Eu quero escalar a montanha hoje.

I want to climb the mountain today.

Breakdown of Eu quero escalar a montanha hoje.

• eu: I
• hoje: today
• querer: to want
• a montanha: the mountain
• escalar: to climb

Questions & Answers about Eu quero escalar a montanha hoje.

Why is eu used in Eu quero escalar a montanha hoje? Do I have to include the subject pronoun?

In Portuguese, the verb ending often tells you who the subject is. Quero already means “I want,” so you can drop eu without losing meaning.
• With pronoun: Eu quero escalar a montanha hoje. (adds emphasis or clarity)
• Without pronoun: Quero escalar a montanha hoje. (very common in speech)

How does the verb querer work with another verb? Why do we say quero escalar?

Querer means to want and is followed directly by an infinitive (no preposition needed). The structure is:
• querer (conjugated) + infinitive → quero escalar = I want to climb

Why is there an article a before montanha? Can I omit it?

You include a because you’re talking about a specific mountain (the definite article for feminine singular nouns).
• Specific mountain: escalar a montanha (climb the mountain)
• General idea: escalar montanhas (climb mountains) – no article
• One mountain, non-specific: escalar uma montanha (climb a mountain)

Can I use subir instead of escalar? What’s the difference?

Both can mean to climb or go up, but:
• escalar often implies a technical climb or mountaineering.
• subir is more general: you “go up” something (stairs, a hill, a mountain).
So if you mean a challenging ascent, escalar a montanha is more precise.

Why is hoje placed at the end of the sentence? Are other positions possible?

Adverbs of time like hoje are flexible in Portuguese. You can say:
• Hoje eu quero escalar a montanha.
• Eu quero escalar a montanha hoje. (common in speech)
Position depends on emphasis and rhythm; both are correct.

Do I need any preposition between quero and escalar?

No. In Portuguese, querer + infinitive is a direct construction. You do not use a preposition.
Correct: quero escalar
Incorrect: quero de escalar

How do I replace a montanha with a pronoun?

To avoid repeating montanha, use the feminine singular direct-object pronoun a and attach it to the infinitive:
• Eu quero escalá-la hoje.
In European Portuguese, pronouns attach to the infinitive with a hyphen.

Why is montanha feminine, and how does that affect the article or pronoun?

Nouns ending in -a are usually feminine in Portuguese. For montanha:
• Definite article: a montanha (singular), as montanhas (plural)
• Indefinite article: uma montanha, umas montanhas
• Direct-object pronoun: a (singular), as (plural)
Always match gender (feminine) and number (singular/plural).