Question 1

Why do we say Aquela tua colega instead of Essa tua colega?

Accepted Answer

The word Aquela implies that the colleague is physically or psychologically distant from both the speaker and the listener. If you were talking about a colleague who was currently with the listener, or directly associated with their present situation, you would use Essa instead.

Question 2

Why does the possessive tua come before the noun, rather than after it like in the English phrase 'of yours'?

Accepted Answer

In Portuguese, possessives almost always come right before the noun they modify, even when you already have a demonstrative like Aquela. The literal structure is 'That your colleague', which is the standard and natural way to express this idea in Portuguese.

Question 3

Why is there no definite article before the possessive here, like we usually see with a tua colega?

Accepted Answer

When you use a demonstrative pronoun like Aquela, Esta, or Essa, it replaces the definite article. It is incorrect to say a aquela tua colega, so the article is simply left out.

Question 4

Could I use novamente or de novo instead of outra vez?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all three mean 'again' and are perfectly correct in this sentence. However, outra vez and de novo are much more common in everyday spoken Portuguese, while novamente sounds a bit more formal.

Aquela tua colega ligou outra vez.

Breakdown of Aquela tua colega ligou outra vez.

Questions & Answers about Aquela tua colega ligou outra vez.

Learn Aquela tua colega ligou outra vez and more in Portuguese