Breakdown of O organizador disse para vocês desenharem uma seta antes de partirem.
vocês
you (pl)
um
a / an / some (all forms)
partir
to leave / to depart
para
to / for
dizer
to say
desenhar
to draw
antes de
before
a seta
the arrow
o organizador
the organizer
Questions & Answers about O organizador disse para vocês desenharem uma seta antes de partirem.
Why do we use desenharem instead of the subjunctive here?
This is the core of reported directives. When reporting a command, you can use que + Subjunctive (disse que desenhassem). However, it is very common and natural in Portuguese to use para + Personal Infinitive (para vocês desenharem). Both mean 'told you to draw'.
Why is the personal infinitive used again at the end with partirem?
The phrase antes de (before) must be followed by an infinitive. Since the action of leaving belongs to vocês (you guys), we use the plural personal infinitive partirem. You could technically use the uninflected infinitive partir because the subject is already established, but using the personal infinitive here sounds very natural and removes any ambiguity.
Why is vocês placed before the verb rather than after it?
In para + Personal Infinitive structures, the subject of the infinitive clause usually sits between the preposition and the verb. Saying para desenharem vocês would sound awkward. The order para + subject + personal infinitive is the standard way to build these reported instructions.
Can seta also mean the turn signal on a car?
No, in Portugal a car's turn signal is called a pisca. Seta translates strictly to 'arrow', whether that is an arrow drawn on a map, a physical directional sign, or the weapon used with a bow. Brazilian Portuguese does use seta for a turn signal, which often causes confusion for learners studying European Portuguese!
Learn O organizador disse para vocês desenharem uma seta antes de partirem and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free