Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Engomei a camisa nova enquanto olhava para o teto a pensar no dia. - I ironed the new shirt while looking at the ceiling thinking about the day.

In Portugal, engomar most commonly means “to iron clothes.” Historically it also meant “to starch,” and some people still feel that nuance, but in everyday European Portuguese it’s fine as “iron.” The more colloquial, very common alternative is passar a ferro (“to iron [with an iron]”).

Which tense is engomei? Is the form correct?

Yes. Engomei is 1st‑person singular of the simple past (pretérito perfeito) of engomar. Pattern for regular ‑ar verbs: eu ‑ei, tu ‑aste, ele/ela ‑ou, nós ‑ámos, eles/elas ‑aram. So: eu engomei, ele engomou, etc.

Would passar a ferro sound more natural than engomar?

Often yes, especially in colloquial European Portuguese. You could say: Passei a ferro a camisa nova enquanto olhava para o teto… It’s fully idiomatic.

Why is it olhava (imperfect) and not olhei (simple past)?

The imperfect olhava frames an ongoing background action (“was looking”) that overlaps with another action. Using olhei would suggest a punctual, completed “looked,” which clashes with the idea of a sustained gaze while something else happens.

Is it OK to mix engomei (perfect) with olhava (imperfect) after enquanto?

Grammatically yes. It presents a completed event (engomei) set against an ongoing background (olhava). If you want both actions as ongoing, use imperfect/progressive for both: Engomava a camisa nova enquanto olhava… or Estava a engomar… enquanto olhava… Many learners find this latter pairing more intuitive.

Why olhar para o teto and not olhar o teto or olhar no teto?

olhar para
- noun = “look at” (default, most idiomatic): olhar para o teto.
olhar
- direct object (no preposition) also exists but feels more formal/literary: olhar o teto.
olhar no is incorrect for “look at.” Use ver for “see”: ver o teto.

What’s the difference between teto, telhado, and old spelling tecto?

teto = ceiling (inside a room).
telhado = roof (outside of a building).
tecto is the pre‑2009 European spelling for teto; today teto is standard in Portugal too.

Why a pensar and not pensando?

In European Portuguese the progressive is typically formed with estar a + infinitive (or sometimes just a + infinitive after another verb): (estava) a pensar. The gerund pensando is rare in Portugal outside set expressions. In Brazil, pensando is the norm.

Is the a in a pensar the preposition or the article? Why not à?

It’s the preposition a. You never use à (a + a) before a verb. a + infinitive marks progressive/ongoing action here.

Why pensar no dia and not pensar sobre o dia or pensar de?

pensar em = “to think about” (default): pensar no dia (no = em + o).
pensar sobre = “to reflect on/discuss the topic of” (more formal/abstract).
pensar de is generally wrong, except in questions of opinion: O que pensas de…?

Does a camisa nova imply “my new shirt”?

Not inherently. The definite article points to a specific shirt known in context. If it’s yours, Portuguese often states it: a minha camisa nova. Using uma camisa nova would mean “a new shirt” (introducing it as new information).

Does adjective position matter (camisa nova vs nova camisa)?

Yes. Post‑nominal camisa nova usually means “brand‑new shirt.” Pre‑nominal nova camisa tends to mean “another/different shirt” (not necessarily brand‑new).

Could I start with Enquanto…?

Yes: Enquanto olhava para o teto a pensar no dia, engomei a camisa nova. With initial Enquanto you normally put a comma after the clause. Many would still prefer matching aspects: Enquanto olhava…, engomava… or Enquanto olhava…, estava a engomar… for natural flow.

Is a comma needed before enquanto in the original order?

No. When the main clause comes first, you typically don’t use a comma before enquanto in a temporal sense: Engomei… enquanto olhava… If the enquanto clause comes first, use a comma after it.

Could I say Ao olhar para o teto, engomava/engomei a camisa?

Yes. Ao + infinitive can mean “when/while (doing).” Nuance:

Ao olhar …, engomava … highlights concurrency.
Ao olhar …, engomei … is possible but again mixes ongoing context with a completed event.

Is ficar a olhar more idiomatic for “stare at the ceiling”?

Often, yes. Fiquei a olhar para o teto, a pensar no dia = “I stayed there staring at the ceiling, thinking about the day.” You could blend it: … enquanto ficava a olhar para o teto, a pensar no dia.

Any pronunciation tips (European Portuguese)?

Approximate EP pronunciations:

Engomei [ẽɡuˈmɐj] (unstressed o ~ [u])
camisa [kɐˈmizɐ]
nova [ˈnɔvɐ]
enquanto [ẽˈkwɐ̃tu]
olhava [oˈʎavɐ]
para o often reduces in speech to [ˈpaɾu] or [pɾu]
teto [ˈtɛtu]
a pensar [ɐ pɐ̃ˈsaɾ]
no dia [nu ˈdiɐ]

Are there contractions I should know here?

no = em + o (in + the).
para o often contracts in speech to something like pr’o/pró [pɾu] in Portugal, though in careful writing you’ll keep para o. In Brazil you’ll also see pro in writing.