Word
O leopardo é mais veloz do que a presa percebe.
Meaning
The leopard is swifter than the prey realizes.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of O leopardo é mais veloz do que a presa percebe.
ser
to be
mais
more
do que
than
perceber
to understand, to get it
Questions & Answers about O leopardo é mais veloz do que a presa percebe.
In this clausal comparative, is the 'do' in 'do que' mandatory before the verb 'percebe'?
Yes. When your comparison introduces a full clause with a conjugated verb (like a presa percebe), you must use do que in European Portuguese. If you were only comparing two nouns, such as saying the leopard is faster than the lion, you could optionally drop the do and just say que o leão.
I learned that perceber means 'to understand'. Does it also mean 'to realize'?
Yes! While perceber frequently means 'to understand' what someone is saying, it also translates to 'to realize', 'to notice', or 'to perceive'. If you want to make the idea of 'realizing' or 'becoming aware' even more explicit, you could also use the reflexive verb aperceber-se here, making the end of the sentence do que a presa se apercebe.
Why use veloz instead of the more common rápido here?
They both mean 'fast' and are often interchangeable. However, veloz is related to 'velocity' and emphasizes sheer physical speed. It sounds slightly more literary or dramatic than rápido, making it a perfect stylistic choice for describing a wild predator.
Why is percebe in the indicative mood rather than the subjunctive?