Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): No consulado, o funcionário explica‑lhe que o visto de estudante demora algumas semanas. - At the consulate, the clerk explains to her that the student visa takes a few weeks.

em + o = no → no consulado = at the consulate
Without the article, em consulado is normally incorrect here; in Portuguese you usually need the article with specific places:
- no hospital = at the hospital
- na escola = at school
- no consulado = at the consulate

So no consulado literally means in the consulate, but it’s usually translated as at the consulate in English.

Why is there a comma after No consulado?

The comma marks a fronted location phrase.

Portuguese often puts time/place expressions at the beginning for emphasis or clarity, and then separates them with a comma:

No consulado, o funcionário explica‑lhe… = At the consulate, the clerk explains to you…
You could also say: O funcionário explica‑lhe, no consulado, que… (less neutral, more marked).

So the comma just separates the introductory phrase No consulado from the main clause.

Why do we say o funcionário and not just funcionário or um funcionário?

Portuguese uses definite articles (o, a, os, as) more than English.

o funcionário = the clerk/official (a specific person in the situation)
um funcionário = a clerk/official (some unspecified clerk)

In this sentence, we are talking about a particular clerk in the consulate, not just any random clerk, so o funcionário is natural.

You normally cannot drop the article the way you can in English; ∅ funcionário explica‑lhe… is wrong in standard Portuguese.

What exactly does lhe mean in explica‑lhe, and who does it refer to?

Lhe is an indirect object pronoun meaning to him / to her / to you (formal), depending on context.

Here, context suggests:

lhe = to you (formal, singular), because we’re in a consular/official setting.

So:

o funcionário explica‑lhe = the clerk explains to you

If the context were different, it could also mean explains to him or explains to her. Portuguese relies on context here.

Why is lhe attached to the verb with a hyphen (explica‑lhe) instead of written separately, like ele lhe explica?

In European Portuguese, object pronouns usually attach to the verb in affirmative main clauses. This is called enclisis:

Ele explica‑lhe… (EP – preferred)
Ele lhe explica… (BP – common in Brazil; sounds unusual/marked in Portugal)

The hyphen is mandatory when the pronoun is attached:

explicar + lhe → explicar‑lhe
dar + lhe → dar‑lhe

So explica‑lhe is the normal European Portuguese word order here.

When should I use lhe instead of te or você?

They are different kinds of words and belong to different levels of formality:

te: informal indirect object pronoun, to you (singular, familiar)
- Ele explica‑te o processo. = He explains the process to you (informal you).
lhe: more formal or neutral indirect object pronoun
- Ele explica‑lhe o processo. = He explains the process to you (formal) / to him / to her.
você: a subject pronoun (like you), not an object pronoun
- Ele explica a você o processo. (BP)
- In European Portuguese, você is used but feels distant or sometimes impolite; in official contexts, lhe or o senhor / a senhora are preferred.

In a consulate, speaking to an applicant, lhe fits the formal register.

Why is it explica‑lhe and not lhe explica in European Portuguese?

Because in European Portuguese, the default in simple affirmative clauses is:

verb + attached pronoun (enclisis): explica‑lhe

You only move the pronoun before the verb (proclisis, lhe explica) when there is a “trigger” word before the verb, such as:

Negation: Não lhe explica
Certain adverbs: Já lhe explica
Some conjunctions and relative pronouns: que lhe explica, quem lhe explica, etc.

Since the sentence is a straightforward affirmative clause (o funcionário explica‑lhe…) with no trigger, enclisis (after the verb) is standard in Portugal.

What is the function of que in explica‑lhe que o visto de estudante demora algumas semanas?

Que here is a conjunction meaning that, introducing a subordinate clause:

Main clause: o funcionário explica‑lhe = the clerk explains to you
Subordinate clause: que o visto de estudante demora algumas semanas = that the student visa takes a few weeks

So que is just linking the explanation content, exactly like English that in explains to you that…. It can’t be omitted in Portuguese the way English sometimes omits that.

Why is demora in the present tense if the visa will only be ready in the future?

Portuguese uses the present tense for:

General facts / typical duration
Timetables, schedules, standard procedures

Here, o visto de estudante demora algumas semanas expresses a general rule: a student visa (typically) takes a few weeks.

English often does the same: The visa takes a few weeks (present) even though it describes a future waiting time. You could say, for a specific case:

o visto de estudante vai demorar algumas semanas = the student visa is going to take a few weeks

But the simple present demora sounds more like a routine fact.

Why is it algumas semanas and not alguns semanas?

Because algum / alguma / alguns / algumas must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

semana is feminine singular → alguma semana
semanas is feminine plural → algumas semanas

Examples:

alguns dias (masculine plural)
algumas horas (feminine plural)

So algumas semanas (a few/some weeks) is correct; alguns semanas would be wrong.

Why do we say o visto de estudante and not something like um visto de estudante or just visto de estudante?

Again, this is the definite article pattern in Portuguese:

o visto de estudante = the student visa (a specific visa being discussed)
um visto de estudante = a student visa (any student visa, not a specific one)

In the consulate context, the clerk and the applicant are talking about your particular visa application, so o visto de estudante (definite) is more natural.

You normally cannot drop the article: ∅ visto de estudante demora… is not standard here.

What does de express in visto de estudante? Is it always translated with of in English?

In visto de estudante, de shows a relationship/type, similar to English student visa or visa for students.

Portuguese uses de widely:

bilhete de comboio = train ticket
carta de condução = driving licence
visto de estudante = student visa

In English, we often use a noun–noun compound (student visa), not of, so the best translation is student visa, not visa of student. The underlying idea, though, is “visa of the type for students.”

Could we say vai demorar instead of demora? What would change?

Yes, you could say:

…que o visto de estudante vai demorar algumas semanas.

Difference in nuance:

demora = more general; “a student visa (typically) takes a few weeks.”
vai demorar = more specific to this case; “this particular visa is going to take a few weeks.”

Both are grammatically correct; context will decide which sounds more natural. In written, general explanations about procedure, demora is very common.

Would a Brazilian speaker say this sentence differently?

Yes, mainly in pronoun placement and some word choices:

European Portuguese (EP):
- No consulado, o funcionário explica‑lhe que o visto de estudante demora algumas semanas.
A natural Brazilian Portuguese (BP) version might be:
- No consulado, o funcionário lhe explica que o visto de estudante demora algumas semanas.

Key differences:

EP prefers enclisis: explica‑lhe
BP commonly uses proclisis without a trigger word: lhe explica

Vocabulary and structure are otherwise fine in both varieties, though Brazilians might also choose different words (e.g. funcionário do consulado, visto de estudante is still fine).