Word
O cão velho já não rói ossos.
Meaning
The old dog no longer gnaws bones.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about O cão velho já não rói ossos.
Why is já não placed before the verb here?
What verb is rói from, and why does it have an accent mark?
It comes from the verb roer (to gnaw or chew). Rói is the third-person singular present tense form (he/she/it gnaws). The acute accent is required to tell you to stress the "o" and pronounce it with an open sound. Without the accent, the normal pronunciation rules would make it sound completely different.
Could I say O velho cão instead of O cão velho?
You could, but it changes the meaning slightly. Placing the adjective after the noun (cão velho) is the standard way to describe a physical trait, meaning the dog is actually advanced in years. Placing it before the noun (velho cão) makes it more subjective or emotional, translating closer to "long-time dog" or "old companion."
Is there a pronunciation change when going from singular osso to plural ossos?