Breakdown of O gerente tem assuntos intermináveis a discutir.
ter
to have
a
to / at (direction)
discutir
to discuss
o gerente
the manager
interminável
endless
o assunto
the matter
Questions & Answers about O gerente tem assuntos intermináveis a discutir.
Why do we use a discutir instead of just para discutir or the bare infinitive discutir?
In Portuguese, when an infinitive describes a noun (telling us what needs to be done with those assuntos), you must use a preposition. While para discutir is also grammatically correct and means the same thing, using a + infinitive is extremely common and natural in Portugal to express something that is yet to be done or waiting to be done. You cannot use the bare infinitive discutir directly after a noun.
Why does intermináveis end in -éis?
Adjectives must agree in number with the nouns they describe, which is assuntos (plural) here. The singular form of this adjective is interminável. In Portuguese, words ending in -el form their plural by dropping the -l and adding -is, which gives us intermináveis. The accent is added to keep the stress on the correct syllable.
Could I put the adjective before the noun, like tem intermináveis assuntos?
You could, but it would change the tone. In everyday Portuguese, adjectives typically come directly after the noun. Placing an adjective like intermináveis before the noun makes it sound more poetic, dramatic, or subjective. For standard communication, assuntos intermináveis is the most natural choice.
Is assuntos the right word for school subjects too?
No, assuntos refers to matters, topics, or issues in a conversation or meeting. If you are talking about school subjects like math or geography, you should use the word disciplinas.
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