Question 1

Why do we use a in a manivela instead of com (with) to say it has a hand crank?

Accepted Answer

In Portuguese, the preposition a is used to describe the power source or operating mechanism of a machine. Using com would just mean the gramophone was sold accompanied by a crank, whereas a tells us how it is powered. This follows the same pattern as fogão a gás (gas stove) or barco a motor (motorboat).

Question 2

Why isn't it à manivela with the crasis (a + a)?

Accepted Answer

When describing the type of mechanism or fuel, we don't use the definite article, so no contraction happens. It is simply the preposition a followed by the noun. Writing à manivela would imply you are talking about one specific, previously mentioned crank, rather than classifying the type of gramophone.

Question 3

What does feira da ladra literally mean?

Accepted Answer

It literally translates to "market of the female thief." It is the traditional Portuguese idiom for a flea market, originating from Lisbon's famous outdoor market where people historically suspected stolen goods were fenced. Even when used as a generic term for any flea market, it remains in the singular (ladra).

Question 4

Can I use manivela to talk about other types of handles?

Accepted Answer

No, manivela specifically refers to a crank or a winding handle that you turn in a circular motion to operate a mechanism (like on this gramophone, or an old manual car window). For a door handle, you would use maçaneta, and for the handle of a mug or pan, you would use pega or asa.

Comprei um gramofone a manivela na feira da ladra.

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