Word
Eu lavo as mãos no lavatório.
Meaning
I wash my hands in the washbasin.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Eu lavo as mãos no lavatório.
no
in the / on the / at the (m, f, pl forms: na, nos, nas)
a mão
the hand
o lavatório
the washbasin
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Questions & Answers about Eu lavo as mãos no lavatório.
Why does the sentence use as mãos (the hands) instead of as minhas mãos (my hands)?
In Portuguese, when it is obvious whose body parts are involved, you just use the definite article (o, a, os, or as) instead of a possessive word. Since you are the one washing, lavo as mãos naturally translates to 'I wash my hands'.
Where does the word no come from in no lavatório?
The word no is a mandatory contraction of the preposition em (in/on/at) and the masculine definite article o (the). Because lavatório is a masculine noun, 'in the' combines em + o into no.
Does lavatório mean any kind of sink?
In Portugal, a lavatório specifically refers to a bathroom sink or washbasin. If you were washing your hands at the kitchen sink, you would use a different word, like banca or lava-loiça.
Since this lesson is about the verb poder, how would I change this sentence to say 'I can wash my hands'?