Breakdown of Nós precisamos de proteína, além de vitaminas.
nós
we
precisar de
to need
além de
besides
a proteína
the protein
a vitamina
the vitamin
Questions & Answers about Nós precisamos de proteína, além de vitaminas.
Why is it de proteína and not da proteína?
In Portuguese, when talking about a substance in general or an unspecified quantity, you drop the definite article. Since we mean protein in general rather than a specific protein, it stays as de proteína instead of da proteína (which is a contraction of de + a).
What does the phrase além de mean here?
além de means besides, in addition to, or as well as. It is used to add information, connecting protein and vitamins in this sentence. Notice that the preposition de is a built-in part of this phrase and must appear before the noun that follows.
Why do we need the preposition de right after precisamos?
The verb precisar (to need) requires the preposition de whenever it is followed by a noun, pronoun, or infinitive verb. Because of this rule, we literally say that we need of protein (precisamos de proteína).
Could we drop the pronoun Nós at the beginning of the sentence?
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