Depois do jantar, eu levo a lata vazia ao caixote da reciclagem.

Because de + o contracts to do in Portuguese.

So:

• de o jantar → do jantar

This is extremely common in Portuguese. Some other contractions are:

• de + a → da
• de + os → dos
• de + as → das

In this sentence, depois do jantar means after dinner.

Yes, you usually can omit eu.

Portuguese often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the subject:

• levo = I take / I bring

So both are natural:

• Depois do jantar, eu levo a lata vazia ao caixote da reciclagem.
• Depois do jantar, levo a lata vazia ao caixote da reciclagem.

Including eu can add:

• emphasis
• contrast
• clarity

For example, if you want to stress I do it, not someone else, eu makes that clearer.

In Portuguese, the present tense is often used for:

• habitual actions
• routines
• things that generally happen

So eu levo here can mean something like:

• I take
• I usually take
• I take it after dinner

If you wanted to make the future idea more explicit, you could say:

• vou levar = I’m going to take
• levarei = I will take (more formal or literary in many contexts)

But for everyday routine actions, the simple present is very natural.

Portuguese uses definite articles more often than English.

Here:

• a lata = the can
• vazia = empty

So a lata vazia literally looks like the empty can, even where English might just say the empty can or sometimes phrase things more loosely depending on context.

In Portuguese, using the article here sounds normal and expected.

Because adjectives often come after the noun in Portuguese.

So:

• lata vazia = empty can
• literally: can empty

This is one of the most common word-order differences from English.

Some adjectives can come before the noun, but that often changes the tone, emphasis, or meaning. In this sentence, lata vazia is the standard, natural order.

Because adjectives must agree with the noun in gender and number.

• lata is feminine singular
• so the adjective must also be feminine singular: vazia

Compare:

• o copo vazio = the empty glass
• a lata vazia = the empty can
• as latas vazias = the empty cans

This agreement is a very important part of Portuguese grammar.

Because a + o contracts to ao.

So:

• a o caixote → ao caixote

This happens because the verb levar often takes a when you say where something is taken:

• levar algo a algum lugar = to take something to some place

Other common contractions are:

• a + a → à
• a + os → aos
• a + as → às

So ao caixote means to the bin.

In Portugal Portuguese, caixote commonly means a bin, container, or sometimes a large box-like receptacle depending on context.

In this sentence, caixote da reciclagem means the recycling bin.

A few related words you may also hear in Portugal are:

• caixote do lixo = rubbish bin / trash bin
• contentor = container, often a larger public bin
• ecoponto = a public recycling container/station, very common in Portugal

So caixote da reciclagem is perfectly understandable, but in real life people might also say ecoponto depending on the situation.

Both patterns can exist in Portuguese, but here da reciclagem is very natural because it means something like the bin of recycling or the recycling bin.

Grammatically:

• de + a = da

So:

• da reciclagem = of the recycling

This structure is common when one noun is defined by another noun.

That said, in some contexts you may also hear expressions like:

• caixote de reciclagem
• contentor de reciclagem

These can also be natural. The version in your sentence is completely idiomatic.

Yes, you may hear both, but they are not always felt in exactly the same way.

• depois do jantar = after the dinner / after dinner
• depois de jantar = after having dinner / after dinner

In everyday Portuguese, depois do jantar is very common and sounds very natural.

A rough way to think about it is:

• depois do jantar focuses more on the meal/event
• depois de jantar can feel a bit more like after eating dinner

Both can be correct depending on context, but the sentence you have is completely standard.

Yes, levar is a very natural choice.

• levar = to take / carry
• pôr = to put
• deitar fora = to throw away

The sentence focuses on the action of taking the empty can to the recycling bin, so levar works well.

Other possible ways to express similar ideas would be:

• Depois do jantar, ponho a lata vazia no caixote da reciclagem.
  = I put the empty can in the recycling bin.

• Depois do jantar, deito a lata vazia na reciclagem.
  = I throw the empty can into recycling.

These are slightly different in focus, but all can be natural in the right context.

Because the sentence is describing movement toward the bin, not the final location inside it.

• ao caixote = to the bin
• no caixote = in the bin

With levar, Portuguese often uses the destination with a:

• levar algo ao sítio X = take something to place X

If you changed the verb, no caixote could become more likely:

• ponho a lata no caixote = I put the can in the bin

So the choice depends on the verb and on whether the focus is toward the place or inside the place.

Yes. Portuguese word order is fairly flexible, especially with time expressions.

Your sentence:

• Depois do jantar, eu levo a lata vazia ao caixote da reciclagem.

Other natural possibilities include:

• Depois do jantar, levo a lata vazia ao caixote da reciclagem.
• Eu levo a lata vazia ao caixote da reciclagem depois do jantar.

The version with Depois do jantar at the beginning sounds very natural because it sets the time first.

In European Portuguese, caixote is roughly pronounced like:

• kai-SHOH-tuh

A few pronunciation notes:

• x here sounds like sh
• the stressed syllable is xó
• the final e in European Portuguese is often a reduced sound, something like uh

So caixote sounds quite different from how an English speaker might guess from the spelling.

Often yes, especially in everyday contexts like recycling.

Common meanings of lata include:

• a tin
• a can
• a metal container

So in this sentence, lata vazia is naturally understood as an empty can, such as a drinks can or food tin.

Just be aware that context matters. Like many nouns, lata can have different nuances depending on the situation.

Yes, it fits European Portuguese very well, especially because of caixote da reciclagem.

A Brazilian Portuguese speaker would understand it, but in Brazil different words are often more common, for example:

• lixeira de reciclagem
• cesto de reciclagem

Also, pronunciation and some everyday vocabulary differ between Portugal and Brazil.

So for a learner focusing on Portugal Portuguese, this sentence sounds appropriate and natural.