Breakdown of Por outras palavras, proponho que cheguemos a um consenso.
um
a / an / some (all forms)
a
to / at (direction)
chegar
to arrive
que
that (conjunction)
por outras palavras
in other words
propor
to propose
o consenso
the consensus
Questions & Answers about Por outras palavras, proponho que cheguemos a um consenso.
Why do we say Por outras palavras instead of translating 'in' directly as em outras palavras?
In Portuguese, the preposition por is used in this fixed expression to convey expressing something 'by means of' other words. While you might hear em outras palavras in Brazil, European Portuguese strongly prefers por outras palavras to introduce a reformulation.
Why is the verb chegar conjugated in the subjunctive form cheguemos?
The verb propor (to propose) expresses a suggestion or an attempt to influence an outcome. When followed by que, it triggers the present subjunctive in the second half of the sentence because reaching a consensus is a desired goal, not yet an established fact.
AR verbs usually take an 'e' in the present subjunctive. Why is there a 'u' in cheguemos?
The infinitive is chegar. If we just added an 'e' to the root to make chegemos, the pronunciation of the 'g' would change to a soft 'j' sound. To preserve the original hard 'g' sound, Portuguese spelling rules require adding a 'u' before the 'e', making it cheguemos.
Why do we use the preposition a in cheguemos a um consenso instead of just translating 'reach a consensus' directly?
In English, 'reach' takes a direct object. However, the Portuguese equivalent used here is chegar (to arrive). Just as you arrive at a physical destination, in Portuguese you arrive to an abstract conclusion, which requires the preposition a.
Learn Por outras palavras, proponho que cheguemos a um consenso and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free