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Eu ia estudar, mas desperdiço sempre tempo na plataforma.

Eu ia estudar, mas desperdiço sempre tempo na plataforma.
I was going to study, but I always waste time on the platform.
From Lesson 291:Unfulfilled intentions (ia + infinitive)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Eu ia estudar, mas desperdiço sempre tempo na plataforma.

How does ia estudar express an "unfulfilled past intention"?
By combining the imperfect tense of ir (which is ia for the eu form, meaning "I was going") with the infinitive estudar. This structure is the standard way to say you planned or intended to do something in the past, but it strongly implies that the action didn't actually happen.
Why does the sentence switch from a past tense (ia) to a present tense (desperdiço)?
Eu ia estudar is in the past because it refers to a specific plan you had earlier. Desperdiço is in the present because it describes an ongoing, general habit. You are using a current, everyday truth ("I always waste time") to explain why your past plan failed!
In English we say "I always waste", but here it's desperdiço sempre. Does sempre always go after the verb?
Yes, in affirmative sentences, adverbs of frequency like sempre (always) usually come immediately after the conjugated verb. It's a common trap for English speakers to try and put it before the verb.
Why does the verb desperdiço use a cedilla (ç) here?
The infinitive is desperdiçar. To keep that soft "s" sound when conjugated in the eu form (which ends in -o), you must use the cedilla. If it were spelled desperdico, the "c" before the "o" would make a hard "k" sound.

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