Breakdown of Você vai às compras, mas eu vou à piscina.
eu
I
você
you (semi-formal)
mas
but
à
at the (fem. sg.) / to the (fem. sg.)
às
at the (fem. pl.) / to the (fem. pl.)
ir
to go
as compras
the shopping
a piscina
the swimming pool
ir às compras
to go shopping
Questions & Answers about Você vai às compras, mas eu vou à piscina.
Why do we use às before compras instead of just translating the English phrase go shopping?
In Portuguese, the standard expression for to go shopping is ir às compras, which literally means to go to the purchases. Because compras is a feminine plural noun, the preposition a (to) merges with the plural article as (the) to create the contraction às.
What does the backwards accent on à and às mean?
That is called a grave accent. In Portuguese, it is used almost exclusively to show that the preposition a (to) has combined with the feminine definite article a or as (the). It tells you that two identical vowels bumped into each other and merged into a single word.
How do I know whether to use à or às in this sentence?
It depends entirely on the noun that follows it. Piscina (swimming pool) is a singular feminine word, so it requires the singular contraction à (a + a). Compras (shopping/purchases) is plural and feminine, so it requires the plural contraction às (a + as).
Why does the verb change from vai to vou if they both mean go?
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