Breakdown of O homem mede o tecido rápida e exatamente com a fita métrica.
e
and
o homem
the man
com
with
rápido
fast
medir
to measure
exato
exact
o tecido
the fabric
a fita métrica
the tape measure
Questions & Answers about O homem mede o tecido rápida e exatamente com a fita métrica.
Why does the sentence say rápida instead of rapidamente?
When two or more adverbs ending in -mente are joined by a conjunction like e (and) or ou (or), we drop the -mente suffix from all of them except the very last one. This avoids repetitive, clunky sentences. So, instead of saying rapidamente e exatamente, we combine them into rápida e exatamente.
Why does rápida end with an -a here? Does it agree with the fabric or the man?
It doesn't agree with any noun in the sentence! When an adverb drops its -mente ending, it takes the form of the feminine singular adjective. This is because all -mente adverbs in Portuguese are built by adding the suffix to the feminine singular form of the adjective (for example, rápido becomes rápida, then rapidamente). When you drop the suffix for coordination, that feminine base is left behind.
Could I put the adverbs at the very end of the sentence, after com a fita métrica?
It is technically possible, but it sounds much less natural. Adverbs of manner like rápida e exatamente usually sit right next to the verb they modify or immediately after the direct object (o tecido). Putting a prepositional phrase like com a fita métrica between the object and the adverbs makes the flow of the sentence feel disjointed.
Why does the vowel sound in mede change so much compared to its infinitive medir?
Medir (to measure) undergoes a vowel shift in the present tense. In the infinitive, the first e is an unstressed, reduced vowel. But in the third-person singular mede, that syllable becomes stressed, and the e opens up to sound similar to the 'e' in the English word 'pet' (an open vowel sound).
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