Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): As pilhas do comando acabaram durante a série. - The remote’s batteries ran out during the series.

In European Portuguese, o comando commonly means the TV remote control. Synonyms you may hear: o telecomando. In Brazil you’d say o controle remoto, but in Portugal that sounds Brazilian.

Why is it do comando and not de o comando?

Do is the contraction of de + o. It marks possession, literally “the batteries of the remote.” So as pilhas do comando = “the remote’s batteries.”

Why pilhas and not baterias?

In Portugal:

pilhas = small disposable or AA/AAA-type batteries (what a remote uses).
bateria = larger/rechargeable batteries (phones, laptops, cars) or a drum kit. So for a remote, say pilhas.

What exactly does acabaram mean here?

Acabar, when used intransitively with consumables, means “to run out/be used up.” So as pilhas acabaram = “the batteries ran out.”
Note: acabar de + infinitive means “to have just done something” (e.g., acabei de chegar = “I’ve just arrived”), which is a different construction.

Why is the verb in the plural (acabaram)?

The subject is plural: as pilhas. Verbs agree with the subject, so acabaram (they ran out), not acabou (it ran out).

Can I say acabaram-se?

Yes. In Portugal you’ll hear both:

As pilhas acabaram. (neutral/standard)
As pilhas acabaram-se. (very common in speech) With the clitic, many prefer fronting the noun: Acabaram-se as pilhas do comando. In negatives or questions the clitic goes before the verb: As pilhas não se acabaram; Já se acabaram as pilhas?

Is durante a série idiomatic here? Should it be “during the episode”?

If you mean they died while you were watching a specific episode, more idiomatic options are:

durante o episódio
a meio do episódio (mid-episode)
enquanto estávamos a ver a série
Durante a série tends to suggest over the course of the whole series, or “while the show was on” in a looser sense.

What’s the difference between série, temporada, and episódio?

a série = the show/series (the whole program)
a temporada = the season (Season 1, 2, …)
o episódio = the episode
So if you mean “episode,” use o episódio; if you mean a specific season, a temporada.

Other natural ways to say the same idea?

O comando ficou sem pilhas a meio do episódio.
As pilhas do comando descarregaram durante o episódio.
As pilhas do comando foram-se enquanto estávamos a ver a série. (colloquial)

Could I drop do comando if context makes it clear?

Yes. If it’s obvious you’re talking about the remote, As pilhas acabaram is fine.

How would I say “while we were watching the series” in European Portuguese?

Use enquanto + past (often imperfect), or the EP progressive with estar a:

enquanto víamos a série
enquanto estávamos a ver a série
Avoid the Brazilian-style gerund (vendo) in Portugal.

Is terminar okay instead of acabar?

For batteries, acabar or descarregar are the usual verbs. Terminar is more natural for events/time periods. As pilhas terminaram isn’t wrong, but it’s less idiomatic.

Can I use the present perfect like in English (“have run out”)?

No. Portuguese present perfect (têm acabado) usually implies repeated/habitual action over time. For a single past event, use simple past: As pilhas acabaram.

Pronunciation tips for tricky parts?

pilhas: lh = palatal L (like the “lli” in “million” said together): pi-lyas. Final -s sounds like “sh” in Portugal: [pi-lyash].
comando: nasal ã in man: roughly koo-MAN-doo.
acabaram: final -am is a nasal sound (not a clear “m”): a-ka-BA-rãw.
série: stressed open é (SEH-ree-uh-ish), with a tapped r.

Is comando the only word for “remote” in Portugal?

You’ll mostly hear o comando or o telecomando. O controle remoto is Brazilian; it sounds marked as Brazilian Portuguese in Portugal.

If there was only one battery, how would it change?

Make everything singular:

A pilha do comando acabou durante o episódio.
(But most remotes take two, hence the usual plural pilhas.)