Questions & Answers about O homem quer comer o bife.
Why is there no word for "to" between quer and comer?
In English, we say "wants to eat", but in Portuguese, you just put the infinitive (the dictionary form of the verb) directly after quer. The word comer already means "to eat", so adding an extra word for "to" would be a mistake.
Why is the verb quer instead of "quere"?
Does bife mean "beef" or "steak"?
Bife specifically means a "steak" (a cut of meat). Even though it sounds like the English word "beef", the general word for beef in Portuguese is carne de vaca (literally "cow meat"). This makes bife a slight false friend!
How do I pronounce the word homem?
The 'h' at the beginning is completely silent. Also, an 'm' at the end of a Portuguese word doesn't close the lips like in English. Instead, it makes the vowel before it nasal. Homem sounds similar to "oh-mayng", fading out through your nose.