Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Mudar um velho costume pode ser difícil, mas vale a pena. - Changing an old habit can be difficult, but it is worth it.

In Portuguese you can use an infinitive clause (here mudar um velho costume) as the subject of a verb. It means “changing an old habit” in general. English often uses the gerund (“Changing…”), but Portuguese uses the plain infinitive.

What’s the nuance between pode ser difícil and simply é difícil?

Pode ser difícil literally means “it can be difficult,” so you’re admitting a possibility or potential challenge. É difícil (“it is difficult”) states it as a fact. Using pode ser softens the claim.

Why use costume here instead of hábito? Aren’t they both “habit”?

They overlap, but costume often implies a long‐standing custom or routine—something you’ve been doing for years. Hábito is more neutral for any repeated action. Here, velho costume stresses an “age‐old routine.”

Why does velho come before costume instead of after it?

While adjectives usually follow nouns in Portuguese, certain adjectives like velho, novo, próprio, puro etc. often precede for emphasis or idiomatic flow. Velho costume feels more natural than costume velho in everyday speech.

How does the phrase vale a pena work and what does it literally mean?

Literally, vale a pena is “it is worth the penalty,” but idiomatically it means “it’s worth it” or “worthwhile.” It’s an impersonal construction: valer in third-person (vale) + the noun phrase a pena (“the effort/penalty”).

Can I replace mudar with trocar or alterar in this sentence?

You could say trocar um velho costume, but trocar suggests swapping one thing for another. Alterar um velho costume is more formal. Mudar is the most natural and neutral when talking about changing habits.

Is the indefinite article um mandatory before velho costume? Why not drop it?

In Portuguese, countable nouns usually need an article. Saying um velho costume (“an old habit”) is standard. Omitting um (mudar velho costume) sounds ungrammatical or overly curt.

Any special pronunciation notes for European Portuguese in Mudar um velho costume pode ser difícil, mas vale a pena?

Yes. In Portugal the final -r in mudar is often a soft flap [ɾ] or even lightly muted, unlike the Brazilian “h‐like” sound. Also, the “e” in vale is more closed, and unstressed vowels (like the “o” in costume) tend to be reduced.