Questions & Answers about Ela escreve-me de vez em quando.
Why is it escreve-me with a hyphen instead of me escreve?
In European Portuguese, object pronouns like me naturally attach to the end of the verb with a hyphen in simple, affirmative sentences. You might hear me escreve in Brazilian Portuguese, but in Portugal, placing the pronoun after the verb is the standard rule unless a specific trigger word (like a negative word) pulls it to the front.
Does the phrase de vez em quando literally translate to 'from time to time'?
Pretty much! The word vez means a time or instance (as in 'one time' or 'another time'), and quando means 'when'. So literally it translates to 'from time in when', but it is the standard, everyday expression for 'from time to time' or 'every now and then'.
Could I use às vezes instead of de vez em quando here?
Yes, you could absolutely say Ela escreve-me às vezes. Both phrases express that something happens occasionally. However, de vez em quando often implies a slightly wider or more irregular gap between the events, much like the subtle difference in English between 'sometimes' (às vezes) and 'from time to time' (de vez em quando).
Why don't we need a word for 'to' before me?
The pronoun me already includes the meaning of 'to me' when used as an indirect object. The verb escrever (to write) involves writing something to someone. The tiny word me does the job of showing who is receiving the action, so you do not need an extra preposition like a (to).
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