Breakdown of Os membros ficaram de ler este excerto hoje.
hoje
today
este
this (este, esta, estes, estas)
ler
to read
o membro
the member
ficar de
to agree to (do something)
o excerto
the excerpt
Questions & Answers about Os membros ficaram de ler este excerto hoje.
Wait, doesn't ficar usually mean 'to stay' or 'to become'?
It does! However, when you use the structure ficar de followed by an infinitive verb (like ler), it creates a specific phrase meaning 'to agree to' or 'to commit to' doing something.
Since they are reading it today (hoje), why is the verb in the past tense (ficaram)?
Could I say ficaram a ler instead of ficaram de ler?
That would completely change the meaning! Ficar a followed by an infinitive means 'to stay doing something' (for example, they stayed behind reading). Ficar de followed by an infinitive means they made an agreement or promise to read it later.
Why use este excerto instead of esse excerto?
Este is used for something physically close to the speaker or current in time. In this sentence, the speaker likely has the text right in front of them or is sharing it directly with the group, making este the most natural choice.
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