Breakdown of Se não gostas de canela, adiciona uma pitada de açúcar.
não
not / no
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
um
a / an / some (all forms)
gostar de
to like
o açúcar
the sugar
se
if
adicionar
to add (e.g., ingredients, numbers, online)
a pitada
the pinch
a canela
the cinnamon
Questions & Answers about Se não gostas de canela, adiciona uma pitada de açúcar.
Why is se não written as two separate words here instead of senão?
Since se (if) often triggers the subjunctive, why is gostas in the normal present tense?
We use the present indicative here because it's a simple, real condition in the present. You only use the subjunctive after se when talking about hypothetical future events (which takes the future subjunctive) or impossible past conditions (which takes the imperfect subjunctive).
Is adiciona an imperative (command)? How is it formed for tu?
Yes, this is the affirmative command for tu. For regular verbs like adicionar, you form the informal command simply by taking the present tense tu form (adicionas) and dropping the final "s" to get adiciona.
Why is it just de canela and not da canela?
We drop the definite article (the a in da) because we are talking about cinnamon in a general, uncountable sense as an ingredient. If you were referring to a specific batch of cinnamon already mentioned, you would use da canela.
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