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Coloca os pratos na mesa.

Coloca os pratos na mesa.
Place the plates on the table.
From Lesson 272:Lá em casa (arranjar, avariado)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Coloca os pratos na mesa.

Why does this sentence use Coloca instead of Coloque for a command?
Coloca is the informal tu (you) affirmative command. In Portuguese, to tell a friend or family member to do something, you use the form that looks exactly like the present tense for ele or ela. If you were speaking formally to someone using você, you would say Coloque os pratos na mesa.
Could I use the verb pôr here instead?
Yes! Pôr (to put) is extremely common in everyday speech. You could say Põe os pratos na mesa and it would mean exactly the same thing. Colocar means 'to place' and is sometimes used as a slightly more formal alternative, but both are perfectly natural here.
Why do we use na instead of a specific word for 'on'?
The preposition em (which combines with a to make na) translates to 'in', 'on', or 'at' depending on the context. While you could technically say sobre a mesa (on top of the table), Portuguese speakers almost always use na mesa for things resting on a surface.
Is there a set phrase for 'setting the table' in Portuguese?
Yes, the standard idiom for 'to set the table' is pôr a mesa. The sentence here, Coloca os pratos na mesa, is a more literal instruction to specifically place the plates down, perhaps as one step of setting the table.

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