Breakdown of A banda é ótima, só que o barulho excede o limite.
ser
to be
o barulho
the noise
a banda
the band
ótimo
great, excellent
o limite
the limit
só que
but (except that) / only that
exceder
to exceed
Questions & Answers about A banda é ótima, só que o barulho excede o limite.
Why use só que here instead of just saying mas?
While both mean but, só que is a conversational connector widely used in spoken Portuguese to introduce a catch or a slight complication to what was just said. It perfectly sets up a positive statement and then introduces a specific problem or limitation.
Why is the verb excede in the indicative mood? Doesn't the word que often trigger the subjunctive?
While many expressions ending in que do trigger the subjunctive, só que is an exception because it introduces a factual statement rather than a doubt, wish, or emotion. Since it is a concrete fact that the noise exceeds the limit, it strictly requires the indicative mood excede.
Could we split this into two sentences and start the second one with Só que?
Is excede used for the exact same contexts as the English word exceed?
Yes, exceder is a true cognate. You can use it exactly as you would in English, both for measurable physical limits like noise, capacity, and speed, as well as abstract limits like exceeding someone's expectations.
Learn A banda é ótima, só que o barulho excede o limite 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