Breakdown of Graças à camuflagem, este predador caça melhor do que pensamos.
este
this (este, esta, estes, estas)
do que
than
pensar
to think
melhor
better / best
graças a
thanks to
a camuflagem
the camouflage
o predador
the predator
caçar
to hunt
Questions & Answers about Graças à camuflagem, este predador caça melhor do que pensamos.
Why do we use do que before pensamos instead of just que?
When comparing actions where the second part of the comparison is a full dependent clause with a conjugated verb (like pensamos), European Portuguese requires do que. You can only drop the do and just use que when comparing two simple nouns, adjectives, or pronouns (e.g., ele é mais alto que eu).
Why is pensamos in the indicative mood rather than the subjunctive?
In clausal comparatives, the verb in the second clause (what follows do que) takes the indicative when it expresses an actual fact or a real belief. Because we are stating a fact about what we actually think right now, the indicative pensamos is correct. You would only use the subjunctive in a comparative clause if it described a completely hypothetical or unreal scenario.
Could I say mais bem instead of melhor in this sentence?
No. Because caça is an active verb, you must use the irregular comparative melhor to describe how it hunts (hunts better). The phrase mais bem is strictly reserved for use before a past participle (acting as an adjective), such as in mais bem camuflado (better camouflaged).
Why is there a grave accent on à in Graças à camuflagem?
The set phrase graças a (thanks to) always requires the preposition a. Because camuflagem is a feminine noun, it requires the feminine definite article a. The preposition and the article merge together to form à. If the noun were masculine, like o predador, it would become graças ao predador.
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