Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ele quer sair cedo.

Ele quer sair cedo.

He wants to leave early.

Breakdown of Ele quer sair cedo.

Questions & Answers about Ele quer sair cedo.

Why is there no word for "to" between quer and sair?

In English, we say "wants TO leave", but in Portuguese, the verb querer (to want) connects directly to the main action. You just use quer followed immediately by the dictionary form (infinitive) of the second verb, which is sair here.

Because querer is an "-er" verb, shouldn't the "he" form be "quere"?

That is a great guess because regular "-er" verbs do end in "-e" for the "he/she" form (like come or bebe). However, querer is irregular. Its "he/she/you formal" form drops the final vowel, becoming just quer.

Does sair only mean "to leave"?

It means "to leave" (a location or a room), but it is also the standard word for "to go out" for fun. Depending on the context, this sentence could mean he wants to leave a place early, or he wants to go out for the evening early.

Does the word cedo change if the subject is feminine or plural?

No. cedo (early) is an adverb describing when the action happens, not an adjective describing a noun. Adverbs never change their endings, so it stays exactly the same whether it is a man, a woman, or a group leaving early.