Breakdown of Lamentamos o transtorno que causámos, pelo que agradecemos a sua compreensão.
seu
your (formal) / his / her
agradecer
to thank
que
who / which / that (relative)
lamentar
to regret, to be sorry
pelo que
therefore / which is why (for which reason)
a compreensão
the understanding
o transtorno
the inconvenience
causar
to cause
Questions & Answers about Lamentamos o transtorno que causámos, pelo que agradecemos a sua compreensão.
How does pelo que work here, and could I just use por isso?
Pelo que literally translates to "for that which", but functions as a formal conclusive connector meaning "therefore" or "which is why". You could absolutely use por isso or portanto instead, but pelo que elevates the register, making it perfect for formal apologies or business correspondence like this one.
Why does causámos have an accent mark on the "a"?
In European Portuguese, regular -ar verbs need an acute accent in the first-person plural of the past tense (causámos) to distinguish it from the present tense (causamos). This tells you to pronounce the "a" with an open sound. It is a crucial detail that is often forgotten!
Is transtorno the best word for "inconvenience"? Can I use inconveniência?
Yes, transtorno is the most natural word for an inconvenience, disruption, or hassle in customer service contexts. While inconveniência exists, it often carries a stronger negative tone regarding someone's inappropriate social behavior, whereas transtorno refers to a practical disruption.
Why is it just agradecemos a sua compreensão instead of using the preposition por?
The verb agradecer (to thank) can take the thing being appreciated as a direct object, effectively meaning "we appreciate your understanding". You can say agradecemos pela sua compreensão (we give thanks for your understanding), but dropping the preposition is very common and sounds slightly more elegant in formal writing.
Learn Lamentamos o transtorno que causámos, pelo que agradecemos a sua compreensão 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