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Eu descasco as batatas antes de as cozer.

Eu descasco as batatas antes de as cozer.
I peel the potatoes before boiling them.
FromLesson 39inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Eu descasco as batatas antes de as cozer.

eu
I
de
of
antes
before
as
the
a batata
the potato
as
them
descascar
to peel
cozer
to boil

Questions & Answers about Eu descasco as batatas antes de as cozer.

What is the role of the word “as” in “antes de as cozer,” and why is it there?
It’s a clitic direct object pronoun meaning them, referring back to as batatas. Portuguese normally avoids repeating the full noun, so it uses a pronoun that agrees in gender and number: feminine plural (as) because of batatas. Without it, “antes de cozer” would just mean “before cooking” with no explicit object.
Why doesn’t “de as” contract to “das” here?

Because contraction happens with the definite article (de + as = das) but not with clitic pronouns. In “antes de as cozer,” as is a pronoun, not an article. Compare:

  • Article: antes das batatas = before the potatoes
  • Pronoun: antes de as cozer = before cooking them
Can I attach the pronoun to the verb instead (e.g., “antes de cozê-las”)?

Yes. In European Portuguese both are correct:

Enclisis after a preposition + infinitive is often considered the more formal or traditional choice. Proclisis is very common in contemporary European Portuguese.

Spelling note when attaching: verbs ending in -r, -s, or -z drop that final consonant and take -lo/-la/-los/-las, often with an accent to preserve stress:

  • cozer + as → cozê-las
  • fazer + o → fazê-lo
  • dizer + os → dizê-los
Could I just say “antes de cozer” and omit the pronoun?
You can, but it becomes vague (“before cooking” in general). If you want to keep “the potatoes” as the object without repeating the noun, include the pronoun (antes de as cozer or antes de cozê-las). Alternatively, you can repeat the noun for clarity: antes de cozer as batatas.
Why is it “as” and not “elas”?

As is the clitic direct object pronoun (unstressed, attaches to the verb or sits right before it). Elas is a stressed (tonic) pronoun used after prepositions as an object of the preposition, not as a direct object of the verb. Compare:

  • Direct object of the verb: antes de as cozer
  • Object of a preposition: antes de falar com elas
Is the subject pronoun “Eu” necessary?
No. Portuguese is a pro‑drop language, so you can (and usually do) omit subject pronouns when the verb ending makes the subject clear. Descasco as batatas antes de as cozer sounds perfectly natural.
Why “antes de” with an infinitive and not “antes que” with the subjunctive?

Use:

  • antes de + infinitive when the subject of both actions is the same: Eu descasco… antes de (eu) as cozer.
  • antes que + subjunctive when the subjects differ: Eu descasco as batatas antes que o Pedro as coza.
Could I use the personal infinitive, e.g., “antes de as cozermos”?

Yes. European Portuguese allows the personal infinitive to mark the subject of the infinitive:

  • Same subject, impersonal infinitive: antes de as cozer
  • Same subject, personal infinitive for emphasis/clarity: antes de as cozermos
  • Different subject: antes de eles as cozerem or antes que eles as cozam
What’s the difference between “cozer,” “cozinhar,” and “ferver”?
  • cozer (EP): to cook by heating; commonly “to boil” for things like potatoes; also “to bake” bread (cozer pão).
  • cozinhar: to cook (general term).
  • ferver: to boil (the liquid itself). You ferve água (boil water), but coze batatas (boil/cook potatoes).
Is “cozer” the one with Z and “coser” with S something else?

Correct.

  • cozer (with Z) = to cook/boil/bake (EP sense).
  • coser (with S) = to sew. They are pronounced the same in many accents, so the spelling matters a lot.
Why is the tense “descasco… cozer” present, not future?
Portuguese present tense covers habitual actions and scheduled/typical sequences, just like English: “I peel the potatoes before cooking them.” For a specific past event you’d say: Descasquei as batatas antes de as cozer.
Why do we say “as batatas” with the article? Could I drop it?
Portuguese uses definite articles more than English. As batatas typically refers to a specific batch (e.g., the potatoes you’re about to cook). You can say descasco batatas without the article, but that tends to sound generic (“I peel potatoes” as an activity).
Can I move the pronoun after the finite verb instead (e.g., “Eu descasco as batatas antes de cozer-las”)?
You can’t place it after the finite verb here; it belongs with the infinitive cozer. Also note the correct hyphenated form is cozê-las (with accent and dropping the final -r), not “cozer-las.”
How do I pronounce and stress the attached form “cozê-las”?
Stress stays on the same syllable as in cozer (the final syllable). The circumflex in cozê-las marks that preserved stress and vowel quality after dropping the final -r and adding -las.
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