Breakdown of O rato não funciona bem, por isso comprei um rato sem fios.
um
a
comprar
to buy
não
not
sem
without
bem
well
por isso
so
funcionar
to work
o rato
the mouse
o fio
the wire
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Questions & Answers about O rato não funciona bem, por isso comprei um rato sem fios.
Why do we use rato instead of mouse?
In European Portuguese, the standard word for the computer mouse is rato (literally “mouse,” the animal). Although many people understand the English term mouse, using rato is more natural and officially recommended in Portugal.
Why is the first rato introduced with o (definite article) but the second with um (indefinite article)?
The noun rato is masculine, so its definite article is o (“the mouse”). Here, o rato refers to the specific mouse the speaker already has. By contrast, um rato sem fios introduces a new object (“a wireless mouse”), so it takes the indefinite article um.
What does não funciona bem literally mean, and why is it in the present tense?
Não funciona bem literally means “doesn’t work well.” The present tense is used because the problem with the mouse is ongoing or still relevant at the time of speaking.
Could you say não funcionava bem instead? What’s the nuance?
Yes, não funcionava bem uses the imperfect tense (“wasn’t working well”), which implies a recurring or continuous issue in the past. Não funciona bem (present) emphasizes that the mouse still isn’t working properly now.
What role does por isso play in the sentence?
Por isso means “therefore” or “so.” It links the cause (the mouse doesn’t work well) with the effect (the speaker bought a wireless mouse).
Why is bem placed after funciona?
In Portuguese, adverbs of manner like bem (well) typically follow the verb they modify. Hence funciona bem rather than bem funciona.
What does sem fios mean, and why isn’t it hyphenated?
Sem fios literally means “without wires” and is the standard Portuguese expression for “wireless.” It stays as two separate words—sem (without) + fios (wires)—with no hyphen.
Why is there no preposition between comprei and um rato?
The verb comprar (to buy) is a direct transitive verb in Portuguese, so it takes a direct object without any preposition: comprei um rato = “I bought a mouse.”