Breakdown of Oxalá aquele mal-entendido não tivesse criado tanta frieza entre nós.
não
not / no
nós
we
ter
to have
aquele
that over there (aquele, aquela, aqueles, aquelas)
criar
to create
entre
between, among
tanto
so much, as much (tanto, tanta, tantos, tantas)
oxalá
hopefully
o mal-entendido
the misunderstanding
a frieza
the coldness
Questions & Answers about Oxalá aquele mal-entendido não tivesse criado tanta frieza entre nós.
Why does Oxalá translate to "I wish" here instead of its usual meaning of "Hopefully"?
The meaning of Oxalá shifts depending on the verb tense that follows it. When paired with the present subjunctive, it expresses a hopeful wish for the future. But in this sentence, it is followed by the past perfect subjunctive (tivesse criado). This specific combination expresses a strong regret about an unchangeable past event, translating best to "If only..." or "I wish...".
Could I replace Oxalá with Quem me dera to express the exact same regret?
Yes, you could say Quem me dera que aquele mal-entendido... and it would mean the exact same thing. The main difference is grammatical: Quem me dera requires the conjunction que right after it, whereas Oxalá connects directly to the subject (aquele mal-entendido). Quem me dera is also slightly more conversational and personal.
Is there a difference in nuance between a mal-entendido and a desentendimento?
Both translate to "misunderstanding," but they have slightly different tones. A mal-entendido literally means something was "badly understood," usually implying an innocent communication mix-up like crossed wires. A desentendimento is often a bit heavier and implies an actual disagreement, argument, or falling out.
Why does the preposition entre just take the standard pronoun nós?
Unlike the first-person singular, which changes to a special prepositional form (using mim instead of eu after prepositions), the first-person plural pronoun nós never changes form. It stays exactly the same whether it acts as the subject of the sentence or follows a preposition like entre, para, or de.
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