Question 1

Why is the verb spelled sentámo instead of sentámos before the hyphen?

Accepted Answer

Because we are attaching the pronoun -nos to the end of the verb. When a verb form ends in an "s" (like the "we" form sentámos) and you attach -nos, you must drop the final "s" of the verb to make it flow better. So, sentámos + nos becomes sentámo-nos.

Question 2

Why is there an accent mark on the "a" in sentámo-nos?

Accepted Answer

In Portugal, the past tense "we" form of "-ar" verbs gets an acute accent (sentámos) to tell it apart from the present tense (sentamos), which is pronounced with a more closed "a" sound. Even though we dropped the final "s" to add the pronoun, we keep that accent mark to show it happened in the past: "we sat".

Question 3

Do I really need the -nos here, or could I just say Sentámos na sala...?

Accepted Answer

You need it! In Portuguese, the verb for "to sit down" is reflexive: sentar-se (literally "to sit oneself"). If you just say sentámos, a Portuguese speaker will expect to hear what or who you seated, such as a child. To say you took a seat yourself, you must use the reflexive pronoun.

Question 4

Why is "waiting room" translated using de espera instead of a verb form like "esperando"?

Accepted Answer

English often uses "-ing" words as adjectives (like "waiting" in "waiting room"). Portuguese usually connects a noun to an action or purpose using de. Here, it literally translates to "room of wait" (espera is the noun form of waiting). You will see this pattern often, like in sala de jantar (dining room).

Sentámo-nos na sala de espera.

Breakdown of Sentámo-nos na sala de espera.

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