Breakdown of Pois, mas a rececionista já chamou a senha dele.
mas
but
dele
his (forms: dela, deles, delas)
já
already
chamar
to call (summon)
pois
indeed / right
a senha
the queue ticket / the password (e.g. PIN)
a rececionista
the receptionist
Questions & Answers about Pois, mas a rececionista já chamou a senha dele.
Why start the sentence with Pois, mas...?
I thought senha meant 'password'. Why is it translated as 'queue ticket'?
In Portuguese, senha is used for a digital password, but it is also the word for a physical paper ticket with a number on it that you take to wait your turn (like at a bakery, pharmacy, or clinic). The verb chamou (called) gives away that this is a waiting room scenario.
Could I say a sua senha instead of a senha dele?
Grammatically, yes. However, sua can mean 'your', 'his', 'hers', or 'theirs'. Because of this ambiguity, Portuguese speakers usually prefer dele (his) or dela (her) placed right after the noun. It makes it instantly clear that the ticket belongs to a third person ('him'), not to the person you are talking to!
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