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O ladrão disparou duas vezes.

O ladrão disparou duas vezes.
The thief fired twice.
From Lesson 233:Nas notícias (a vítima, a esquadra)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O ladrão disparou duas vezes.

Is there a single word for "twice" in Portuguese?
No, Portuguese doesn't have direct single-word equivalents for "once" or "twice". You always express this concept by combining the number with the word vez (time/instance). So, "once" is uma vez and "twice" is duas vezes.
Why is it duas vezes instead of dois vezes?
In Portuguese, the numbers one (um/uma) and two (dois/duas) change to match the gender of the noun they are counting. The word vez is a feminine noun, so you must use the feminine number duas.
Could I use atirou instead of disparou here?
Yes, atirou (from the verb atirar) is very common and also means "shot" or "fired". However, atirar can also mean "to throw", whereas disparar specifically means to discharge a weapon or trigger a mechanism. In this context, both work perfectly.
How would you say "the thieves" if there were more than one?
The plural of o ladrão is os ladrões. Words ending in -ão can be a bit unpredictable in the plural, but changing to -ões is the most common pattern. (Note: If the thief were female, the word would be a ladra, and the plural as ladras).

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