Question 1

Why does the word chamámos have an accent? Is it different from chamamos?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In European Portuguese, the accent distinguishes tenses:
- nós chamamos = we call (present)
- nós chamámos = we called (preterite/past)

The accent also shows the stressed syllable: cha-MÁ-mos. This same pattern appears in many -ar verbs (e.g., falamos/falámos, ligamos/ligámos).

Question 2

Why is the imperfect fechava used instead of a simple past like fechou?

Accepted Answer

The imperfect (fechava) describes an ongoing or repeated state in the past and is often used for background reasons. Here it means the tap was not closing properly at that time (an ongoing issue), which explains why you called the plumber. If you said porque a torneira não fechou, it would sound like a single, one-off failure to close.

Question 3

Is chamar the normal verb for “to call” on the phone in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Not usually. In this sentence, chamar means “to call out/summon” (to get a professional to come). For phoning:
- European PT: telefonar a alguém (to phone someone), or ligar a alguém.
- Brazil: more commonly ligar para alguém.
You can say chamámos um canalizador even if you used the phone; it focuses on having someone come, not on the act of phoning.

Question 4

Why um canalizador and not o canalizador?

Accepted Answer

Um is the indefinite article (“a plumber”), used when the person isn’t specifically identified. O canalizador (“the plumber”) would imply a known, specific plumber (e.g., the one we usually use, or the building’s plumber).

Question 5

Is canalizador specific to Portugal? What do people say in Brazil?

Accepted Answer

- Portugal: canalizador is standard; you may also hear picheleiro (more traditional/colloquial in some regions).
- Brazil: encanador is standard.
All mean “plumber.”

Question 6

Why a torneira with the article? Could it be just torneira?

Accepted Answer

Portuguese generally uses the definite article with specific, known items. A torneira = “the tap,” presumably a known one in the house. Dropping the article (torneira) would sound incomplete here.

Question 7

Is the a in a torneira the article “the” or the preposition “to”? What about à?

Accepted Answer

Here it’s the definite article “the.” The preposition “a” (“to”) only appears when required by the verb. À is a contraction of the preposition a + the article a; it would mean “to the,” which doesn’t fit this sentence.

Question 8

Could I omit bem and say porque a torneira não fechava?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but it changes the nuance. With bem, it means “wasn’t closing properly/fully” (e.g., kept dripping). Without bem, it suggests the tap simply didn’t close at all.

Question 9

Why bem and not bom?

Accepted Answer

Bem is an adverb (“well/properly”) and modifies verbs like fechar. Bom is an adjective (“good”) and modifies nouns. After a verb, use bem.

Question 10

Is the word order for negation and adverbs fixed? Why não fechava bem?

Accepted Answer

Yes, standard placement is:
- não (negation) comes before the verb: não fechava
- adverbs like bem typically come after the verb: fechava bem
So the natural order is não + verb + bem.

Question 11

Could I say ligámos/telefonámos a um canalizador instead of chamámos?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you want to emphasize the act of phoning:
- ligámos a um canalizador (EU PT; BR often: ligámos para um canalizador)
- telefonámos a um canalizador (EU PT)
These focus on the phone call rather than on having the person come.

Question 12

Do I need a comma before porque?

Accepted Answer

No comma is needed when porque introduces the reason of the main clause: Chamámos… porque… If you front the reason, then you use a comma: Porque a torneira não fechava bem, chamámos…

Question 13

Can I put the reason first: Porque a torneira não fechava bem, chamámos um canalizador?

Accepted Answer

Yes. That’s perfectly natural. Just remember the comma after the initial subordinate clause.

Question 14

What are the differences among porque, por que, porquê, and por quê?

Accepted Answer

- porque = “because.”
- por que is used in questions meaning “why” (more common in Brazil; in Portugal, people often say porque é que).
- porquê (one word, with circumflex) is a noun meaning “the reason/why,” often with an article: o porquê.
- por quê (separate, with accent on quê) appears at the end of a question in Brazil. In Portugal, sentence-final “why?” is usually Porquê? (one word).

Question 15

Does fechar mean “to turn off” a tap? Could I use desligar?

Accepted Answer

For taps/valves, Portuguese uses abrir (turn on) and fechar (turn off). Desligar is for devices/appliances (lights, TV, phone). You might also hear fechar a água (“turn the water off”).

Question 16

Why is a torneira the subject of fechava? Isn’t fechar transitive?

Accepted Answer

Fechar can be both transitive and intransitive. Transitive: Fechámos a torneira (“We closed the tap”). Intransitive: A torneira fechou (“The tap closed”). Here, the tap is the subject of an intransitive use: it “wasn’t closing” properly.

Question 17

How do I say “plumber” if it’s a woman?

Accepted Answer

Grammatically, uma canalizadora is possible, and many people will understand/use it. In practice, many still say uma canalizador in job listings or opt for neutral phrasing like uma profissional de canalização; usage varies.

Question 18

Any quick European Portuguese pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Accepted Answer

- ch in chamámos/fechava sounds like “sh.”
- á is open “a” (cha-MÁ-mos).
- Final -s in Portugal often sounds like “sh”: -mos ≈ “moosh.”
- r between vowels is a light tap: torneira [tor-NEI-ra].
- ão in não is nasal; think “now” but nasalized.
- ei in torneira sounds like “ay” in “day.”

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