Question 1

How does ficar a perder change the meaning compared to just saying perderam?

Accepted Answer

Using the structure ficar a + infinitive emphasizes the resulting state or outcome of an event. While perderam just states the isolated fact that they lost, ficar a perder implies an acquired state, meaning they ended up losing out or were left at a disadvantage as a direct consequence of the situation.

Question 2

Is ficar a perder a common expression, and is there an opposite?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is a very common fixed phrase meaning to lose out or to be disadvantaged. Its exact opposite is ficar a ganhar, which means to end up winning, to come out ahead, or to benefit.

Question 3

Why do we use the preposition com in com a fraude instead of por or de?

Accepted Answer

In Portuguese, com is frequently used to indicate the cause of a resulting state or emotion, functioning like 'because of' or 'from' in English. While you could say por causa da fraude, using com a fraude is a very natural and concise way to link the resulting outcome directly to its trigger.

Question 4

Could I say Apesar de cuidado without the definite article?

Accepted Answer

It is much more natural to use the definite article here (de + o = do). The phrase apesar de usually requires a definite article when referring to a specific noun. The sentence implies they took a specific, expected level of care regarding the situation, rather than just general care in the abstract.

Apesar do cuidado, eles ficaram a perder com a fraude.

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