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O parque para o qual comprámos passe anual fecha às nove.

O parque para o qual comprámos passe anual fecha às nove.
The park for which we bought an annual pass closes at nine.
FromLesson 39inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of O parque para o qual comprámos passe anual fecha às nove.

comprar
to buy
para
for
fechar
to close
o parque
the park
às
at
nove
nine
o qual
which
o passe
the pass
anual
annual

Questions & Answers about O parque para o qual comprámos passe anual fecha às nove.

Why is it para o qual instead of just que?
Because the relative clause is governed by a preposition. In Portuguese you can’t leave a preposition at the end of the clause, so you bring it in front of the relative pronoun: para o qual means "for which." You can also use the shorter para que; both are correct. Plain que (without the preposition) is not allowed here. o qual sounds a bit more formal and is crystal-clear.
Can I use onde here, as in o parque onde comprámos…?
Only if you mean "the park where we bought the pass" (i.e., the physical place where the purchase happened). onde = "where/in which." If your meaning is "the park for which we bought a pass," use para o qual or para que instead.
What does the accent in comprámos do?
It marks the 1st person plural preterite (simple past) in European Portuguese: comprámos = "we bought," stressed com-PRÁ-mos. Without the accent, compramos is normally read as the present: "we buy." In Brazil, the accent is rarely used and context does the disambiguation.
Can I write compramos without the accent and still be correct?
Yes. Compramos can represent both present and past in writing; context disambiguates. In Portugal many writers choose comprámos in the past to make the tense obvious, but it’s optional.
Shouldn’t it be um passe anual? Why is there no article?
Both are acceptable. Comprámos um passe anual is the neutral, fully explicit version. In some set phrases, especially with things like transit passes, speakers may omit the indefinite article and say comprar passe/comprámos passe anual. Using um here is very common and often clearer; use it if in doubt.
Why às nove and not a nove or aos nove?
Times are expressed with the preposition a plus the feminine plural noun horas: a + as (horas) → às (horas). So you get às nove (horas). The grave accent marks this contraction. You can be more specific with às nove da manhã/noite or use 24‑hour style: às 21h.
Is that the same “crase” Brazilians talk about?
Yes. às is the contraction of the preposition a with the article as (and it’s written with a grave accent). It’s obligatory in time expressions like às cinco, à uma, às nove.
Can I end the clause with the preposition, like o parque que comprámos um passe anual para?
No. Portuguese doesn’t allow preposition stranding. Put the preposition before the relative: o parque para o qual/para que comprámos um passe anual. Or just rephrase: Comprámos um passe anual para o parque; fecha às nove.
Does qual have to agree with parque?

Yes. It agrees in gender and number with the antecedent:

  • o parque → para o qual
  • a praia → para a qual
  • os parques → para os quais
  • as praias → para as quais
Is para que also correct here?
Yes: o parque para que comprámos (um) passe anual is correct and common. Note that para que can also introduce purpose clauses ("so that"), so para o qual sometimes feels clearer in writing, but both are fine.
Why para and not a or por?
Here the meaning is "for/with the destination of," so para is the right preposition: comprar [algo] para [destino]. a is used for motion to a place or the seller with comprar [algo] a [alguém] ("buy from someone"). por/pelo would mean "through/by/for which reason," not the intended meaning.
Why is fecha in the present if we’re talking about a schedule?
Portuguese uses the simple present for timetables and habitual facts: O parque fecha às nove. You could also say O parque encerra às 21h; both are natural.
Should there be a comma before para o qual?
No. It’s a restrictive relative clause (it identifies which park), so no comma—same rule as in English.
What are more natural everyday ways to say this?

Common alternatives include:

  • O parque para o qual comprámos um passe anual fecha às nove. (adds the article)
  • Comprámos um passe anual para o parque; fecha às nove. (two sentences)
  • O parque para que comprámos um passe anual fecha às nove.
Does Portuguese use the present perfect like English “we’ve bought”?
Not usually. For a single completed action you use the simple past: comprámos. Temos comprado in Portuguese tends to mean a repeated/ongoing action ("we have been buying"), not "we’ve bought once."
Do I need the definite article with parque?
When you mean a specific park, yes: o parque. Without the article it sounds generic: Parques fecham cedo no inverno ("Parks close early in winter").
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