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Nem o rapaz nem a rapariga querem ir à rotunda hoje.

Nem o rapaz nem a rapariga querem ir à rotunda hoje.
Neither the boy nor the girl wants to go to the roundabout today.
FromLesson 33inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Nem o rapaz nem a rapariga querem ir à rotunda hoje.

What does the pattern nem … nem mean? Do I also need não?
Nem … nem means “neither … nor.” When the nem … nem phrase is the subject, you do not add não: Nem o rapaz nem a rapariga querem… If nem … nem comes after the verb, you normally use não with the verb: Eles não querem ir nem à rotunda nem ao parque.
Why is the verb plural (querem) and not singular (quer)?
Because nem o rapaz nem a rapariga is a compound subject (effectively eles), so the verb agrees in the plural: querem. You may hear singular when the verb comes first in a negative sentence—e.g., Não quer ir nem o rapaz nem a rapariga—but the safest, most standard choice is plural agreement.
Could I say O rapaz e a rapariga não querem… instead?
Yes. O rapaz e a rapariga não querem ir à rotunda hoje is a natural paraphrase. It uses e (and) with one não before the verb. Nem … nem tends to sound a bit more emphatic.
What do o and a before rapaz/rapariga do? Can I drop them?
They’re definite articles (“the”). Portuguese uses them with specific people more often than English does. Dropping them (Rapaz e rapariga…) sounds generic or headline-like; keep them here.
Do I need to repeat the article with nem each time?
Normally yes: Nem o rapaz nem a rapariga… Repeating both nem and the matching article keeps the sentence clear and idiomatic. Omitting an article sounds colloquial and is best avoided in careful speech/writing.
Why is it à rotunda and not a rotunda? What is that accent?
À is the contraction of the preposition a (to) + the feminine article a (the), marked with a grave accent (called “crase”): a + a = à; plural: a + as = às. Masculine is ao (a + o). There’s no change in pronunciation; the accent just shows the contraction: ir à rotunda, ir ao parque.
Is ir a different from ir para?
Yes. Ir a is “go to” (often briefly or as a point on a route). Ir para leans toward going somewhere to stay or as a final destination. For directions in Portugal, you’ll also hear até (a/à): Vamos até à rotunda (“Let’s go as far as the roundabout”).
Why is it querem ir and not querem de ir?
Querer works like a modal and takes the infinitive directly: querer + infinitive (e.g., querem ir, quero estudar). No preposition. Compare: verbs that do take one—começar a estudar, gostar de ir.
Where can I put hoje?

Common options:

  • End: …à rotunda hoje (very natural).
  • Start (with comma): Hoje, nem o rapaz nem a rapariga…
  • After the verb: …querem hoje ir… (possible but less common).
    End or start are most natural.
What do rapaz and rapariga mean in Portugal? Any regional notes?
In European Portuguese, rapaz = boy/young man; rapariga = girl/young woman. In Brazil, rapariga can be pejorative in many regions; Brazilians usually say garoto/garota or menino/menina. “Roundabout” is rotunda in Portugal; in Brazil it’s often rotatória.
How would I refer to them with a pronoun?
A mixed pair defaults to masculine plural: Eles não querem ir… If both were female, use Elas. The verb remains plural: não querem.
Any punctuation tips with nem … nem?
You may write it with or without a comma between the two parts: Nem o rapaz, nem a rapariga… or Nem o rapaz nem a rapariga… Both are accepted; with a short subject, most writers omit the comma.
Can I use a single nem to mean “not even”?
Yes. A single nem can mean “not even”: Nem o rapaz quer ir hoje (“Not even the boy wants to go today”). To mean “neither … nor,” use nem … nem.
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