Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): No inverno, prefiro viajar para o sul, onde o mar continua quente. - In winter I prefer to travel to the south, where the sea stays warm.

In Portuguese, seasons normally take a definite article. inverno is masculine, so we combine em + o to get no inverno. Saying just inverno or em inverno feels incomplete in everyday speech.

Why is there a definite article in o sul? Could we just say sul?

When cardinal points denote regions (north, south, east, west), they usually take the article: o norte, o sul, o leste, o oeste. Dropping the article sounds unusual when you mean “the southern part” of a country.

Why say para o sul instead of ao sul?

para o sul indicates movement or destination – “toward the south.” ao sul is more static or needs a complement, as in ao sul do país (“to the south of the country”). For “I prefer to travel south,” para o sul is the most natural choice.

Why is there a comma after no inverno?

No inverno is an introductory adverbial phrase. In Portuguese, placing a comma after such a phrase is common to mark a slight pause and separate it from the main clause. It’s optional but often used in writing.

Why is the verb prefiro used without eu in front?

Portuguese is a pro-drop language: subject pronouns (like eu) are often omitted because the verb ending (-o in prefiro) already tells you the subject is “I.” You can say eu prefiro, but it’s redundant unless you want extra emphasis.

Why is there no preposition between prefiro and viajar?

Verbs of preference (preferir, gostar, odiar) are directly followed by the infinitive without any preposition when the action itself is the object: prefiro viajar, gosto de viajar (here “gostar” is different and requires de), odeio acordar cedo.

Why is onde used here? Could you use em que instead?

Onde is the relative pronoun for locations (“where,” “in which”). You could technically use em que (“in which”), but onde is more idiomatic and concise when talking about places.

Why is continua quente used instead of está quente?

continua quente emphasizes that the sea was already warm and remains so (“continues to be warm”). está quente simply states its current condition without implying it was already warm.

Why is continuar not followed by a + infinitive here (e.g. continua a estar quente)?

Here continuar is followed by an adjective (quente), so no infinitive is needed. When continuar refers to the continuation of an action, you’d use continuar a + infinitive (e.g. continua a viajar).

Why is there a comma before onde?

The comma before onde marks the start of a non-restrictive relative clause (“where the sea remains warm”) that adds extra information about o sul. If you wanted a restrictive clause (defining exactly which “south”), you could omit the comma.