Breakdown of Podes usar o spa, desde que tragas os chinelos.
poder
can / may (verb)
usar
to use / to wear
trazer
to bring
o
him/it (m)
o spa
the spa
desde que
provided that
o chinelo
the flip-flop
Questions & Answers about Podes usar o spa, desde que tragas os chinelos.
Why do we use tragas here instead of the regular present tense trazes?
The phrase desde que (provided that / as long as) sets up a strict condition for the first part of the sentence to happen. In Portuguese, this specific conditional phrase always triggers the subjunctive mood. Because of this rule, we must use the present subjunctive form tragas.
How is the subjunctive form tragas created?
It comes from the irregular verb trazer (to bring). To form the present subjunctive, you usually start with the normal present tense "eu" form, which is trago (I bring). You drop the -o and add the opposite vowel endings. Since trazer is an -er verb, it takes -a endings in the subjunctive, giving us tragas for "tu" (you).
Could I just say se (if) instead of desde que?
You can, but it changes the grammar! While desde que requires the present subjunctive (desde que tragas), the word se (if) referring to a future possibility requires the future subjunctive. So, if you used se, the sentence would have to be: Podes usar o spa, se trouxeres os chinelos.
Doesn't the word chinelos mean slippers?
Yes, but it means both slippers and flip-flops! In Portugal, chinelos is the general word for this type of open footwear. If you need to be specific, you can say chinelos de quarto for fluffy indoor slippers, and chinelos de dedo or chinelos de praia for rubber flip-flops. At a spa, it's understood you mean flip-flops.
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