Breakdown of Ao fim de três dias de trabalho meticuloso, o mestre acabou a obra.
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
o trabalho
the work / the job
três
three
acabar
to finish
o dia
the day
o mestre
the master
ao fim de
after (a period of time) / at the end of
meticuloso
meticulous
a obra
the work (of art) / the piece
Questions & Answers about Ao fim de três dias de trabalho meticuloso, o mestre acabou a obra.
Why use ao fim de instead of depois de for "after"?
While depois de simply means "after", ao fim de emphasizes the duration of time that has passed before reaching a conclusion. It gives the feeling of "at the end of a long period of", which perfectly highlights the culmination of the master's three days of continuous effort.
Why does the sentence use both trabalho and obra? Don't they both translate to "work"?
They do, but with distinct meanings here. Trabalho refers to the actual labor, the active process, or the effort exerted (the meticulous working). Obra, on the other hand, refers to the physical result, the finished masterpiece, or the construction project itself.
Could we use the Imperfeito tense (acabava) here instead of the Pretérito Perfeito (acabou)?
Does o mestre mean "the teacher" in this sentence?
While mestre can mean a teacher or an academic master, in the context of physical labor (trabalho) and creating a piece (obra), it refers to a master craftsman, an artisan, or an expert tradesman.
Learn Ao fim de três dias de trabalho meticuloso, o mestre acabou a obra 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