Breakdown of Se o ensaio correr bem, hás de ver como ele brilha no palco principal.
ele
he
se
if
ver
to see
em
on
principal
main
como
how
o palco
the stage
o ensaio
the rehearsal
correr bem
to go well
haver de
to have to
brilhar
to shine
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Questions & Answers about Se o ensaio correr bem, hás de ver como ele brilha no palco principal.
What does hás de ver mean in this sentence?
It’s a periphrastic future tense using haver de with tu. Literally it’s “you will see” or “you’re bound to see.” In European Portuguese, hás de + infinitive expresses a future outcome or expectation.
Why is hás de ver used instead of vais ver or verás?
All three form the future, but with different nuances:
- vais ver uses ir
- infinitive (very common in speech).
- verás is the simple/future indicative (more formal or written).
- hás de ver (haver de + infinitive) signals a strong expectation or promise: “you’re going to see (I guarantee it).”
What does correr bem mean here?
Although correr literally means “to run,” in this idiom correr bem means “to go well.” So Se o ensaio correr bem = “If the rehearsal goes well.”
Why is correr in the present indicative and not the subjunctive corra?
In real or likely conditional clauses introduced by se, European Portuguese typically uses the present indicative (correr) rather than the present subjunctive (corra). The subjunctive would imply more doubt or formality.
What does ensaio mean? It looks like “essay.”
Ensaio can indeed mean “essay” (a written text), but in performing-arts contexts it means “rehearsal.” Here it refers to a rehearsal on stage, not a piece of writing.
How do you pronounce hás de?
The h is silent. hás sounds roughly like /az/ (similar to the English “ahs” but voiced), and de is /dɨ/ (a reduced vowel, like the final syllable of “bitter” in British English). So together: /az dɨ/.
What does palco principal refer to?
Palco means “stage,” and principal means “main.” Palco principal is the “main stage,” i.e. the largest or most important performance stage at a venue or festival.
What does brilhar mean in this context?
Literally brilhar means “to shine.” Here it’s figurative: “to stand out,” “excel” or “dazzle.” So ver como ele brilha means “see how he shines (i.e. excels) on the main stage.”
Who does ele refer to in como ele brilha?
Although ele could grammatically refer back to ensaio, context makes it clear ele is the performer (singer/actor) whose rehearsal goes well and who will shine on the main stage.