Breakdown of Os botânicos documentam as raízes do feto, as quais são compridas.
ser
to be
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
a raiz
the root
comprido
long
as quais
which / who (f.pl)
o botânico
the botanist
documentar
to document
o feto
the fern
Questions & Answers about Os botânicos documentam as raízes do feto, as quais são compridas.
Why use as quais here instead of just que?
In this sentence, as quais helps prevent structural ambiguity. If we just used que, the reader's brain might initially attach it to the closest noun, o feto (the fern). By using as quais (feminine plural), it explicitly points back to as raízes (feminine plural). This makes it instantly clear that the roots are long, not the fern.
Would the sentence be incorrect if I used que?
No, it would still be grammatically correct to say as raízes do feto, que são compridas. Because the verb são is plural and the adjective compridas is feminine plural, the listener would quickly deduce that que must refer to as raízes. However, using as quais is much better for the flow of reading, as it prevents any momentary hesitation before reaching the adjective.
Wait, doesn't feto mean 'fetus'?
It does mean 'fetus' in a medical or biological context, but feto is also the standard Portuguese word for 'fern'. When you see botanists and roots mentioned, you can safely assume they are looking at ferns!
Could we use longas instead of compridas here?
Yes, longas and compridas are essentially interchangeable when describing physical length, like roots. Compridas is highly common in everyday Portuguese, while longas is often preferred for abstract concepts (like a long time: uma longa história) or in slightly more literary contexts.
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