Log inSign up

A revista tem um artigo longo sobre saúde que quero guardar.

A revista tem um artigo longo sobre saúde que quero guardar.
The magazine has a long article about health that I want to keep.
FromLesson 37inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about A revista tem um artigo longo sobre saúde que quero guardar.

What does the relative pronoun que refer to here?
It refers to the noun phrase um artigo longo sobre saúde. It introduces a relative clause modifying that article: (o artigo) que quero guardar = “(the article) that I want to keep.”
Why isn’t eu written in que quero guardar?
Portuguese is a pro‑drop language: subject pronouns can be omitted when the verb form makes the subject clear. que quero guardar and que eu quero guardar are both correct; the version without eu is just more concise.
Why is there no object pronoun like o or -lo in the relative clause?
Because que itself is the direct object of guardar. You shouldn’t double it. So not: ✗ que o quero guardar. If you split into two sentences, then you can use a pronoun: A revista tem um artigo… e quero guardá‑lo.
Could I use o qual instead of que?
Yes, but it’s more formal: …um artigo… o qual quero guardar. Agreement matters: masculine singular o qual (for artigo), feminine singular a qual, etc. In everyday speech, que is by far the default.
Why is there no comma before que?
It’s a restrictive relative clause (it identifies which article). Restrictive relative clauses in Portuguese (as in English) do not take commas.
Why A revista (definite) but um artigo (indefinite)?
We’re talking about a specific, known magazine (hence definite A revista), but introducing one as‑yet unspecified article in it (hence indefinite um artigo).
Is the adjective position artigo longo the only option? What about longo artigo?

Both work:

  • um artigo longo sobre saúde (neutral, very common)
  • um longo artigo sobre saúde (adjective before the noun adds emphasis/stylistic color: “a long, lengthy article”) Avoid um artigo sobre saúde longo; that order sounds unnatural.
Why longo and not comprido or grande?
  • longo: ideal for texts/time/length in duration; the most idiomatic for an article.
  • comprido: physical length (hair, trousers) more than textual length; can sound off with “article.”
  • grande: size/importance. um grande artigo often means “a great article” (praise) when before the noun; um artigo grande means physically big (e.g., many pages).
Why is there no article before saúde in sobre saúde?
After sobre (about) you often omit the article when speaking about a field/topic in general: sobre saúde, sobre política. Use the article when referring to a specific, delimited “health” context: sobre a saúde dos idosos (“about the health of the elderly”).
Could I say sobre a saúde?
Yes, if you mean a specific “health” (e.g., a population’s health). sobre saúde is broader (“about health” as a topic).
Why tem and not há or contém?
  • A revista tem… = “The magazine has…” (neutral, very common).
  • Há um artigo… na revista = “There is an article… in the magazine” (existential).
  • A revista contém… = “The magazine contains…” (more formal). You may also see A revista traz… (“brings”), common in media language.
Is the verb guardar the best choice for “keep/save”?
In European Portuguese, guardar is the go‑to verb for “keep” (physically or digitally). In Brazil, salvar is common for “save (a file)”; in Portugal, guardar is preferred for that too. manter = “to maintain/keep as is” (different nuance).
Can I say de que quero guardar?
No. You use de que when the verb requires the preposition de (e.g., algo de que gosto). guardar takes a direct object with no preposition, so it’s just que quero guardar.
What are the genders and agreements I should notice?
  • a revista: feminine singular (article a).
  • um artigo: masculine singular (article um).
  • longo agrees in gender/number with artigo: artigo longo (masc. sg.). If plural: artigos longos.
Pronunciation tips (European Portuguese)?
  • A revista [ɐ ʁɨˈviʃtɐ] (initial r is a guttural [ʁ])
  • tem [tẽj̃] or [tɐ̃j̃] depending on region
  • um [ũ]
  • artigo [ɐɾˈtiɡu] (single r is a tap [ɾ])
  • longo [ˈlõɡu]
  • sobre [ˈsobɾɨ]
  • saúde [sɐˈuðɨ] (the acute on ú marks a hiatus: sa‑ú‑de)
  • que [kɨ]
  • quero [ˈkɛɾu]
  • guardar [ɡwaɾˈðaɾ]
Could I replace the relative clause with a second sentence?
Yes: A revista tem um artigo longo sobre saúde e quero guardá‑lo. Here ‑lo clearly refers to the article. In the original relative clause, que already functions as the object, so you don’t add a pronoun.
Is there anything special about pronoun placement after que in European Portuguese?
Yes. que (as a proclisis trigger) normally pulls clitic pronouns before the verb: o livro que te quero mostrar. In your sentence, there’s no clitic because que itself is the object. But if another clitic were needed (e.g., indirect object), it would come before the verb: o artigo que te quero enviar.
Could I use onde instead of que?
No. onde is for places (“where”). For things that are subjects or objects of the verb, use que (or o qual in formal style).
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?”
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Portuguese

Master Portuguese — from A revista tem um artigo longo sobre saúde que quero guardar to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Portuguese freeBrowse the full course