Breakdown of A nova camareira tem muito que fazer e pouco que desinfetar.
e
and
novo
new / young
muito
much / very
ter
to have
fazer
to do
pouco
little
que
who / which / that (relative)
a camareira
the room attendant
desinfetar
to disinfect
Questions & Answers about A nova camareira tem muito que fazer e pouco que desinfetar.
Why does this sentence use tem muito que fazer instead of tem de fazer muito?
This highlights the exact difference between possessing a task and expressing a strict obligation. Ter de means 'must' or 'to be obligated to', whereas ter muito que + infinitive means having a lot of actual tasks on your plate. She isn't just obliged to work hard; she physically possesses a long list of things to do.
Is it also correct to say tem muito o que fazer with an o?
Why is the adjective before the noun in nova camareira rather than after?
Adjective placement changes the meaning of the word nova. Placed before the noun (nova camareira), it means she is the newly hired attendant, regardless of her actual age. If it were placed after the noun (camareira nova), it would imply that the attendant is physically young.
Would I use the word camareira for someone who cleans my house?
No, camareira is specifically used in the hospitality industry for a hotel room attendant. If you are talking about a cleaner for a private house or an office, you would instead use the term empregada de limpeza.
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