuguese here?
Absolutely. You could use exibe (from exibir) or apresenta (from apresentar). Those are slightly more formal. Example: Um calendário de parede exibe a data do exame.
Why is exame masculine? Does every noun end in –e follow the same rule?
Noun gender in Portuguese often follows patterns but with many exceptions. exame happens to be masculine (hence o exame). Not every noun ending in –e is masculine; for instance, a chave (key) is feminine. You’ll learn gender mostly by memorizing each noun with its article (e.g., o exame, a chave).
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?”
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning PortugueseMaster Portuguese — from Um calendário de parede mostra a data do exame to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions