Questions & Answers about Vejo ambos os gatos ali.
Why do we say ambos os gatos instead of just ambos gatos?
In Portuguese, when the quantifier ambos (both) is followed by a noun, it strictly requires a definite article before that noun. You must match the article to the noun, which gives us ambos os gatos. Translating word-for-word from the English 'both cats' is a common trap!
If I already established we are talking about cats, could I just say 'I see both' by leaving out os gatos?
Yes. If you remove the noun, the definite article must disappear too. You would simply say Vejo ambos to mean 'I see both' or 'I see both of them'. The mandatory article rule only applies when a noun directly follows.
Could I use lá instead of ali for 'over there' in this sentence?
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