Breakdown of O consumismo mostra um estilo de vida superficial.
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
um
a / an / some (all forms)
mostrar
to show
a vida
the life
Questions & Answers about O consumismo mostra um estilo de vida superficial.
Since this lesson is about substantivated infinitives, could we use o consumir instead of o consumismo here?
They actually mean different things, so they are not interchangeable here! A substantivated infinitive like o consumir refers to the literal action itself (the act of consuming). O consumismo, however, uses the -ismo suffix to refer to the ideology or cultural habit of consumerism. Because the sentence discusses a lifestyle, the broader cultural concept of o consumismo is the correct choice.
Why is there an O before consumismo when the English translation just says Consumerism?
This is a great refresher on a rule that often trips up English speakers: in Portuguese, abstract nouns and broad concepts generally require a definite article (o, a, os, as), especially when acting as the subject of a sentence. English drops the article for sweeping concepts like consumerism, science, or love, but Portuguese keeps it.
Why is superficial placed after vida rather than immediately after estilo?