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Depois do jantar, ela passou o aspirador e lavou o chão com detergente.

Depois do jantar, ela passou o aspirador e lavou o chão com detergente.
After dinner, she vacuumed and washed the floor with detergent.
FromLesson 34inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Depois do jantar, ela passou o aspirador e lavou o chão com detergente.

What tense are “passou” and “lavou,” and what’s the English equivalent?
They’re in the Pretérito Perfeito (simple past), used for completed actions. So passou = “(she) vacuumed,” and lavou = “(she) washed.”
Why is it “depois do jantar” and not “depois de o jantar”?
Portuguese contracts prepositions with articles. de + o = do (masculine singular). Similarly: da (de + a), dos (de + os), das (de + as). Writing “de o” is unidiomatic.
What’s the difference between “depois do jantar” and “depois de jantar”?
  • Depois do jantar = “after the dinner” (noun, specific meal, with article).
  • Depois de jantar = “after dining/after having dinner” (verb in the infinitive, more general). Both are correct here; the choice is stylistic.
Is the subject pronoun “ela” required?
Not strictly. Portuguese is a pro‑drop language, so you can say Depois do jantar, passou o aspirador e lavou o chão… if the subject is clear from context. Use ela for clarity or emphasis.
Why does “passou o aspirador” mean “vacuumed”? Can I just say “aspirou”?
Passar o aspirador is the standard idiom in European Portuguese for “to vacuum.” You can also use the verb aspirar transitively: Ela aspirou o tapete. Note: aspirar a means “to aspire to” (e.g., aspirar a uma carreira), so keep an eye on that preposition.
Do I need the article “o” before “aspirador”?
Yes in European Portuguese: passar o aspirador is the natural collocation. Omitting the article (passar aspirador) is common in Brazil but sounds off in Portugal.
Does “lavou o chão” mean she mopped?
It means she washed the floor (with water), which may or may not involve mopping. If you specifically want “mopped,” say passou a esfregona (EP) or passou a mopa (also used). Limpou o chão just means “cleaned the floor” (broader).
Why “com detergente” and not “com o detergente”? Is “detergente” countable?
  • com detergente = with detergent in general (generic, no article).
  • com o detergente = with a specific detergent already known in context. “Detergente” is usually uncountable; um detergente means “a detergent (a type/bottle).”
Are there European Portuguese vs Brazilian Portuguese differences I should know here?

A few:

  • EP prefers depois de: Depois de jantar…; BR also uses depois que: Depois que jantou…
  • EP: passar o aspirador; BR: passar aspirador or passar o aspirador (both heard), and the appliance can be aspirador de pó or aspirador/a aspiradeira (regional).
  • EP often avoids the gerund where BR uses it. EP: lavou o chão com detergente; BR: lavou o chão usando detergente is very natural.
What about “chão,” “soalho,” “piso,” and “pavimento”? Which should I use?
  • chão = floor/ground in general; the most common everyday word.
  • soalho = a (usually wooden) floor/boards inside a house.
  • piso = floor/level of a building; as “surface,” it’s more Brazilian.
  • pavimento = “pavement/flooring,” more technical/formal.
Is the comma after “Depois do jantar” required? Any comma before “e”?
The comma after a fronted time phrase is standard: Depois do jantar, … Don’t put a comma before e here: … passou o aspirador e lavou o chão …
Pronunciation tips (European Portuguese)?
  • depois: final “s” as [ʃ] in many EP accents.
  • jantar: j = [ʒ] (“zh”), ã nasal.
  • passou / lavou: ou pronounced [o].
  • aspirador: the “s” is often [ʃ] (aʃ‑), final r is light [ɾ].
  • chão: ch = [ʃ], ão is a nasal diphthong.
  • detergente: g before “e” = [ʒ] (“zh”): de‑ter‑ZHEN‑te.
Can I place “Depois do jantar” at the end?
Yes: Ela passou o aspirador e lavou o chão com detergente depois do jantar. No comma needed in that position.
Can I specify who did the dining with an infinitive?

Yes, use the personal infinitive after a preposition:

  • Depois de jantarmos, … = after we had dinner
  • Depois de jantarem, … = after they/you (pl.) had dinner You can also say Depois de ter jantado, … (emphasizes completion).
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