Breakdown of Há três dias que ando para aparar as minhas sobrancelhas.
três
three
meu
my
o
him/it (m)
o dia
the day
que
that (conjunction)
aparar
to trim
haver
ago / for (a period of time)
andar para
to have been meaning to
a sobrancelha
the eyebrow
Questions & Answers about Há três dias que ando para aparar as minhas sobrancelhas.
How does ando para aparar translate to "have been meaning to trim"?
The structure andar para followed by an infinitive is used to express a delayed intention. It implies you have been planning or meaning to do something for a while, but haven't gotten around to it yet. While it literally translates to something like "I walk to trim," it perfectly captures the procrastination of "I have been meaning to trim."
Why is ando in the present tense if the English translation uses the present perfect continuous ("have been meaning")?
In Portuguese, when an action started in the past and is still ongoing in the present, you use the present tense alongside a time expression like Há [time] que. So, Há três dias que ando... literally translates to "There are three days that I mean..." which is the natural way to express "I have been meaning... for three days."
Could I just say Há três dias que quero aparar instead of using ando para?
I learned that body parts usually just take the definite article. Why does this sentence use as minhas sobrancelhas instead of just as sobrancelhas?
You are right that Portuguese often drops the possessive for body parts when the owner is obvious from the context (like saying Vou lavar as mãos). However, using the possessive here is not grammatically wrong and often adds a slight emphasis or personal focus. Saying just aparar as sobrancelhas would also be perfectly natural in this sentence.
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