Depois de lavar a loiça, eu guardo os pratos no armário.

Depois de means after. After this expression, Portuguese very often uses an infinitive:

• depois de lavar a loiça = after washing the dishes

This is especially natural when the person doing the action is the same as in the main clause. In this sentence, the person who washes the dishes is also the person who puts the plates away.

Portuguese can also make the subject explicit if needed, for example:

• depois de eu lavar a loiça

But in your sentence, the shorter version is the most natural.

Because lavar is in the infinitive, and the subject is understood from the rest of the sentence.

So:

• Depois de lavar a loiça, eu guardo...

naturally means:

• After washing the dishes, I put away...

Portuguese often leaves the subject unstated when it is clear from context.

Portuguese uses definite articles more often than English does.

Here, lavar a loiça is a very common expression meaning to wash the dishes. Even though English often says wash the dishes, learners sometimes expect Portuguese to behave differently with this kind of noun, but the article is completely normal.

Also, loiça here is a collective noun, so it refers to crockery or dishes in general, not just one item.

Loiça is a collective word for dishes, crockery, or tableware.

It does not just mean one plate. It refers to the set of things like:

• plates
• bowls
• cups
• saucers

So lavar a loiça is the normal way to say wash the dishes in European Portuguese.

Because this is European Portuguese.

In Portugal, loiça is the usual spelling. In Brazil, louça is much more common.

So:

• loiça = standard in Portugal
• louça = standard/common in Brazil

They refer to the same thing.

Yes, it can be omitted.

Portuguese often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is. Here, guardo already means I put away / I keep.

So both are possible:

• Depois de lavar a loiça, eu guardo os pratos no armário.
• Depois de lavar a loiça, guardo os pratos no armário.

Including eu can add:

• emphasis
• contrast
• extra clarity

Without special emphasis, omitting it is very common.

Guardo is the present indicative of guardar.

Here it is probably being used for a habitual or routine action:

• Depois de lavar a loiça, eu guardo os pratos no armário.
• Meaning: this is what I usually do

Portuguese, like English, often uses the present tense for habits and routines.

Again, Portuguese often uses definite articles where English may or may not use them.

In this sentence, os pratos sounds natural because the plates are understood as specific ones: the plates from the dishes that were just washed.

So os pratos means something like:

• the plates
• the plates in question
• those plates we already know about from context

No is a contraction:

• em + o = no

So:

• no armário = in the cupboard / in the cabinet

This is very common in Portuguese. Other similar contractions are:

• na = em + a
• nos = em + os
• nas = em + as

Also, armário can mean different kinds of storage furniture depending on context, such as:

• cupboard
• cabinet
• closet
• wardrobe

Here, cupboard or cabinet fits best.

Yes, but they are not exactly the same.

• loiça = dishes/crockery in general
• pratos = plates specifically

So the sentence first refers to the whole task:

• lavar a loiça = wash the dishes

Then it mentions one specific group of items being put away:

• os pratos = the plates

If you wanted to talk about putting away all the dishes in general, you could say:

• Depois de lavar a loiça, guardo a loiça no armário.

But that sounds a bit repetitive, so using os pratos makes the sentence more specific and natural.

Because Depois de lavar a loiça is an introductory time clause.

The comma helps separate that opening clause from the main clause:

• Depois de lavar a loiça, eu guardo os pratos no armário.

This is very natural in Portuguese writing.

You could also change the word order:

• Eu guardo os pratos no armário depois de lavar a loiça.

That is also correct, but the original version is very natural because it presents the actions in sequence: first washing, then putting away.