Word
Antes de trabalhar, descansa o pulso de modo a não o prejudicar.
Meaning
Before working, rest the wrist in order not to harm it.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Antes de trabalhar, descansa o pulso de modo a não o prejudicar.
não
not / no
trabalhar
to work
descansar
to rest
o
him/it (m)
Questions & Answers about Antes de trabalhar, descansa o pulso de modo a não o prejudicar.
Why use de modo a instead of just para to mean 'in order to'?
While para is perfectly correct, de modo a (along with de forma a) is widely used to express purpose or consequence, especially when emphasizing the manner or method of doing something. It elevates your vocabulary to a solid B2 level and is followed directly by the infinitive, just like para.
Why does the pronoun o come before the verb in não o prejudicar? Shouldn't it attach to the infinitive?
Normally, pronouns attach to the end of an infinitive verb. However, the negative word não acts as a strong grammar magnet. It pulls the pronoun o (which refers to o pulso) to the position immediately before the verb, resulting in não o prejudicar instead of não prejudicá-lo.
How do we know descansa is a command here and not just the present tense 'he/she rests'?
Context and the English translation tell us it is a command. Descansa is the affirmative imperative for the informal tu. If the speaker were addressing someone formally with você, the command would change to descanse.
Why is the infinitive used in Antes de trabalhar rather than the subjunctive?