Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Se não gostas de canela, adiciona uma pitada de açúcar. - If you do not like cinnamon, add a pinch of sugar.

Se não gostas de canela, adiciona uma pitada de açúcar.

If you do not like cinnamon, add a pinch of sugar.

Breakdown of Se não gostas de canela, adiciona uma pitada de açúcar.

não

not / no

of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)

a / an / some (all forms)

gostar de

to like

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?

In this sentence, se não literally means "if not", introducing a negative condition (se = if, não = not). You use the single word senão when you mean "otherwise" or "or else" (e.g., "Add sugar, senão it will be bitter.").

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?