Breakdown of O homem cuja mansão é enorme esbanja dinheiro.
ser
to be
o homem
the man
o dinheiro
the money
enorme
huge
cujo
whose (cujo, cuja, cujos, cujas)
a mansão
the mansion (luxurious)
esbanjar
to squander / to splurge
Questions & Answers about O homem cuja mansão é enorme esbanja dinheiro.
Why does cuja take the feminine form here when it refers to a man?
The relative pronoun cujo (whose) always agrees in gender and number with the noun that is possessed, not the possessor. Because mansão (mansion) is feminine and singular, the pronoun becomes cuja, regardless of the fact that it belongs to o homem (the man).
Is it ever correct to say cuja a mansão?
No. Although you might hear native speakers mistakenly add an article after cujo or cuja in casual speech, it is grammatically incorrect. These relative pronouns act as determiners themselves, so they never take a definite article immediately after them.
Could we use tal (such) at the beginning of this sentence?
Yes, you could say Tal homem cuja mansão... to mean "Such a man whose mansion...". Remember that when tal means "such a", it is placed directly before the noun without needing an indefinite article (um or uma).
What is the infinitive of esbanja and how does it differ from gasta?
The infinitive is esbanjar, which specifically means to squander, waste, or spend recklessly. While gastar simply means to spend, esbanjar carries a strong connotation of throwing money or resources away carelessly.
How common is this phrasing in everyday spoken Portuguese?
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