Breakdown of O ecrã é ajustável de modo a não prejudicar os olhos.
ser
to be
não
not / no
o ecrã
the screen
o olho
the eye
de modo a
in order to (in such a way as to)
ajustável
adjustable
prejudicar
to harm
Questions & Answers about O ecrã é ajustável de modo a não prejudicar os olhos.
How does de modo a work here, and could I use para instead?
The phrase de modo a expresses purpose, similar to 'in order to' or 'so as to' in English, and is always followed by an infinitive verb (here, prejudicar). While you could simply use para, using de modo a or de forma a is slightly more formal and emphasizes that the screen is adjusted in a specific way to achieve this result.
Why does the negative word não go between a and the verb?
When negating an infinitive clause, the negative word always goes immediately before the verb it is negating. The structure is fixed as de modo a + não + infinitive, which perfectly mirrors the English structure 'in order' + 'not' + 'to harm'.
Why does the sentence use os olhos (the eyes) instead of a possessive like os nossos olhos (our eyes)?
In Portuguese, it is standard practice to use definite articles (o, a, os, as) rather than possessive pronouns for body parts. Even though this is a general statement applying to anyone using the screen, Portuguese still relies on the simple definite article where English might naturally use 'your' or 'our' eyes.
Is ecrã the standard Portuguese word for screen?
It is standard in European Portuguese, originally borrowed from the French word 'écran'. However, if you consume Brazilian media or speak with Brazilians, you will notice they use the word tela for screens instead.
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