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O artigo teve um defeito, pelo que solicito a devolução.

O artigo teve um defeito, pelo que solicito a devolução.
The article had a defect, therefore I request the return.
From Lesson 371:Therefore (pelo que)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O artigo teve um defeito, pelo que solicito a devolução.

How exactly does pelo que work in this sentence?
The connector pelo que translates roughly to 'therefore' or 'for which reason.' It introduces the logical consequence of the first clause (the item being defective). It is slightly more formal than simply saying por isso or então, making it perfect for a customer service complaint like this.
Does artigo mean a written article here?
While artigo can mean a newspaper or magazine article, in a retail or business context it means an 'item' or 'product.' Since the speaker is requesting a return (devolução), we know they are referring to a physical good they purchased.
Why use the completed past tense (teve) instead of the continuous past (tinha) for having a defect?
You could definitely use tinha to describe the ongoing state of the item being defective. However, using teve treats the defect as a single, completed event or a specific discovery in the past that acts as the direct trigger for requesting the return right now.
Could I use the verb pedir instead of solicitar?
Yes, you could say peço a devolução, but solicito (from solicitar) elevates the formality. It is the standard, professional verb to use when making official requests, such as asking for a refund, returning a product, or submitting an application.

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