Depois do passeio, eu limpo a patinha da cadela com cuidado.

Because do is the normal contraction of de + o in Portuguese.

Here, depois is followed by de, and passeio is a masculine noun that normally takes the article o when you mean a specific or understood walk. So:

• de + o passeio → do passeio

This kind of contraction is very common and usually mandatory in standard Portuguese:

• de + a → da
• em + o → no
• a + a → à

So depois do passeio means after the walk / after the outing.

If you wanted a less specific idea, you could say depois de um passeio = after a walk.

Yes, it can often be omitted.

Portuguese is a pro-drop language, which means the verb ending often already tells you who the subject is. In this sentence, limpo already means I clean, so eu is not strictly necessary.

Both are possible:

• Depois do passeio, eu limpo a patinha da cadela com cuidado.
• Depois do passeio, limpo a patinha da cadela com cuidado.

Including eu can add:

• emphasis
• contrast
• clarity

For example, eu might be used if you want to stress that I do it, not someone else.

Here, limpo is a verb: I clean.

It comes from the verb limpar:

• eu limpo = I clean
• tu limpas
• ele/ela limpa

It is true that limpo can also be an adjective meaning clean or cleaned in some contexts:

• O chão está limpo. = The floor is clean.

But in your sentence, because it follows the subject eu and is part of the action, it is clearly the verb.

The sentence uses the present indicative because it describes a routine, habit, or general action.

So eu limpo can mean something like:

• I clean
• I usually clean
• I clean it after the walk

Portuguese often uses the simple present for regular actions, just like English.

If you wanted a one-time action in the past, you would use the preterite:

• Depois do passeio, limpei a patinha da cadela com cuidado.
  = After the walk, I cleaned the female dog’s paw carefully.

If you wanted to stress an action happening right now, European Portuguese often uses:

• Estou a limpar a patinha da cadela.
  = I am cleaning the female dog’s paw.

Patinha is the diminutive of pata.

• pata = paw
• patinha = little paw

But diminutives in Portuguese do not always mean literal small size. They can also express:

• affection
• tenderness
• softness
• emotional closeness

With pets, this is very common. So patinha often sounds more caring and affectionate than plain pata.

In this sentence, it gives the phrase a gentle, loving tone.

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

So Portuguese naturally says:

• limpo a patinha da cadela

where English is more likely to say:

• I clean the dog’s paw
• I clean her paw

This is very normal in Portuguese. The owner of the body part is understood from the rest of the sentence.

You also see this in many similar structures:

• Lavei as mãos. = I washed my hands.
• Ela fechou os olhos. = She closed her eyes.

So a patinha is perfectly natural here.

Cadela means female dog.

So:

• cão = dog, often the general word
• cadela = female dog

And da is the contraction of de + a:

• de + a cadela → da cadela

So a patinha da cadela literally means the paw of the female dog.

This wording makes the owner of the paw explicit.

A useful European Portuguese note:

• cão is the standard general word for dog
• cadela specifies that it is female
• cachorro in Portugal often means puppy, not just any dog

Yes, you could, but it changes the feel a little.

• a sua patinha = her paw / its paw
• a patinha da cadela = the female dog’s paw

Using da cadela is clearer and more explicit. Using sua can sometimes be ambiguous, because seu/sua may refer to different people or animals depending on context.

Also, Portuguese often prefers the more concrete structure with body part + owner, especially when you want to be very clear.

So in this sentence, a patinha da cadela sounds very natural.

Com cuidado means carefully or with care.

It is a very common and natural way to express manner in everyday Portuguese.

So:

• limpo a patinha da cadela com cuidado
  = I clean the female dog’s paw carefully / with care

You could also say cuidadosamente, but that usually sounds a bit more formal, more written, or less conversational.

Compare:

• com cuidado = very natural in speech
• cuidadosamente = correct, but more formal or stylistic

For everyday European Portuguese, com cuidado is an excellent choice.

Not completely. Portuguese word order is somewhat flexible, but the version you have is very natural and neutral.

Your sentence:

• Depois do passeio, eu limpo a patinha da cadela com cuidado.

Possible variations:

• Depois do passeio, limpo a patinha da cadela com cuidado.
• Eu limpo a patinha da cadela com cuidado depois do passeio.
• Depois do passeio, limpo com cuidado a patinha da cadela.

These are all understandable, but they may sound slightly different in rhythm or emphasis.

The original order is good because it presents the information clearly:

1. time: Depois do passeio
2. subject: eu
3. action: limpo
4. object: a patinha da cadela
5. manner: com cuidado

Because Depois do passeio is an introductory time expression.

In Portuguese, it is very common to separate an initial time phrase from the rest of the sentence with a comma:

• Depois do passeio, eu limpo...
• De manhã, tomo café.
• À noite, leio um pouco.

In short sentences, people do not always use this comma in informal writing, but here it is natural and standard.

So the comma helps mark the pause after the time setting.

A rough European Portuguese pronunciation would be something like:

duh-POYSH doo puh-SAI-yu, eh-u LEEM-pu uh puh-TEE-nyuh duh kuh-DEH-luh kõ koo-ee-DAH-doo

A few useful pronunciation points:

• depois: the final s sounds like sh in European Portuguese
• unstressed vowels are often reduced, so words may sound less open and clear than in spelling
• nh in patinha sounds like ny in canyon
• cadela has stress on de
• com is nasal: the vowel is nasalised, not fully pronounced like English com

A more technical IPA-style version is approximately:

[dɨˈpojʃ du pɐˈsɐju, ew ˈlĩpu ɐ pɐˈtiɲɐ dɐ kɐˈðelɐ kõ kujˈðadu]

You do not need to memorise the IPA, but it can help you notice how much European Portuguese reduces unstressed vowels.

Yes. That is a very natural alternative.

Compare:

• Depois do passeio = after the walk / after the outing
• Depois de passear = after going for a walk / after walking

Both are correct, but they are built differently:

• depois do passeio uses a noun: passeio
• depois de passear uses an infinitive verb: passear

The sentence with passeio may sound a bit more like referring to a specific routine event, while depois de passear focuses more directly on the action of walking.

Both work well in European Portuguese.