Antes que a parede seque, não toques no rodapé e traz a fita adesiva.

Because antes que normally triggers the subjunctive in Portuguese.

In this sentence, seque is the present subjunctive of secar (to dry). Portuguese uses the subjunctive after expressions like antes que, para que, embora, and others when the action is seen as not yet completed, uncertain, expected, or dependent on another action.

So:

• Antes que a parede seque = before the wall dries
• not before the wall dries as a plain factual statement, but before that happens

This is very natural Portuguese grammar.

Seque is the 3rd person singular present subjunctive of secar.

The verb forms here are:

• secar = to dry
• (ele/ela) seca = he/she/it dries — present indicative
• (que ele/ela) seque = that he/she/it dry — present subjunctive

Since a parede is singular and feminine, it takes the equivalent of it, so seque matches a parede.

Because Portuguese forms negative and affirmative commands differently.

Here the speaker is talking to tu (informal singular you in European Portuguese).

Negative command

For tu, the negative imperative uses the present subjunctive:

• não toques = don’t touch

Affirmative command

For tu, the affirmative imperative usually has its own form, often based on the indicative:

• traz = bring

So the contrast is completely normal:

• não toques
• traz

This is one of the most important command patterns in Portuguese.

Yes. Não toques shows that the speaker is addressing one person informally using tu.

Some clues:

• não toques = negative command for tu
• traz = affirmative command for tu

If the speaker were using você instead, the sentence would be different, for example:

• não toque
• traga

That would sound more formal or would fit varieties where você is the normal singular you.

Because no is a contraction of em + o.

• em o → no

Here, tocar em is the relevant structure when it means to touch something physically:

• tocar no rodapé = touch the skirting board / baseboard

So não toques no rodapé literally works like don’t touch the baseboard.

This is very common in Portuguese:

• na parede = em a parede
• no chão = em o chão
• na porta = em a porta

Here, rodapé means the skirting board or baseboard — the strip along the bottom of a wall.

That is the everyday physical meaning in this context.

Be aware that rodapé can also mean footer in documents, books, or webpages, so the word has more than one use. But in a sentence about a wall drying, it clearly means the part of the wall near the floor.

It is a noun phrase:

• fita = tape / ribbon / strip
• adesiva = adhesive / sticky

So fita adesiva means adhesive tape.

Depending on context, in English you might say:

• tape
• sticky tape
• masking tape

Since the sentence mentions a wall drying, the context could suggest painting or repair work, so masking tape might be the most natural practical interpretation, but the Portuguese phrase itself is broader.

It is irregular.

The verb trazer (to bring) has an irregular tu affirmative imperative:

• traz tu

That is why the sentence says traz a fita adesiva.

A few related forms:

• trazes = you bring (present indicative, tu)
• traz = bring! (affirmative imperative, tu)
• não tragas = don’t bring (negative imperative, tu)

So yes, this verb is one learners usually have to memorize.

Yes, that is also possible.

Portuguese often allows two patterns here:

• Antes que a parede seque
• Antes de a parede secar

Both mean essentially the same thing.

A useful way to think about it:

• antes que + subjunctive = a very standard structure, often a little more explicit
• antes de + infinitive = also very common

With an expressed subject like a parede, European Portuguese often accepts antes de a parede secar naturally.

So the sentence you were given is correct, but it is not the only possible way to express the idea.

Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause:

• Antes que a parede seque, ...

That opening clause sets the time condition, and the comma separates it from the main clause containing the commands:

• não toques no rodapé
• e traz a fita adesiva

This is similar to English punctuation in sentences like:

• Before the wall dries, don’t touch the baseboard...

Yes, mainly because of the use of tu command forms like:

• não toques
• traz

In European Portuguese, tu is very common in everyday speech, so this sounds natural.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the equivalent would often use você-style commands in standard language, such as:

• não toque
• traga

So the original sentence strongly fits Portugal Portuguese usage.

Not in natural English, but that is a helpful way to see the grammar.

Portuguese often uses prepositions where English does not. With tocar in the sense of touch, Portuguese commonly uses em:

• tocar em algo = touch something

So:

• não toques no rodapé
• literally: don’t touch on/in the baseboard
• natural English: don’t touch the baseboard

This is a good example of why direct word-for-word translation can be misleading.

Yes.

All the verb forms fit the same structure:

• a parede seque → the wall (it) in the subjunctive
• não toques → command to tu
• traz → command to tu

So the sentence is internally consistent:

1. one clause about what must happen first
2. two commands directed at one informal singular person

That consistency is one reason the sentence sounds well-formed in European Portuguese.