Acquired States with "ficar a"
In European Portuguese, the verb ficar (to stay / to become) is frequently combined with a + infinitive to express entering a new state, ending up in a specific situation, or continuing an action. We will look at this structure through the tense atmosphere of a corporate financial audit.
When combined with verbs of cognition, this structure expresses coming to a realization or understanding something newly uncovered.
| After the audit, we came to understand the fraud. | Depois da auditoria, ficámos a perceber a fraude. |
It is also used to describe someone who physically stays behind to perform an ongoing action, or who is left in a continuous state of doing something.
| The strict auditor stayed analyzing the accounting. | O auditor rigoroso ficou a analisar a contabilidade. |
| Both auditors were left thinking about the embezzlement. | Ambos os auditores ficaram a pensar no desfalque. |
With other action verbs, ficar a often translates to "ending up" in a certain position or situation as a consequence of earlier events.
| Despite the care, they ended up losing out from the fraud. | Apesar do cuidado, eles ficaram a perder com a fraude. |
One of the most common applications of this periphrasis is the fixed expression ficar a saber, which translates perfectly to "to find out" or "to come to know."
| The boss found out about the irregularity in the balance sheet. | O chefe ficou a saber da irregularidade no balanço. |
| The director tried to conceal the embezzlement, but we found out. | O diretor tentou ocultar o desfalque, mas ficámos a saber. |