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Eu arrumei só o sótão.

Eu arrumei só o sótão.
I tidied only the attic.
From Lesson 389:Focus adverbs (só, apenas)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Eu arrumei só o sótão.

eu
I
arrumar
to tidy up
o
him/it (m)
só
only
o sótão
the attic

Questions & Answers about Eu arrumei só o sótão.

Why is só placed after the verb here instead of before it?
Placing só directly before o sótão specifically restricts the focus to the attic, meaning you tidied the attic and nowhere else. If you said Eu só arrumei o sótão, it could mean the same thing, but it could also mean that tidying the attic is the only action you took (for example, you didn't paint it or fix the roof). Putting the adverb right next to the noun phrase makes your exact meaning unmistakable.
Could I use apenas instead of só in this exact spot?
Yes, Eu arrumei apenas o sótão is perfectly correct and means the exact same thing. apenas is simply a slightly more formal option, but both adverbs follow the exact same placement rules for focusing on a specific noun.
Could I put só at the very end of the sentence, like we sometimes do in English?
No, saying Eu arrumei o sótão só sounds unnatural in Portuguese. Focus adverbs like só and apenas need to be placed immediately before the word or phrase they are restricting.
Does arrumei imply I scrubbed and washed the attic?
Not necessarily. arrumar means to tidy, organize, or put things away. If you actually washed the floors and wiped away the dust, you would use the verb limpar (to clean).

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