Breakdown of Não ando a borrifar a fragrância, aliás, o frasco está cheio.
não
not / no
estar
to be (temporary / location)
andar
to walk
cheio
full
Questions & Answers about Não ando a borrifar a fragrância, aliás, o frasco está cheio.
How exactly is aliás functioning here? Is it correcting what was just said, or adding to it?
Here, aliás is used for emphatic addition rather than a strict correction. It translates well to "in fact" or "as a matter of fact." The speaker is reinforcing the truth of the first statement ("I haven't been spraying the fragrance") by providing undeniable proof ("the bottle is full").
Does aliás always mean "in fact" or can it be translated differently in other sentences?
It can vary depending on context. When used to add emphatic proof, as in this sentence, "in fact" or "moreover" fits best. However, aliás is also used as a discourse marker of rectification. If you were correcting yourself during speech (for example, "I bought three, aliás, four apples"), it would translate closer to "or rather" or "I mean."
Why use ando a borrifar instead of estou a borrifar if both talk about continuous actions?
While estar a plus the infinitive describes an action happening right at this exact second, andar a plus the infinitive implies an ongoing or repeated action over a recent period of time. Translating it as "I have been spraying" captures that recurring, habitual sense perfectly, which is a very common structure in European Portuguese.
Why is the bottle of fragrance called o frasco and not a garrafa?
In Portuguese, uma garrafa is generally a larger bottle used for drinks, like wine, juice, or water. Um frasco is used for smaller bottles, jars, or vials that hold things like perfume, medicine, jam, or cosmetics.