Temporal outcomes (ao fim de)

Temporal Outcomes with "ao fim de"

To indicate that a result occurs or an action concludes after a specific amount of time has elapsed, use the expression ao fim de (literally, "at the end of"). It is followed directly by a duration of time, such as minutes, hours, or days.

after (a period of time) / at the end of
ao fim de
The sculpture is ephemeral, so it melts after a few hours.
A escultura é efémera, por isso derrete ao fim de algumas horas.

You can place ao fim de at the beginning of a sentence to set the timeframe before introducing the outcome.

After three days of meticulous work, the master finished the piece.
Ao fim de três dias de trabalho meticuloso, o mestre acabou a obra.
After five hours of work, they finally admire the ice sculpture.
Ao fim de cinco horas de trabalho, eles finalmente admiram a escultura de gelo.

Because ephemeral art is designed to eventually fall apart (desfazer-se), this structure is perfect for specifying exactly how long a piece lasts before succumbing to the elements.

to fall apart
desfazer-se
I was going to admire the piece, but it fell apart after an hour.
Eu ia admirar a obra, mas ela desfez-se ao fim de uma hora.
The sandcastle falls apart after a few minutes, because of the tide.
O castelo de areia desfaz-se ao fim de alguns minutos, por causa da maré.
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