Breakdown of Os organizadores pediram para nós sermos os mais rápidos da equipa.
ser
to be
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
nós
we
rápido
fast
para
to / for
mais
more
o
him/it (m)
a equipa
the team
pedir
to ask for
o organizador
the organizer
Questions & Answers about Os organizadores pediram para nós sermos os mais rápidos da equipa.
Why does this sentence use para nós sermos instead of the subjunctive?
When reporting a request or command, you have two options in Portuguese. You can use que + Subjunctive (pediram que nós fôssemos) or you can use para + Personal Infinitive (pediram para nós sermos). Both are correct, but the para + Personal Infinitive structure is extremely common in spoken Portuguese because it acts as a shortcut to avoid conjugating the subjunctive.
Is the pronoun nós required here, or could I just say para sermos?
You can absolutely drop nós and just say pediram para sermos. Since the personal infinitive sermos already clearly indicates the 'we' form through its ending, the pronoun is optional and is only included here for slight emphasis.
The English translation says 'fastest in the team', but the Portuguese uses da equipa (of the team). Can I use na equipa?
With superlatives like os mais rápidos, Portuguese strictly uses the preposition de (here combined with a to make da) to define the group you are comparing against. It translates literally as 'the fastest of the team'. Using na equipa here would sound unnatural to native speakers.
Why use sermos (from ser) instead of estarmos (from estar)? Isn't being the fastest in a specific event temporary?
While being fast in one specific race might feel temporary, holding the title or rank of 'the fastest in the team' is treated as an inherent characteristic or status within that group. Therefore, ser is the correct verb to use with this superlative.
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