Breakdown of Ele nunca ajuda e nem sequer despeja o balde do lixo.
e
and
ele
he
do
of the / from the (do, da, dos, das)
nunca
never
ajudar
to help
o lixo
the trash
o balde
the bucket
nem sequer
not even
despejar
to empty (by pouring or dumping)
Questions & Answers about Ele nunca ajuda e nem sequer despeja o balde do lixo.
How does nem sequer work here without a não before the verb?
Just like other negative words in Portuguese, nem sequer (not even) doesn't need a não if it comes before the verb. Since it directly precedes despeja in this clause, adding não would be grammatically incorrect. If it were placed after the verb, you would use a double negative: não despeja nem sequer...
Why is there no não before ajuda? Doesn't Portuguese use double negatives?
Portuguese uses a double negative only when the negative word comes after the verb (for example, Ele não ajuda nunca). Because nunca is placed directly before the verb ajuda, the word não is dropped. This serves as a great reminder for the exact same rule happening with nem sequer later in the sentence.
I learned deitar fora for throwing away trash. Why use despeja here?
While deitar fora means to throw something away or toss it out, despejar literally means to empty or pour out. Despejar o balde do lixo specifically refers to the household chore of emptying the garbage bin, rather than just tossing a single item into the trash.
Is balde do lixo the standard term for garbage can in Portugal?
Yes, in European Portuguese, balde do lixo (literally 'bucket of trash') is the standard everyday term for a rubbish bin or garbage can. You might know the word lixeira from other contexts, but in Portugal, that usually refers to a large public dump or landfill, not the bin in your kitchen!
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