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Eu corto as unhas ao domingo, mas hoje não quero pôr batom.

Eu corto as unhas ao domingo, mas hoje não quero pôr batom.
I cut my nails on Sundays, but today I don’t want to put on lipstick.
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Questions & Answers about Eu corto as unhas ao domingo, mas hoje não quero pôr batom.

Why is Eu included at the beginning? Is it necessary?

Not usually. In Portuguese, the verb ending often already shows who the subject is, so corto by itself already means I cut.

So:

  • Eu corto as unhas... = I cut my nails...
  • Corto as unhas... = also I cut my nails...

Including eu can add emphasis, contrast, or clarity, but in everyday Portuguese it is often omitted.

Why is it as unhas and not minhas unhas?

Portuguese often uses the definite article with body parts where English uses a possessive.

So:

  • corto as unhas = literally I cut the nails, but naturally it means I cut my nails

Using as minhas unhas is possible, but it is more emphatic or specific. In most normal situations, as unhas is enough.

This is very common in Portuguese:

  • Lavo as mãos = I wash my hands
  • Escovo os dentes = I brush my teeth
What does ao domingo mean exactly?

In European Portuguese, ao domingo usually means on Sundays or every Sunday.

It expresses a habitual action, not just one specific Sunday.

So:

  • Eu corto as unhas ao domingo = I cut my nails on Sundays / every Sunday

This is a very common European Portuguese pattern:

  • ao sábado = on Saturdays
  • à segunda-feira = on Mondays
  • à noite = at night
Why is it ao domingo and not no domingo?

They mean different things.

  • ao domingo = on Sundays / every Sunday → habitual, repeated action
  • no domingo = on Sunday → one specific Sunday

So in this sentence, ao domingo is used because the speaker is talking about a routine.

Compare:

  • Corto as unhas ao domingo. = I cut my nails on Sundays.
  • Cortei as unhas no domingo. = I cut my nails on Sunday.
What is ao made of?

Ao is a contraction of a + o.

  • a = a preposition
  • o = the masculine singular definite article the

So:

  • a + o = ao

This kind of contraction is very common in Portuguese:

  • a + a = à
  • de + o = do
  • em + o = no

In ao domingo, the word domingo is treated as masculine, so you get ao.

Why is the present tense corto used if the sentence talks about a routine?

Because the present tense in Portuguese, just like in English, can describe habitual actions.

So corto here means something like:

  • I cut
  • I usually cut
  • I cut regularly

The phrase ao domingo makes it clear that this is a repeated habit.

Why is there não quero pôr? Why use the infinitive pôr after quero?

After querer (to want), Portuguese normally uses an infinitive, just like English often uses to + verb.

So:

  • quero pôr = I want to put on
  • quero comer = I want to eat
  • quero sair = I want to go out

That is why the sentence says:

  • não quero pôr batom = I don’t want to put on lipstick
Why does pôr have a circumflex accent?

The accent distinguishes pôr (to put/place on) from por (by, through, for, depending on context).

So:

  • pôr = verb
  • por = preposition

This spelling difference helps avoid confusion.

Examples:

  • Vou pôr o livro na mesa. = I’m going to put the book on the table.
  • Foi feito por mim. = It was done by me.
Why is it pôr batom and not pôr o batom?

Both are possible, but they do not always mean exactly the same thing.

  • pôr batom = to put on lipstick, in a general sense
  • pôr o batom = to put on the lipstick, often a specific lipstick or a specific layer/application

In this sentence, pôr batom sounds natural because it refers to the general act of wearing lipstick, not necessarily one particular lipstick item.

This is similar to how Portuguese sometimes omits the article in expressions involving clothing, makeup, or general categories.

Is pôr batom especially European Portuguese?

Yes, it fits very well with European Portuguese. In Portugal, pôr is very common in everyday speech for put on.

For makeup, you may also hear:

  • pôr batom
  • usar batom = to wear/use lipstick

In Brazilian Portuguese, passar batom is also very common. A learner focusing on Portugal should definitely be comfortable with pôr batom.

Why is domingo not capitalized?

In Portuguese, days of the week are normally written with a lowercase letter.

So:

  • domingo
  • segunda-feira
  • terça-feira

This is different from English, where Sunday and Monday are capitalized.

What is the role of mas in the sentence?

Mas means but and connects two contrasting ideas:

  • Eu corto as unhas ao domingo = I cut my nails on Sundays
  • mas hoje não quero pôr batom = but today I don’t want to put on lipstick

So the sentence contrasts the usual routine or statement with how the speaker feels today.

Does hoje have to come where it appears in the sentence?

No, Portuguese allows some flexibility in word order, though some positions sound more natural than others.

These are all possible:

  • Mas hoje não quero pôr batom.
  • Mas não quero pôr batom hoje.
  • Mas hoje eu não quero pôr batom.

The version in the sentence is very natural. Putting hoje early helps highlight the contrast with the routine mentioned before.

Could the sentence be said without Eu and still sound natural?

Yes, very natural:

  • Corto as unhas ao domingo, mas hoje não quero pôr batom.

In fact, many native speakers would probably say it this way unless they wanted to stress I.

So:

  • Eu corto... = correct, slightly more explicit/emphatic
  • Corto... = equally correct, often more natural in context