Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Estou cansado, pois deitei-me tarde.

Estou cansado, pois deitei-me tarde.

I am tired, for I went to bed late.

Breakdown of Estou cansado, pois deitei-me tarde.

cansado

tired

deitar-se

to go to bed, to lie down

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Questions & Answers about Estou cansado, pois deitei-me tarde.

Why use pois here instead of just saying porque?

Pois and porque are often interchangeable when giving a reason, meaning 'because', 'since', or 'for'. Pois sounds a bit more formal or written, much like using 'for' instead of 'because' in English. As a B1 learner, mixing in pois is a great way to add variety to your Portuguese!

Why is the verb reflexive here (deitei-me) instead of just deitei?

The verb deitar by itself means 'to lay [something] down' or 'to pour'. To mean 'to go to bed', you must use the reflexive form deitar-se (literally 'to lay oneself down'). The -me shows that you are both doing the action and receiving it.

Could I put the pronoun before the verb and say pois me deitei tarde?

In European Portuguese, no. The default rule in affirmative sentences is to attach the pronoun to the end of the verb with a hyphen. You only put the pronoun before the verb if a 'magnet' word (like a negative word or certain conjunctions) pulls it there. Pois does not act as a magnet here, so the pronoun stays at the end. (Note: placing the pronoun before the verb is common in Brazilian Portuguese, but sounds unnatural in Portugal).

If a woman is speaking, does any part of this sentence change?