Breakdown of Ao caminharem na passadeira vermelha, as atrizes surpreendem por usarem vestidos feios.
em
in / on / at
feio
ugly
o vestido
the dress
usar
to use / to wear
por
through / by / for / because of
caminhar
to walk
vermelho
red
a atriz
the actress
ao
upon / when (doing something)
a passadeira
the carpet runner
surpreender
to surprise
Questions & Answers about Ao caminharem na passadeira vermelha, as atrizes surpreendem por usarem vestidos feios.
Why is usarem used instead of just usar after por?
This is the personal infinitive. We use por followed by an infinitive to express the cause of something. Since the action of wearing the dresses is done by the actresses (they), we conjugate the infinitive to the third-person plural form, which is usarem. It means "because they wear" or "for wearing".
Why does the sentence start with Ao caminharem?
The combination of ao plus an infinitive is a very common way to say "upon doing [something]" or "when doing [something]". Just like usarem, caminharem is in the personal infinitive form because it explicitly refers to the actresses (they).
Doesn't passadeira usually mean a pedestrian crosswalk?
It can! Passadeira generally refers to a surface you pass over. While it is the everyday word for a crosswalk, it is also the standard word for a runner rug or ceremonial carpet. Passadeira vermelha is the direct translation for the "red carpet" at celebrity events.
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