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Em casa, eu ando de chinelos e não fico descalço porque o chão é frio.

Em casa, eu ando de chinelos e não fico descalço porque o chão é frio.
At home, I walk in slippers and don’t go barefoot because the floor is cold.
FromLesson 33inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Em casa, eu ando de chinelos e não fico descalço porque o chão é frio.

Why is there a comma after the phrase in Portuguese Em casa?

It’s an introductory adverbial phrase (“At home”), and Portuguese often sets those off with a comma. It’s optional here; both are fine:

  • Em casa eu ando de chinelos…
  • Em casa, eu ando de chinelos…
Why is it em casa and not na casa or em minha casa?
  • em casa = “at home” (set phrase, no article).
  • na casa = “in the house” (a particular house; more physical/location-focused).
  • em (a) minha casa = “in my house/at my house,” specifying whose house. In European Portuguese you’ll also hear cá em casa (“at our place, here at home”) and lá em casa (“back home/at my family’s place”).
Do I need the subject pronoun eu?
No. Portuguese is a “null-subject” language; the verb ending already shows the subject. Em casa, ando de chinelos… is perfectly natural. Keep eu if you want emphasis or contrast.
Does ando de literally mean “I walk of”? What does it mean here?
No. andar de + clothing/footwear means “to go around in / to wear.” It also works for transport: andar de carro/autocarro = “go by car/bus.” On its own, andar can mean “to walk” or “to go around.”
Could I say uso chinelos, visto chinelos, or calço chinelos instead?
  • usar = to wear/use (general): Em casa, uso chinelos.
  • vestir = to put on/wear clothing (shirts, coats), not footwear.
  • calçar = to put on/wear footwear: Em casa, calço chinelos.
  • andar de = to go around in (very idiomatic for how you’re dressed): Ando de chinelos.
Why de chinelos and not com chinelos?
For clothing/footwear, andar de + item is the standard idiom. andar com chinelos can be understood as wearing them, but it may also mean “to be with/carrying” them; de is the safer, more idiomatic choice here.
What exactly are chinelos in Portugal?

Context decides:

  • Indoor slippers: chinelos or more specifically chinelos de quarto; fuzzy ones are often pantufas.
  • Flip-flops: chinelos de praia or chinelos de dedo.
  • sandálias are strapped sandals, not flip-flops.
Why is chinelos plural?
Because it’s a pair. In Portugal people almost always use the plural (chinelos). In Brazil, the singular chinelo for the pair is very common.
What does fico add in não fico descalço?

ficar means “to become” or “to end up/remain.” Não fico descalço means “I don’t end up/remain barefoot.” Compare:

  • Não estou descalço = I’m not barefoot (right now).
  • Não ando descalço = I don’t go around barefoot (as a habit).
How does gender agreement work with descalço?

It agrees with the speaker:

  • Male: não fico descalço
  • Female: não fico descalça Plurals: descalços/descalças. Note the ç (pronounced like S before a/o/u).
Why is it o chão é frio (with ser) and not está frio (with estar)?
Use ser for inherent/typical characteristics: o chão é frio (e.g., tile/stone). Use estar for temporary states: o chão está frio (it happens to be cold now). Choose based on what you mean.
Why is there a definite article in o chão? Could I drop it?
Portuguese uses definite articles more than English. o chão = “the floor” (of this place); you can’t drop it here. Be careful: no chão means “on the floor,” not “the floor.”
Do I need an article after de in de chinelos?

No. After andar de, clothing/footwear typically appears without an article for an unspecified item. If you specify, add a determiner:

  • ando de uns chinelos azuis (some blue slippers)
  • ando dos chinelos azuis (those specific blue slippers)
Should there be a comma before porque?
Generally no, when porque means “because”: … não fico descalço porque o chão é frio. Use commas only if the clause is parenthetical or you switch to conjunctions like pois in an explanatory aside.
How do I pronounce the tricky words in European Portuguese?

Approximate IPA:

  • Em [ẽ]
  • casa [ˈkazɐ]
  • eu [ew]
  • ando [ˈɐ̃du]
  • de [dɨ]
  • chinelos [ʃiˈnɛluʃ] (final -s ≈ “sh”)
  • não [nɐ̃w̃]
  • fico [ˈfiku]
  • descalço [dɨʃˈkaɫsu]
  • porque [puɾˈkɨ]
  • o [u]
  • chão [ʃɐ̃w̃]
  • é [ɛ]
  • frio [ˈfɾiw]
Can I change the word order?

Yes, within reason. Natural options:

  • Em casa, ando de chinelos e não fico descalço.
  • Ando de chinelos em casa e não fico descalço. To front the reason, many prefer como: Como o chão é frio, em casa ando de chinelos.
What’s the difference between andar de and andar a?
  • andar de + noun = how you move/what you’re wearing/using: andar de chinelos, andar de carro.
  • andar a + infinitive = doing something for a while/repeatedly: ando a estudar muito (“I’ve been studying a lot”).
Are there notable Portugal–Brazil differences here?
  • Portugal: plural chinelos; Brazil: singular chinelo for the pair is common.
  • For “floor,” Portugal often says chão (surface) and pavimento (flooring); Brazil also uses chão, and piso is very common for floor/flooring.
  • Both accept andar de chinelo(s) and porque as “because.”
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