Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O cliente não tem de enviar a mensagem agora. - The client doesn't have to send the message now.

O cliente não tem de enviar a mensagem agora.

The client doesn't have to send the message now.

Breakdown of O cliente não tem de enviar a mensagem agora.

Questions & Answers about O cliente não tem de enviar a mensagem agora.

Does não tem de mean "must not" or "doesn't have to"?

It means "doesn't have to", showing a lack of obligation. Just like in English, ter de means "to have to", and adding não before it just removes the obligation. If you wanted to say the client strictly "must not" send it, you would use a different structure.

Why don't we change the ending of the verb enviar?

Because it is part of the ter de + infinitive structure. When you use a conjugated verb like tem followed by the preposition de to talk about an obligation, the verb that describes the actual action stays in its original dictionary form (the infinitive). Here, that's enviar (to send).

Why is cliente masculine here (o cliente) even though it ends in an 'e'?

Nouns ending in -e can be masculine or feminine. Cliente is actually a two-gender word, meaning the word itself doesn't change. You just use o for a male client (o cliente) and a for a female client (a cliente).

Why is the word for "message" feminine (a mensagem)?