Breakdown of Levo aí os livros de ficção.
o livro
the book
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
levar
to take (somewhere)
aí
there (near you)
a ficção
the fiction
Questions & Answers about Levo aí os livros de ficção.
Why use levo instead of trago if I am taking the books to the person I am talking to?
In English, we often say 'I am bringing the books to you.' However, in Portuguese, trazer (to bring) is strictly for moving objects towards the speaker's current location (aqui). Because you are transporting the books away from where you currently are, you must use levar (to take), even if you are moving them to the listener's location.
Why use aí instead of lá or ali for 'there'?
Aí specifically refers to 'there where you are' (the listener's location). If you were taking the books to a third location away from both of you, you would use lá or ali. Pairing levar with aí clearly communicates that you are moving the objects to the listener's space.
The translation says 'I am taking', but levo is in the simple present tense. Why not use estou a levar?
While estou a levar literally means 'I am taking' right this second, the simple present (levo) is extremely common in Portuguese for stating an immediate intention or near-future plan. In this context, it functions much like 'I will take' or 'I am bringing them now' in English.
Why is it livros de ficção instead of just ficção livros?
English frequently puts nouns next to each other to act as adjectives (like 'fiction books' or 'coffee cup'). In Portuguese, you cannot stack nouns this way. You must link them with the preposition de to show that the second noun classifies or describes the first one.
Learn Levo aí os livros de ficção 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